Austin, TX

Verizon makes massive network investments in Austin

Published

10 months ago

September 6, 2023

Verizon makes massive network investments in Austin

AUSTIN, TX – Responding to an unexpected exponential influx of people to Texas during and following the pandemic, Verizon pledged significantly more investment in the state to manage the increased usage on its network. As part of the $97.9 million additional investment in the Lone Star state, Verizon engineers have been busy at work adding capacity, coverage and upgrading service in Austin, TX.

“We know how critical reliable, consistent, high-performing wireless connectivity is, and we are working hard to deliver the highest quality service possible to Austin,” said Phillip French, Vice President of Engineering and Operations for Verizon. “Our teams are committed in Austin and across Texas, where we’re seeing tremendous growth, to out-work our competitors every day in order to meet our promise to our customers.”

In 2023, Verizon engineers in Austin have turned on 11 new macro cell sites (large coverage cell sites) and 91 new small cell sites, adding capacity and coverage in Pflugerville, Georgetown, Leander, Buda, Circle C and The Domain areas. And they are not slowing down. Sixteen additional macro cell sites will be coming online in the next few months which will add capacity and coverage toDel Valle, Georgetown, Bee Cave, East Austin, Creedmore, Leander, NW Austin, Mueller, East Kyle, Austin Executive Airport, and Pflugerville.

Along with these new cell sites, Verizon engineers have been dramatically expanding access to 5G service throughout Austin using Verizon’s newly acquired C-band spectrum. As of last month, Austin residents and visitors are now able to use a full 140 MHz of spectrum, more than doubling the 5G bandwidth available to serve customers throughout Austin. This allows Verizon to more quickly expand and enhance its 5G Ultra Wideband network, providing much greater capacity to accommodate more customers and more robust services, as well as enable higher data speeds. This additional spectrum will also allow Verizon to offer 5G Home broadband and Business Internet services to more customers throughout Austin.

The Moody Center, home to many legendary concerts, performances and sporting events has also recently gotten an upgrade. The Center has been modernized with a Verizon managed Distributed Antenna System (DAS), a wireless network of antennas throughout the arena allowing for better performance and greater capacity to accommodate fans’ needs. The speeds and capacity provided by this state-of-the-art system rivals any NBA Arena.

Lastly, the addition of 5G service and the many additional wireless solutions allow far more data to travel on the wireless network in Austin. That exponential increase in data carried into and out of the cell sites serving the community requires upgraded fiber optic cable links. Fiber optic cables are used to move data between cell sites and connect those sites to the rest of the network. Verizon has increased the capacity on the fiber connections in many cell sites in the Austin area so they can carry 10 times the amount of data.

Source link

Austin, TX

U.S. Supreme Court denies Rodney Reed's petition for a new trial

Published

2 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

U.S. Supreme Court denies Rodney Reed's petition for a new trial

TEXAS — The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down death row inmate Rodney Reed’s most recent petition to review his claims of innocence.

On Nov. 22, 2023, Reed filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, which is a request that the Supreme Court order a lower court to send up the case for review. This came after a judge denied Reed a new trial in 2021. The presiding judge, State District Judge J.D. Langley, stated in his ruling that Reed had not proven he is innocent. The Supreme Court denied the writ of certiorari Tuesday.

With this latest development, it is now solely up to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to determine whether Reed will be granted a new trial.

Reed was sentenced to death for the 1996 killing of 19-year-old Stacey Stites. He was accused of raping and strangling Stites in Bastrop and leaving her by the road.

Reed claimed evidence in the 1998 trial was suppressed by prosecutors that would’ve exonerated him, including that Stites and Reed were having an affair. The death row inmate has long maintained that Stites’ fiance, former police officer Jimmy Fennell, was the actual killer and killed Stites because of the alleged affair.

Lawyers for Reed also said he wanted to DNA test crime-scene evidence he believed would have exonerated him. This includes the belt that was used to strangle the victim. The Supreme Court ruled in April that the DNA testing could still be considered.

Reed remains a death row inmate presently and it is unclear when a date for his execution will be set.

Source link

Austin, TX

Texas hiker dies on trail at Grand Canyon National Park; officials warn of extreme heat

Published

9 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

Texas hiker dies on trail at Grand Canyon National Park; officials warn of extreme heat

A hiker collapsed and died on a trail in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona over the weekend, prompting parks officials to warn about the dangers of hiking in extreme heat.

Scott Sims, 69, of Austin, Texas, was attempting to reach Phantom Ranch via the South Kaibab Trail for an overnight stay when he was found semi-conscious around 7 p.m. Saturday, the National Parks Service (NPS) said in a statement on Monday.

Sims became unresponsive a short time later, and bystanders performed CPR until three NPS paramedics arrived, parks officials said. All attempts to resuscitate Sims were unsuccessful.

Sims collapsed on the River Trail, about halfway between the Silver Bridge and Black Bridge near Phantom Ranch, according to the NPS. Temperatures on exposed parts of the trail can reach 120 degrees in the shade, the agency said.

HIKER LOST FOR 10 DAYS FOUND ALIVE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINS

Scott Sims was found semi-conscious on the River Trail at Grand Canyon National Park on Saturday. He became unresponsive a short time later. (National Park Service, File)

“Park rangers strongly advise not hiking in the inner canyon during the heat of the day between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.,” NPS said.

Temperatures on the trail can reach 120 degrees in the shade, NPS said. (Patrick Gorski/NurPhoto via Getty Images, File)

Officials said that its efforts to help hikers during the summer months may be delayed due to limited staff, an increased number of rescue calls, safety requirements for staff and helicopter usage being limited in extreme heat or periods of inclement weather.

COUPLE MISSING IN UTAH MAY HAVE BEEN SWEPT AWAY IN FLASH FLOOD WHILE EXPLORING TRAIL ON UTV

NPS and the Coconino Medical Examiner are investigating the death. No cause of death was immediately provided.

No cause of death was immediately provided. (Patrick Gorski/NurPhoto via Getty Images, File)

The death comes after a Salt Lake City fire captain died in a rafting accident at Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

An NPS review of deaths in national parks between 2014 and 2019 found that hiking was the second-deadliest recreational activity behind driving, while drowning caused the second-highest number of unintentional deaths after motor vehicle crashes.

Source link

Austin, TX

Victim found dead in South Austin; APD investigating

Published

16 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

Victim found dead in South Austin; APD investigating

APD investigating homicide in South Austin

FULL VIDEO: The Austin Police Department gives more information on a homicide investigation in South Austin

AUSTIN, Texas – The Austin Police Department is investigating after a person was found dead in South Austin.

Austin police said on Monday, July 1, around 5:30 p.m., officers were called to investigate a homicide at an apartment complex in the 6700 block of Windrift Way.

When officers arrived, they found a victim who had penetrating injuries. The victim was pronounced dead on scene.

A person of interest and witnesses are being interviewed by detectives.

Police said this is believed to be an isolated incident.

This is a developing story, refresh for the latest updates

Source link