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AT&T adds two 3G cell sites for better mobile phone service in Thurmont areaNov 16, 2012 (The Frederick News-Post - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The mountainous areas around Thurmont could sometimes make mobile phone connections difficult. AT&T has added two 3G cell sites along Foxville Road in Catoctin Mountain Park to alleviate that. Margarita Noriega, a spokeswoman for AT&T, said Thursday the new sites will boost voice and data signal strength. She did not disclose the specific cost for the sites, but Noriega said a typical new cell site can cost more than $1 million. "Much of it depends on where the site is and how it will be placed," Noriega said via telephone. Stealth sites, where the dish or antennas are attached to a building to make them less obtrusive, usually costs more, Noriega said, because AT&T has to work with an architect. AT&T plans upgrades and new sites elsewhere in Frederick County, Noriega said, but she did not disclose any specifics. That information is usually withheld because of competition among telecommunications firms, as well as negotiations with landowners and the permitting process, Noriega said. During the G-8 summit at Camp David earlier this year, AT&T used COWS -- cell sites on wheels -- mobile cell sites that boost coverage during large events. ___ (c)2012 The Frederick News-Post (Frederick, Md.) Visit The Frederick News-Post (Frederick, Md.) at www.fredericknewspost.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |