Have you ever found yourself frustrated with the lack of cell service in certain areas of the Hudson Valley? You aren't alone.

In 2010, 54 school-aged children were injured when a school bus crashed at the bottom of Ferndale-Loomis Road in Liberty. The fact that there was little to no cellphone service to reach first responders, proved to be particularly dangerous. This incident is why U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer stood at the bottom of Ferndale Loomis Road in Sullivan County this week to reveal that, according to his office, major wireless carriers are advertising regions on coverage maps as having good coverage, when in reality, they are often dead zones.  Schumer said that those who live in Sullivan County and the Hudson Valley know all too well about coverage problems.

“There are more cell phone dead zones in Sullivan County than post-winter potholes on the West Side Highway – and misrepresenting coverage maps to give the impression a wireless carrier provides coverage in an area where it does not is false advertising, pure and simple," Schumer said in the release.

As a result, Schumer is calling for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to immediately crackdown on lack of transparency and accuracy in wireless carriers' coverage maps, which currently lead consumers to ‎incorrectly believe there is good cell service areas with poor service. Specifically, Schumer is asking the FCC to investigate whether network providers are fairly and accurately advertising wireless coverage so that consumers can make informed choices.

Schumer went on to explain that wireless carriers use coverage maps oftentimes to show that their company offers superior coverage compared to competitors and, since Americans are increasingly relying on wireless technology to communicate, customers rely on these coverage maps advertised by the carriers to make their purchasing decisions. This is why it is critical these maps be accurate, according to Schumer. One of the areas that has received the worst coverage, despite wireless companies’ advertisements, is the Hudson Valley and, in particular, Sullivan County.

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