By Cindy Wishart of STEALTH
Big screen televisions notwithstanding, the natural order of electronic things appears to be miniaturization. Look to the past and recall the incredible shrinking radio, stereo, computer and, of course, the cellular phone. It is no surprise to note that small cell infrastructure has become a really big topic in wireless. Last month, Crown Castle told industry analysts they see small cell opportunity growing as big as cell towers were a decade ago. According to CEO Ben Moreland, big demand begets creative solutions. “At the end of the second quarter, we had nearly 13,000 small cell notes on air or under construction, and over 6,000 miles of fiber.” That’s a lot of signal, ricocheting from one small cell to another.
And for a business like STEALTH’s, the big upside in small cell comes from one key reality: Small cells often live in places with high need, and very little available space. The majority today can be found on telephone poles, hanging with other infrastructure. Yet locating a small cell on a rooftop, or nestled among other technology, often means it is placed in a neighbor’s sightline. Also, extending signal from inside a meeting space (where DAS systems proliferate, despite their expense), to the exterior demands a good looking solution. Municipalities avoid spoiling the look of their plazas and gathering places with wireless “junk”, despite the public’s clear demand for unimpeded signal.
Given the novelty of small cells – and the clear growth ahead – concealment professionals need to prepare. Those installations are likely to fall into three categories: light poles, chimneys, and cupolas. For example, the installation pictured here was sent to the historic Waterfront Hotel in Maryland. Having a concealment plan in place and ready to go was a necessity. The installation could never have happened without concealment in place. And that, we believe, is the wave of the future. So how do ancillary services – like concealment – win big in small cell? First, understand costs. Small cell leases yield lower returns to carriers than those mammoth towers they grew up on. Understanding that the owner is making less money than they would prefer means concealment (which is always perceived by them as a cost – not a value) needs to adhere to some affordability measures.
STEALTH CEO, Sean McLernon, notes, “Small cell installations are often sighted in sensitive, densely populated places. Coming to an approval meeting with a concealment plan baked in can help speed the process. Like they say: give the people what they want. So it’s up to us small cell concealers to also ensure our systems work within their bottom lines.” Secondly, consider that concealment improves flexibility for service providers. Often, systems can be built to accommodate changes that can scarcely be imagined now. Working with a custom provider, a carrier or site owner can custom spec precisely what they want, vs. a mass manufactured system. And finally, the industry must come together to create an “elevator pitch” that helps advocates understand each system’s benefits and limitations. Small cell, DAS, Wi-Fi (not to mention HetNet)…is all just jargon, until we give it meaning. It’s important to remember that the wireless industry is decades away from maturity. Sure, everybody has a phone, and the only way to sell a new unit is to steal a competitor’s customers. But there’s no telling where the culture of connectivity will go next, and the next generation after that. By being open, collaborative, and clear, we might all be winning big in a small cell world. At STEALTH, we’re geared up and ready to go. Stay tuned!
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