AT&T coverage to expand on Block Island

By Nicole Friedman
PBN Staff Writer

NEW SHOREHAM – AT&T will expand its mobile broadband capacity in New Shoreham to improve service on Block Island, the wireless provider announced last month.

“Reliable wireless coverage for tourists, residents, and local businesses is vital to the economic health of the island,” said state Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski, D-South Kingstown, in a statement. “As folks become more and more tied to their wireless devices, it’s comforting to know they can have dependable coverage on Block Island.”

Block Island has 1,051 permanent residents, according to the 2010 Census, and the island welcomes thousands more tourists each year.

AT&T hopes to provide broadband service to more than 97 percent of the U.S. population, a news release said.