ALBANY COUNTY — AT&T has established new cell sites in the East Berne hamlet and village of Altamont, which will expand coverage and improve connections for AT&T customers in those areas.

The telecommunications company has added 19 new sites in Albany County since 2019, according to a press release, including another one in Berne that was installed last year, as The Enterprise reported at the time.

Westerlo and Rensselaerville also had AT&T service enhanced. 

These sites, like the others, allow customers to access Band 14 through AT&T’s FirstNet program, which was designed for first responders following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Signals from Band 14 are more penetrative than other signals, allowing them to travel through walls more effectively. 

Although first responders have preferred use of FirstNet, AT&T allows regular consumers to use it when space allows. 

— Noah Zweifel