The number of new towers being built in the U.S. continues at a steady pace. In the last 90 days covering the period from June 1 through August 31, there were 395 new towers across the country reported as ‘constructed.’ This means that construction of the tower was completed in the period and the structure is ready to accept radio and antenna installations. It takes a lead time of months to complete a tower build for local permitting and approvals, design, fabrication and construction, and registration. The tally does not include towers that are currently ‘in development’ and not yet registered as ‘constructed.’
This information is sourced from the Inside Towers Database that consists of updated FCC and FAA data of all registered towers, of all types, in the U.S. The database shows there are currently 233,564 structures among all ownership groups across the country.
Tower companies accounted for 233 or 59 percent of the new towers built during that 90-day period. Public tower companies, American Tower (NYSE: AMT) and SBA Communications (NASDAQ: SBAC), each built four towers while the private tower companies built the remaining 225 sites.
Tillman Infrastructure was the most active private tower company in the period with 61 new towers constructed. Vertical Bridge, a Digital Bridge Group (NYSE: DBRG) portfolio company, followed with 44 towers built through seven different entities that the company owns. The one private tower company with double-digit additions was TowerCo with 17 towers. The other 42 private towercos that built one or more towers in the quarter included CitySwitch, Horvath Towers, TAG Towers, TowerCom, GSS, Harmoni Towers, and Vogue Towers.
Mobile network operators and other communications service providers were in on the action as well constructing 59 towers in the period. Verizon (NYSE: VZ) through several subsidiaries accounted for 35 sites. Of the national and large regional MNOs, UScellular (NYSE: USM) built nine towers, AT&T (NYSE: T) constructed five towers while T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) added just one tower. Nine other smaller regional CSPs each built one tower in the same period.
In the period, 22 state and local government agencies, ranging from the State of Ohio to the County of Frederick, MD, built 34 towers to support their respective departmental communications needs.
Thirteen electric, gas and water utilities around the country built 18 towers to enhance wireless communications for their grid infrastructure along with some private network operations. Notable utilities include South Florida Water Management District, and Pacific Gas & Electric.
Twelve public safety agencies built 14 towers to enhance police, fire and EMS communications and dispatch. These included agencies such as the State of Texas (DPS) and Cumberland County, PA Public Safety.
Three railroads added 14 towers to enhance their rail operations. Of the country’s largest rail system operators, BNSF built 10 towers and Union Pacific added three sites.
Others that constructed another 23 sites were broadcasters, educational institutes like the University of North Carolina, neutral host operators Extenet and Boingo, and some investors.
By John Celentano, Inside Towers Business Editor
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