Southampton Village to improve cell service for first responders, residents
The Southampton Fire Department seen on Monday. Poor cell service impacts communication among first responders in the area, officials said. Credit: Randee Daddona
Southampton Village plans to upgrade wireless infrastructure to improve a system that officials and first responders say poses a public safety risk.
The village board awarded a bid to Diamond Communications at its June 25 meeting for the New Jersey-based company to design, construct, operate and maintain wireless communication facilities. The village became the latest Hamptons municipality seeking to improve notoriously spotty cell coverage.
Poor service impacts communication among first responders, including police, firefighters and EMS, and can also make it difficult for residents in need of assistance to reach 911, village officials and first responders said.
Richard Fowler, second assistant chief of the Southampton Fire Department, said in an interview while the problem exists year-round, it becomes “far worse” during summer when the population swells.
“It just doesn’t really matter where you go and you just can’t seem to make a call,” he said.
The village board began a bidding process in January to select a wireless communications company.
Village administrator Anthony Carter served on the committee that chose the winning bid. He said the next step is for Diamond Communications to complete a deficiency study to evaluate the current wireless infrastructure and determine weak points.
Mayor William Manger said any new infrastructure, such as towers, would be installed on village-owned properties. The village specified the police department headquarters on Windmill Lane and Coopers Beach as potential sites.
“It’s very difficult to get new towers built,” Manger said, adding the village can “lure” cell carriers and generate revenue once the infrastructure is in place.
He said Diamond Communications is responsible for the cost of installing new equipment. The village and the company share revenue from the cell carriers, according to the bid proposal.
Carter said there will "be a conscientious effort to the aesthetics of the tower."
“It’s just as important as its capability," he said.
Manger said the company could build a monopole that looks like a “giant flagpole” and is painted a bluish-gray to blend into the sky and look “as unobtrusive as possible.”
Any improvements won’t be completed in time to alleviate poor cell coverage this summer, but Manger said he’s hopeful infrastructure can be in place for early 2025.
Fowler, who also served on the committee that selected the winning bid, said the primary goal is to improve communication for first responders.
As an example, he said some emergency vehicles are equipped with a mobile data terminal, which is like an iPad, and shows the call information, mapping and contact information.
The system becomes "very lagged" in problematic areas, he said, and at times they can't access it at all.
At a board meeting last fall, Southampton Village police officer Brian Lamonica told the board the department sometimes loses communication with patrol cars during the summer that can delay responses. He said 911 callers near the beaches have problems making calls.
He said at times a dispatcher will deploy an officer to a general area before a more specific location can be pinpointed.
East Hampton Town adopted a wireless telecommunications master plan last year to serve as a road map for the town to work with cellular providers to identify and address coverage gaps.
The Village of Sagaponack earlier this year approved a resolution to lease village-owned land to Homeland Towers LLC for construction of a cellular tower.
Southampton Village plans to upgrade wireless infrastructure to improve a system that officials and first responders say poses a public safety risk.
The village board awarded a bid to Diamond Communications at its June 25 meeting for the New Jersey-based company to design, construct, operate and maintain wireless communication facilities. The village became the latest Hamptons municipality seeking to improve notoriously spotty cell coverage.
Poor service impacts communication among first responders, including police, firefighters and EMS, and can also make it difficult for residents in need of assistance to reach 911, village officials and first responders said.
Richard Fowler, second assistant chief of the Southampton Fire Department, said in an interview while the problem exists year-round, it becomes “far worse” during summer when the population swells.
“It just doesn’t really matter where you go and you just can’t seem to make a call,” he said.
The village board began a bidding process in January to select a wireless communications company.
Village administrator Anthony Carter served on the committee that chose the winning bid. He said the next step is for Diamond Communications to complete a deficiency study to evaluate the current wireless infrastructure and determine weak points.
Mayor William Manger said any new infrastructure, such as towers, would be installed on village-owned properties. The village specified the police department headquarters on Windmill Lane and Coopers Beach as potential sites.
“It’s very difficult to get new towers built,” Manger said, adding the village can “lure” cell carriers and generate revenue once the infrastructure is in place.
He said Diamond Communications is responsible for the cost of installing new equipment. The village and the company share revenue from the cell carriers, according to the bid proposal.
Carter said there will "be a conscientious effort to the aesthetics of the tower."
“It’s just as important as its capability," he said.
Manger said the company could build a monopole that looks like a “giant flagpole” and is painted a bluish-gray to blend into the sky and look “as unobtrusive as possible.”
Any improvements won’t be completed in time to alleviate poor cell coverage this summer, but Manger said he’s hopeful infrastructure can be in place for early 2025.
Fowler, who also served on the committee that selected the winning bid, said the primary goal is to improve communication for first responders.
As an example, he said some emergency vehicles are equipped with a mobile data terminal, which is like an iPad, and shows the call information, mapping and contact information.
The system becomes "very lagged" in problematic areas, he said, and at times they can't access it at all.
At a board meeting last fall, Southampton Village police officer Brian Lamonica told the board the department sometimes loses communication with patrol cars during the summer that can delay responses. He said 911 callers near the beaches have problems making calls.
He said at times a dispatcher will deploy an officer to a general area before a more specific location can be pinpointed.
East Hampton Town adopted a wireless telecommunications master plan last year to serve as a road map for the town to work with cellular providers to identify and address coverage gaps.
The Village of Sagaponack earlier this year approved a resolution to lease village-owned land to Homeland Towers LLC for construction of a cellular tower.
Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.
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