5G IS HERE – DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY
Cutting edge wireless technology and a new source of recurring revenue.
If both of those things interest you, please keep reading!
The “5G Revolution” is upon us, we are reminded constantly by endless commercials, billboards, and online ads.
What is 5G and what does it mean to you? Simply put, it is the latest generation of wireless technology. Not only will it allow us to do everything we currently do with our smart phones and computers faster and smarter, but it opens a new realm of potential services we haven't even thought of yet.
We have all been somewhere- say, on a campus, or at a large, mixed-use commercial development- where we're spending much or all of our day, and there's a problem- the wireless service at the property stinks. You cannot make a phone call or log on to the Internet, so that paper or report that you need to finish and submit must wait until you are elsewhere. It creates a very unpleasant experience for guests and residents.
Until now, the backbone of wireless systems has been “macro sites,” more specifically large cell towers and equipment placed on tall building rooftops. These types of buildouts have worked well with wireless technology, until now. Macro sites are largely incompatible with 5G, which uses base stations that cover relatively small geographic areas, both indoors and outdoors, and uses lower power over a relatively large number of transmitting stations. Typically, the equipment needed is installed in parking garages, on lamp posts, on carrier installed poles- many creative solutions can be designed to meet the needs of both the carrier and the developer.
Previously, carriers could negotiate with individual property owners for a macro site because those macro site signals travel a relatively much farther distance. Since 5G needs more densely packed nodes, it is not economic or practical to deal with landowners that can only offer smaller parcels and single sites. Now it makes sense to negotiate with a different type of landlord - one that owns a large piece of contiguous land with high digital traffic.
In anticipation of the unique needs of a 5G system buildout, we began to ask ourselves If there is a way our clients can take advantage of both having reliable and fast 5G coverage and also find a new stream of revenue.
For a certain type of landlord, the answer is yes.
Our client, developers of a dense mixed-use “lifestyle center” development, was frustrated by the poor wireless coverage at the property. We did an analysis of that coverage, identified which carriers had poor service, and proactively contacted a carrier to see if they would like to develop a 5G buildout at the site. That carrier agreed their service was poor and that this development was a perfect candidate to be a part of their 5G system. We followed up with a second carrier, and they had the same response. The project not only led to cutting-edge technology at the property, but also provided the owner with both a substantial upfront payment as well as recurring monthly revenue.
Is your campus the type of property that could reap such a double benefit? Have you already been approached by a carrier and you're not sure of everything that may be available to you? We’re here to help. Give us a call at (224) 544-9926 for an initial consultation.