The White River Valley Herald

Proposed Towers, Cellular Network Focuses on Emergency Responders

FirstNet Hopes To Fill Gaps In Coverage


This engineer’s map of the location for a proposed FirstNet and AT&T cell tower in Stockbridge is one of four similar projects proposed throughout the White River Valley. (Provided)

This engineer’s map of the location for a proposed FirstNet and AT&T cell tower in Stockbridge is one of four similar projects proposed throughout the White River Valley. (Provided)

Four proposed cell towers in White River Valley towns could improve communication capabilities for first responders— and improve cell service for everyone—if built. But area emergency response agencies aren’t yet using the technology that will work with these towers, if they are built.

The towers proposed in Stockbridge, Hancock, Granville, and Chelsea, are part of the rollout of a federal program, overseen by the First Responder Network Authority board (also known as FirstNet).

FirstNet was formed in 2012 by the federal government and charged with establishing, operating, and maintaining an interoperable public safety broadband network.

FirstNet has a contract with telecommunications company AT&T to develop a strong network for first responders throughout the country. Individual states can opt into that contract, or pursue building out the FirstNet infrastructure on their own, according to Terry LaValley, Vermont’s director of radio technology services. Thanks to the First- Net Authority’s involvement, all the towers will be fully funded by the federal government. The state opted into First- Net’s contract with AT&T in 2017, and since then has identified spots throughout the state lacking adequate cell coverage—especially when it comes to the needs of first responders, LaValley said. With 36 intended sites for cell towers, so far 20 have been built, with 11 remaining—including the four in White River Valley towns, he said.

Per the contract, AT&T has until 2022 to finish all the towers, LaValley said.

A Look FirstNet

LaValley explained that putting up cell towers is just one aspect of a complicated initiative to improve emergency communications.

The cell towers will provide high quality Band 14 coverage, according to AT&T spokesperson Leland Kim. He explained that “We look at Band 14 as public safety’s VIP lane. In an emergency, this band—or lane —can be cleared and locked just for FirstNet subscribers.”

He noted that other AT&T customers should also see improvement in cell coverage, with the building of new towers.

But the state’s LaValley said the overall rollout of FirstNet will include many more pieces—and the technology still has a ways to go before it meets all of the federal guidelines laid out for it.

In addition to cell towers, LaValley said other pieces of the rollout of FirstNet’s communication network will likely include improving radio technology coverage— something that can be spotty in rural areas.

And the FirstNet Authority also has specific FirstNet devices, designed for use by first responders, LaValley noted. Eventually, LaValley said these devices will likely become much more useful for emergency responders.

For example, he said, FirstNet devices may eventually allow firefighters to easily access documents such as blueprints for buildings which they have to enter.

While the technology isn’t quite at that level yet, LaValley said he thinks putting up these towers now is a worthwhile project.

“Even though your community may not be using this right now, these services will become more and more valuable to the first responder community in the future,” posited LaValley.

Even so, some local officials are left with questions about whether the installations are worthwhile.

Stockbridge Fire Chief Dave Brown said he isn’t very familiar with FirstNet technology at this point.

Currently the Stockbridge Fire Department uses an app called “Who’s Responding,” that alerts each member when there’s a call from dispatch.

“That works pretty well,” said Brown. “We’re all either in cell service or Wi-Fi, usually.”

Brown said he doesn’t know of any local agencies that use FirstNet. While not opposed to the idea of using the new technology, he said it’s too soon for him to comment on whether or not it would be useful for his fire department.

Granville Selectboard chair Bruce Hyde, emphasized that while he’s neither for or against the proposed tower on North Hollow Road at this point, he’d like more information about the project.

Specifically, he said, it’s not clear to him whether putting a tower on North Hollow Road will have any significant impact on cell service in the Granville Gulf—which, in his eyes, should be a top priority for getting cell service to.

“The Granville Gulf is a dangerous place—it’s high elevation, there’s sweeping turns, and there’s no service at all,” he noted.

“It’s a priority for the state, I think, to have some coverage, but with the very extreme terrain, I’m not so sure it accomplishes what they’re saying it might,” said Hyde of the proposed location for Granville’s tower.

Building the Towers?

Kevin Geiger, a senior planner at Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC), explained that the process is a slow one.

The cell towers are exempt from Act 250, Vermont’s land use law, but must go through a separate process, following the Public Utilities Commission’s “248 procedures.”

Quipping that “everyone has a lawyer” Geiger described the 248 process as “much more legalistic” than projects that are subject to Act 250.

Currently, the White River Valley towers are in a 60-day “advance notice” period. Following that period, during which there must be public hearings and opportunity for airing of public comments on the project, AT&T must go through the process of getting “certificates of public good” for each project.

As the regional planning commission for the area, TRORC is, by law, a party to these proceedings, and works with AT&T to ensure that any proposed tower—and the access roads to it—are in line with the town and regional plan, said Geiger.

From the perspective of TRORC’s staff, the biggest concern is the environmental impact of roads leading to the towers. This is a bigger concern for some projects, than others, said Geiger.

For example, he said, the proposed tower in Granville would use an already existing road. But building a tower at the location proposed in Stockbridge would involve a creating an entirely new road through existing forest, potentially having a significant impact on the environment.

Of the four towers proposed in the White River Valley, each is at a different stage in the process, he said. The proposed project in Hancock is farthest along, he said, because AT&T’s proposal is to replace the current tower at the Snow Bowl with a taller one.

However, the proposed site in Chelsea was deemed not viable for a cell tower, and so far no second site has been proposed.

AT&T’s Kim did not provide specifics about when and where a second site might be proposed, writing only that “We continue to work with local officials to identify a location that will help to enhance the connected experience for first responders and the broader community.”