New Cell Towers Boost Coverage in Maine/Verizon Sells Maine Land Lines

Verizon Communications continued shedding its traditional landline phone business Tuesday by announcing that it will spin off that business in northern New England and merge it with FairPoint Communications, a small phone company serving mostly rural areas (sounds like us, doesn't it--mostly rural we are).

In Maine, Verizon has 578,000 lines and 1,259 workers who would move to the new company as part of the deal.

While divesting of land lines, Verizon continues to invest heavily in the wireless business. Verizon Wireless added or activated 100 new cells in 2006, including 29 in November and December. The company has invested over $318 million in the New England states over the last 5 years in an effort to stay ahead of the competition.
The 29 newest spots to get better coverage:

 Hancock County:
    - Dedham: Provides improved coverage and capacity along US-1a, providing
      connectivity with the existing sites in Holden to the northwest and
      another Dedham site to the south
    - Ellsworth: Enhances coverage along US-1, connecting with another
      existing site in Ellsworth to the east and a new site in Orland to the
      west
    - Orland (2 sites): Adds new coverage along US-1 and ME-3.  The sites
      tie-in coverage with each other as well as new sites in Ellsworth to
      the east and Prospect to the southwest
    - Verona: Provides coverage along US-1 and ME-3 as well as Verona Island

   Knox County:
    - Camden: Provides coverage along US-1, ME-90, ME-52, as well as to
      downtown Camden, connecting with the new Rockport site to the north
    - Owl's Head: Adds coverage along US-1, ME-73, as well as into downtown
      Rockland, providing connectivity with new sites in Rockland to the
      northwest and northeast
    - Rockland (2 sites): Enhances coverage along US-1, ME-73, ME-90, ME-17,
      as well as into downtown Rockland.  The sites tie-in coverage with each
      other as well as new sites in Owl's Nest to the south/southeast and
      Thomaston to the southwest
    - Rockport (2 sites): Adds coverage along US-1, ME-17, ME-90, as well as
      into downtown Rockport along Rockport Harbor.  The sites link with each
      other as well as the new site in Camden
    - Thomaston: Provides coverage along US-1, connecting with new sites in
      Warren to the northwest and Rockland to the east
    - Warren (2 sites): Adds coverage along US-1, ME-131, and ME-90.  The
      sites tie-in coverage with each other as well as a new site in
      Thomaston to the south east and an existing site in Waldoboro, both to
      the east

   Oxford County:
    - Gilead: Adds coverage along US-2, connecting with new sites in Newry
      and Greenwood to the east and the existing Shelburne site to the west
    - Greenwood: Provides coverage along ME-26 and ME-35, joining with
      existing sites in Newbury to the west and Woodstock to the east
    - Newry: Adds coverage along US-2, uniting the existing site in Bethel to
      the existing site to the northeast and the new Gilead site to the
      southeast

   Sagadahoc County:
    - Bowdoinham: Provides improved coverage along I-295 and Route 201,
      providing connectivity with existing sites in Bowdoin and Topsham

   Waldo County:
    - Belfast (2 sites): Provide new coverage along US-1, ME-3, ME-141, and
      ME-7 as well as downtown Belfast. The sites join coverage with each
      other as well as the new Searsport site to the east,  new Belmont site
      to the west, and existing Northport site to the north
    - Belmont: Enhances coverage along ME-3, providing connectivity to
      another existing site in Belmont to the east and the new site in
      Searsmont to the west
    - Frankfort: Adds coverage along US-1a, providing connectivity with new
      sites in Buxport to the north and Prospect to the south
    - Prospect: Provides coverage along ME-3 and ME-1, connecting with
      existing sites in Franklin to the north and Orland to the west
    - Searsmont: Adds coverage along ME-3, providing connectivity to an
      existing site in Belmont to the east and the new site in Montville to
      the west
    - Searsport: Provides coverage along US-1/ME-3, supporting an existing
      site in Verona to the east and the new site in Belfast to the west

   York County:
    - Buxton: Adds coverage along ME-202, uniting with existing sites in
      Hollis to the west and Gorham to the east
    - Lyman (2 sites): Provide coverage along ME-202.  The sites tie-in
      coverage with each other as with a new site in Waterboro and existing
      sites in Alfred and Hollis
    - Waterboro: Enhances coverage along ME-202, joining with two new sites
      in Lyman