Mobile services FAQ

Wireless Service FAQs

What is the proposed installation? The proposed installation is one large, or “macro,” tower located on the San Domenico School campus.

What will the tower installation look like? The tower will be housed in a midsized water-tank structure, in keeping with the pastoral aesthetic of the area.

Will there be backup power for use in the event of a power outage? Yes. The design incorporates a diesel generator.

What is the role of the SHHA in this project? The SHHA is not a party to any agreement underlying the construction and operation of the facility, located as it is on private land. The SHHA’s primary function in this matter is to gauge and coordinate Sleepy Hollow community support for expanded telecommunications. While it is the stated position of the SHHA that the lack of mobile network coverage in the Hollow is a critical public safety issue, our aim is to present an accurate reflection of the sentiments of the community at large.

Why was Verizon chosen as the network provider? SHHA board members reached out to all major carriers, with Verizon the only carrier expressing interest in the project.

I don’t have Verizon, will my carrier expand into the neighborhood?  Other carriers are invited by Verizon to co-locate on the tower, installing their own transmitters. It is in those carriers' courts to pursue that option and best case, that installation would be at least one year from Verizon's live date of May 2025.  Since Verizon is live here and now, our recommendation to non-Verizon customers would be to switch for the added safety benefit today.

Will customers of other carriers be able to make emergency calls and receive other public safety announcements? Yes. 911 calls and pushed public safety announcements can be made and received irrespective of carrier.

What type of coverage will the installation provide? The installation is projected to deliver in-building service to the northwest section of the Hollow (past the community center towards San Domenico and down the Van Winkle corridor) with in-car or outdoor coverage for most of the rest of the neighborhood. There will still be a few dead spots due to our local topography but the great majority of Hollow residents will have some degree of wireless service.

Is there any more expansion planned in a Phase 2? It is possible that the macro tower could be supplemented with three or four small-cell towers that would virtually eliminate any dead spots and Verizon has produced a design including these elements. The process of getting these installations approved will likely be protracted, involving legal challenges, and will hinge in large part on Verizon’s appetite for that challenge and the community’s strong support.

Why 4G, and not 5G? Verizon's team has told us that our neighborhood is not a good candidate for 5G service. 5G networks are made up of hundreds, if not thousands, of structure-mounted nodes and is best suited to high-density areas- quite unlike Sleepy Hollow!

What is the approximate timeline for completion? The tower went live in May 2025.