U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wants the major cell phone carriers to fix over 200 “dead zones” in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
The dead zones were identified by crowdsourcing. Residents reported them to Schumer’s office, and staff were sent out to verify certain locations.
“There are dead zones throughout Nassau County, from Great Neck to Massapequa to Plainview to Rockville Center. Dead zones throughout Suffolk County from Huntington to Sayville to Fishers Island and to East Hampton.”
Most are located on the North Shore and East End. Schumer admits he has no authority to force the carriers to upgrade, but hopes now that they know the locations, they will.
He also says there are ways to improve signal strength without building new towers, such as upgrading software and amplifying existing signals.