AT&T Wireless has announced that they have launched a new Mobile TV service in 58 markets nationwide, including Reno. The new service requires a new exclusive handset.

With the swarm of earthquakes that have hit the northwest Reno area since February there has been heightened awareness of procedures to take to prepare for earthquakes.

After a major quake cell phone and land-line communications may be unavailable due to damage to cell sites, power failures and/or overloaded communication channels due to too many people trying to use their phones at the same time.

After a quake phones should be for emergency calls or brief calls to check the status of family and close friends. If you are unable to place calls, you may be able to communicate via text messaging as was common during the 9/11 attacks. An interesting National Communication System tech bulletin describes the use of SMS in times of disaster and otherwise.

In a press release, AT&T has announced that it will be adding 80 new cell sites this year further expanding it’s higher-speed wireless network. No specific details on Reno were announced.

Cricket has moved it’s cell site serving northwest Reno from a temporary site across from McQueen High School to a new permanent location on the football field stadium light pole. The new antennas will provide more line-of-sight coverage to more areas of northwest Reno.

View Larger Map

After years of complaints and waiting, AT&T has finally improved coverage in the Damonte Ranch and Zolezzi Lane areas with a new cell site which is co-located on an existing tower behind the Wal-Mart on Damonte Ranch Parkway. CID 6296x.

View Larger Map

A new T-Mobile cell site is now active in NW Reno near Robb & Mae Anne Avenue. The new site should fill-in some coverage in the canyons in the area that the cell site at Robb & Sharlands doesn’t serve adequately. CID 1325x.

View Larger Map

As reported a few weeks ago, phones on the AT&T network in the Reno area are now showing 3G data coverage.

AT&T has now posted PDF maps showing 3G coverage in the Reno/Tahoe/Carson City areas.

Reno/Sparks map

Reno/Tahoe region map

Carson City/Carson Valley/Dayton map

3G coverage is now shown as an overlay on top of their regular coverage map.

Thanks to a website contributor for pointing out a new Sprint cell site at the Heavenly Ski Resort California Base Lodge.

View Larger Map

In the past few days we’ve had reports of AT&T 3G capable phones showing the “3G” icon, instead of the “E” (Edge) icon throughout the Reno area. AT&T advertises average data speeds of 400-700 Kbps on their 3G, HSDPA network.

When AT&T officially launches 3G wireless service in the Reno area, they will join Sprint, Verizon and Clearwire who already offer 3G wireless broadband speeds in the Reno area.

After many coverage complaints and delays, AT&T is finally set to improve coverage in the Damonte Ranch and Zolezzi Lane area. Antennas for an AT&T cell site were approved last week which are to be located on the existing 80-foot monopole behind Wal-Mart on Damonte Ranch Parkway.

The location currently has antennas for Cricket, Clearwire and Sprint PCS.