OT: Cell Phone Company Approached Us to Possibly Lease a Site for a Tower by Shop

Late yesterday, a man with a "cell phone tower site leasing outfit" came by. He caught me running close on time to meet a really neat lady for a date, but we got in what I would call a complete conversation.

In short he stated:

1. He told me he works for a small cellular company trying to get its presence up in Louisiana. Next, he said he has located sites from coast to coast. Isn't that inconsistent? I think so. What small outfit I've never heard of (can't even remember who he said they were) would send him coast-to-coast?

2. I related to him that I had been approached a few years ago about this, and the rates of "$300 to $450 or so a month" he told me were well below what was mentioned before. I didn't tell him any figures, I avoided that, but a couple years ago, the figures of $600 and up were bounced around pretty freely.

3. I told him I knew AT&T had no coverage in my immediate vicinity, and I had even quit using their cell service for that reason. I told him my brother's AT&T I-Phone won't work here. Well, whaddya know. This guy pulls out an AT&T I-Phone and he said I was exactly right--no bars at all.

Now, why did he carry an AT&T phone, if he's with some "small outfit?" Also, wouldn't a small outfit be trying to establish themselves in bigger places than Bentley, Louisiana to make their presence in this state felt? (By this time, I'm sure he's spotting sites for AT&T, and can't/won't admit it)

4. He saw our transformers by the shop, and asked what the power was, I told him 3-phase 220 volts. Power transformers are also RIGHT by the spot he'd like to put a 100' x 100' site for his tower. He really really liked that.

5. He then asked me about zoning, which isn't an issue here, and he liked that a lot. He asked me who the power company is here. He asked me the ins and outs of our local courthouse and how they were to deal with.

(We also have a great gravel driveway giving access to the property, and the time a site locating person came here about 2006, I was told this is valuable. I can't remember if we spoke about that this time, but it seems I mentioned it and this guy nodded affirmative.)

6. He made it plain to tell me he was not the negotiator, but said I could "Prolly get 'bout 450 a month, but don't tell 'em I said that." wink-wink

Yeah, I was in my dirty work clothes after a day at the shop, and he no doubt took me for a good ole redneck, which may or may not be true. He also mentioned the lease payments are great to pay the note on a bass boat or a four wheeler. I sort of wanted to laugh at that one, but kept business-like and courteous.

SO, from what you good folks have read of my "report", what can you tell me? It also sounds like a 100 x 100 is a fair-sized installation, so does that affect what our potential lease may be worth? In other words, do sites for bigger towers pay in direct proportion?

Seriously, I do NOT want to have to look at the tower across on the neighbor's place, and get ZERO, but I don't want to get duped either. Whatever anyone can tell me that may be useful, I'd appreciate hearing. I'm trying to gather info to negotiate, as I'm pretty sure I'll be hearing back from them.

Thanks!

Richard

No idea on this but what would a 100'x100 vacant lot rent for in your area. Would such a tower attract scrap thieves and high school kids looking for something to do. Who might decide to go for your shop as a easier target. Maybe the cell tower has a security system that could watch over your property as well?
How long is the lease for, will you want to expand into that area some time.
Bil lD.

I've heard arguments from both sides of the fence with regard to being in permanent close proximity to these towers (last place I lived they wanted to put one up).
One side says they cause cancer, the other side say they have no effect whatsoever, but there was enough circumstantial evidence to me that there is a problem, so I personally would not have one on my property.
I will say that neither side convinced me, but the side that says they did cause cancer had more hard evidence that they did, and the side that said they didn't (the ones that would profit from it) basically said 'we know about these things, trust us'

Have 2 neighbors offered that deal, one turned down offer, one took it. Both mentioned $2000 a month rent. Don't know if they could sell "pole rights" and put in more without more rent though!

Bill,

Not sure it would increase the property's "target" potential.

Tony,

Well, it would engulf me in emissions, even being on the neighbor's place, so....

Mark,

Your statement underpins my intention to have any agreement gone over by my attorney before committing.

Thanks for these responses, and any to come.

Richard

I have looked at two cell phone deals. The first was for a Cell One tower. The engineering/leasing was handled by an engineering firm that just did the site deals. They were very professional. They had to identify 3 properties in a certain area that would be accept a cell tower. I had to sign a paper allowing site access for engineering studies. The engineers came out and selected the best spot (it wasn't me).

That lease was $500/month for 5 years, with up to 4 additional 5 year extensions with a inflation increase for each new contract. The guy said the only thing negotable was whether they tower company must remove the concrete foundations after removing the tower. The cell phone company paid any increase in property taxes due to the cell tower.

The other one was for an Altel tower. The clown they had handling the deal was so slimy we handed the negotations off to our lawyer. The clown continued to call three times after he was told to communicate with us only through our lawyer. That tower never got built at all.

