Sunday, August 21, 2005

Sprint/Nextel, what next?

Wow, the Sprint / Nextel merger is complete. Who would have believed it would have happened so quickly?
This leaves us with four 'nationwide' cellular carriers: Sprint/Nextel, Verizon, Cingular and TMobile. I don't think we will see any reductions in celltowers from these carriers. If anything, I think we will see renewed buildouts in the near future.
In the New England area, the cellular companies have been responding to critiques from area politicians, including the govenor of Maine, and the mayor of Boston. This is leading to some streamlining of the buildout process, and maybe some more lenient licensing and permitting processes.
I have noticed more of the 'flagpole' style antennas, and more being placed on existing structures, since these are easier to get past a planning board than a new tower. I think most new towers are limited to more rural areas now.
If you see any new towers going up in your area, if in New England, let me know. I always love to get some photos of a tower under construction, or feel free to email me some photos (and save me the trip!).