Wireless Telecommunications Site Management

Wireless telecommunications site management allows you to expand, upgrade and maintain cellular networks
By Chris Perrin, Principal Common Dialogue Enterprises, Inc. Wireless telecom site management is an important part of expanding or building your wireless network. More than just building telecom towers themselves, it encompasses maintenance of the tower and the site and can generally be broken down into these three areas:
  

1. Wireless site acquisition to purchase or lease the real estate to build the tower
2. Telecom tower development to prepare the site and actually build it
3. Cell tower maintenance which keeps the tower in operating condition

If you plan to build or expand the reach of your cellular network, the choice of site acquisition companies can have a great impact on your efforts. A good partner can choose an ideal location for the maximum possible coverage at the least cost, can broker the real estate deal and can save you money as you maintain the site and tower. In order to find a good site acquisition company, consider these acquisition steps.

Find a company experienced in wireless site acquisition

There are several companies that handle cellular site acquisition. This is good news for you. If you take the time, you should be able to find a company with which you feel comfortable doing business.
Try:  Investigate the track records of companies like Wireless Telecom and Tower Resource Management.

After the cell site acquisition, you must maintain the site itself

Some companies help in the site acquisition process itself, some will help maintain the site, while others do both. If the company that helped you with the cell site acquisition does not manage the site itself, consider a company that will.
Try:  Take at least as much time finding the telecom tower maintenance company as you did searching for the company to buy the site since you will be working with them longer. Two companies you should consider are Unison Site Management and Message Center Management, Inc.

Choose a telecom tower maintenance company to keep the tower in peak condition

Another thing you need to consider with wireless telecommunications site management is repairing and maintaining the tower itself. The site maintenance company keeps the real estate pristine and may work on the tower itself, but there are some companies that only repair towers.
Try:  Choose a repair company you can trust.  If you do not have repair people on staff, Planet Telecom repairs communications towers nationwide or try a local tower company like Fred A. Nudd Corporation that makes emergency cell tower repairs in New York State.

• Find a company that has experience in both cell tower site acquisition and leasing/buying cell towers. You might save money by buying an existing tower.
• If you already own a cellular site, a company experienced in wireless telecommunications site management may be able to sell it or find someone to lease it.
• Make sure you have someone on staff who can communicate with the engineers and technical personnel of the company you hire. They can interact with them and help manage their projects.