The cell one tower was offering a yearly rental rate of about twice what the area they needed would sell for outright.

My church allowed some cell antennas in the steeple, since then everything electronic in the church keep burning out, thy pay us $400 a month and we have spent $1,200 on repairs to the PA system, and the copier, the computer memory chips keep burning out to.

The contract runs out in August and we already told them we would not renew.

Marci.

We have 4 cell towers on a neighbors lot near our house. The last cell tower contract (3 years ago) was for $31,000 up front and $1900 per month. There are provisions for contract extensions etc. This contract was to "piggy back" on an existing tower (4 companies but only three actual towers) The cell tower owners are also liable for any additional road maintenance. They also have to carry insurance for the Home Owners Association members that individually own the road leading to the towers. This contract was similar to the three other contracts that had been negotiated earlier. My understanding that these four contracts are not unusual in scope or price in our area. I live in California. All of the cell tower companies use vendors to get the lease and to build and maintain the sites. And most/all of the vendors I have met make you want to take a shower after talking to them.

Cell Tower

From my experience working in cell sites I would guess that it's not a cellphone company like an AT&T or Sprint. It's probably not even a 2nd tier provider. It's more like a company like American Tower that will build and manage the site. They will lease tower space to a number of companies.

I'd recommend using an attorney that specializes in land lease agreements for cell sites. A typical issue is cleanup and removal once the lease expires. You can google it.

Not that it's all bad though, an old business friend had a tower lease go on his property and they ended up paying for new electrical service to his property. So he really made out with the new service.

The other issue is they are kind of an eyesore. Maybe see if one of your neighbors in the county with a tower will talk to you about their contract.

Good Luck!

It's probably worth googling "cell tower" and see how many links there are to horror stories, law suits, etc. Then read some of the stories to see what kind of company you'll be in.

TonyOW31 said:

but there was enough circumstantial evidence to me that there is a problem,

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Mobile phone towers put out insignificant amounts of power... If you are going to worry about the towers, you better turn off all the power in your house..

I am a former military radio engineer and part of my job was to set policy on emission and exposure levels from high powered radar and radio antenna. I don't work for a cell phone company.

Exposure limits are set by SAR (Specific Absorption Rates) which is basically the amount of body heating from the radio radiation. Some equipment is powerful enough to cause very serious burns. The third most sensitive organ are the eyes. They turn opaque like boiled eggs.

You can stand outside a chilly day and fee the warmth of the sun light. You are feeling the heating effect of radiation absorption. Long exposure to intense heat and light (aka radiation) will turn the eyes opaque causing blindness, commonly called foundry-mans eyes.

If you stand under a cell tower at night, do you feel the warmth. No?? Cell antenna are highly directional, like steerable spot lights (but no moving parts). They don't point them at the ground. If you go blind, it won't be from the towers next to you.

My friends dad gets 850.00 per month. It increases every couple of years. 25 year contract.

.RC. said:

Mobile phone towers put out insignificant amounts of power... If you are going to worry about the towers, you better turn off all the power in your house..

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Better live in a Faraday cage and when you go out wear medieval chain mail.

As Marci's church found out, those directional antennas can have signal lobes behind and below them. I'd be wary of being exposed to any avoidable EMI. Dazz mentions exposure causing radio frequency heating effects as a mechanism for damage, research is coming to light of other biochemical problems in animal cells from constant exposure to EMI.

Locally there was a guy "buying" Cell sites.
He get you to sign up for lease for a cell tower. "They will start building in a month or so"

What they did was sell the fact they are about to "Build soon" and get a signed contract that starts payment after construction begins................
In the meantime you can't lease to a legit company. So, for a few hours time and NO money down, they tie up yet another possible cell tower site, as many as they can in an area, and maybe, just maybe they can set Their price to a legit company. They've got nothing invested except a crooked salesguy and vague promises.

It is a tough world out there. Wear a cup.

Did he happen to mention FCC approval.Also your city/county commissions will have to approve any cell tower construction.At least that's the way it works around here.I've also been approached.The guy had all the i's dotted and the t's crossed as if he had already made the deal.His arrogance got him escorted off the property.

I know some people that live about 1000 feet from a cell tower. They don't get anything for the tower being there, but their electronics- TV's, computers, etc fail much faster than they should, radios and TV's get bad reception as well.

Parents signed a contract with a contractor working for the statewide emergency management association. Wanted to rent a 100' x 100' pad and easements for three guy wire positions for a 400' tower and road easement (from the paved road to the tower pad). Let me add right here that we are out in the middle of nowhere.

They settled on a price of $550 per month with a 5% annual increase per year and a 10 year contract. This was just for a radio tower. A big repeater antenna if you will.

Guy I know in North Ms says he gets around $1600 per month.
JohnL