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Yes, but how good is your service?

Interviews and photos by Michael Lipkin
for The Brooklyn Paper

Neighbors of a Shore Road building went ballistic when Verizon started installing cellular equipment atop the tower, but the carrier said the new antennas were needed to provide good service. And even the protesters admitted that they all use the ubiquitous mobile devices. So how is service in Bay Ridge? We hit the streets to find out.

The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin
I have a T-Mobile Family Plan and Verizon for myself. Verizon is the best I’ve ever had. It’s the only phone that works everywhere. I don’t know too much about cellphone towers, but it sounds like the lesser of two evils; do we do away with cellphones all together or take the risk?
Abe Jones, engineer, 40

The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin
This phone’s a Nextel. It’s alright — a few dropped calls now and then, but it’s fine. I couple of months ago, I heard about [equipment being installed near] PS 185, where my sister goes. I was so worried that I went over there to be part of the protest that got it taken down. The towers are OK. You just need to make sure they’re not near too many little kids.
Eric Callejas, student, 14

The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin
I have a Sprint phone, which I have no complaints about. There’s a tower on top of my building and I’ve learned to just deal with it. Of course I wish it wasn’t there, but it has to go somewhere.
Melissa Harrison, student, 25

The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin
I use T-Mobile. It’s no better here than anywhere else. I hear a lot of stuff in the news about cellphone towers. You can’t believe everything you hear, but true or not, you have to be aware and cautious.
Francisco Baez, store owner, 40

The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin
I use Verizon. It’s great in Bay Ridge; I even get reception in the train station on 86th Street! Why do we need more towers? The service is already so good, what would a few more towers add to it?
Amanda Valentin, student, 18

©2008 The Brooklyn Paper

< Bay Ridge: Can you hear them now? Neighbors fight more Verizon equipment
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