New cell tower going up nearby

The erection of a new cell tower south of Tucumcari should improve cellphone coverage for AT&T customers in Quay County and give its first responders faster and more reliable service.

The new tower went up near the intersection of Highway 209 and Highway 256, near Forrest.

The upgrade also benefits first responders on FirstNet — a dedicated, nationwide communications platform for public safety, according to a news release Thursday from AT&T

This new tower also brings FirstNet Band 14 spectrum to the region. Band 14 is nationwide, high-quality spectrum set aside by the government for FirstNet. Its signal covers larger areas with less infrastructure to better support rural communities, and it can better reach inside buildings in urban areas. When not in use by FirstNet subscribers, AT&T customers can use the Band 14’s added coverage and capacity.

FirstNet is being built with AT&T in a public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority that is designed to strengthen and modernize public safety communications for first responders in New Mexico and across the country.

AT&T invested nearly $200 million in its New Mexico wireless and wired networks during 2016-2018, according to the news release.