Cell phone towers?
Yepitsdevon (zone 5a-6b)
8 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (11)
Related Discussions
irmastpete......are ya out there??m
Comments (1)I called her - we can 86 this message now. Unless... does any one out there have any statistics on the effect on property values (or flora & fauna - how cool that would be) from cell tower placement? Or if you feel she should not worry, that might be helpful too. Irma...See MoreHow to fight nearby cell tower?
Comments (21)If your community ties their 9-1-1 system into the fray-because the existing repeaters are overloaded, you're going to have an even bigger fight on your hands. Sounds like your town council is already on board and that the cell co has provided them with justification for the need. You need to get more info on where in the process the project falls. Every day I review siting plans for projects and utilities. Some require zone changes, and all require environmental assessment under applicable laws. There are times i am forced to make an unpopular decision, but there are multiple opportunities for comment and/or contest by the public. Too often people ask me after a permit is issued what can they do if they're opposed and I have to tell them its too late-if they didn't bring up pertinant comments (other than affecting property value) before they're out of luck. To fight you cant be NIMBY (not in my backyard) you have to bring facts to the table. Comparable markets show x decline in property value when cell towers are installed, wildlife habitat is negatively affected by the loss of breeding grounds by removal of native vegetation, etc. You must provide specifics and keep emotion out of it. The cell co will rebut anything you say, so you need facts. Also if it will require a zoning change-challenge that using the same tactics. Everything you put on paper becomes part of the record and used in the decision making, and if necessary, the appeal. This post was edited by pesky1 on Thu, May 22, 14 at 22:55...See MoreCell phone as Home phone
Comments (34)I guess it all depends on how much you call from home versus away from home or on the road. We use pre-paid cellular. The new phones were free after rebate and my wife and I each spend about $5-$7/month for the STI Mobile/Sprint service. We only make quick 1-2 minute calls for necessary reasons and it works fine anywhere in the country that Sprint covers. Voice mail and text messaging are turned off on both cellular phones. Other cellular providers are now joining the pre-paid game with good deals. We are still stuck with the old telephone company for home and home office lines. I must have the reliability and quality of a landline for my business. I do pay too much for long distance, toll-free, and local service for my business compared to the low rates available today. Bills are typically $35-$50/month for relatively low volume usage. The last time I switched was from MCI to Ameritech(i.e. SBC/AT&T/who knows?) It was a pain to switch, but the new lower rates were good for a year before they went up again. Our home phone line just went up to $22/month for local phone service. It started at $18 several years ago. Pre-paid long distance service is $.025/minute using cards from companies like Cheap Phonecards. The latest cards don't require you to enter the pin every time from home and you can program the 800 access number into speed dial. The long distance cards are great from hotels too. We are seriously considering the switch to broadband phone service, but our local numbers are not yet portable for Vonage or the others. We are just outside of their large markets. Broadband cable internet is $30/month and speed is around 300K or 10 times faster than dial-up. It is fast enough for our needs. The total bill (excluding my business) is around $67/month for all phones and broadband for my wife and I. Here is a link that might be useful: Cheap Phone Cards...See MoreX-posted off topic but need some help. Cell phone towers
Comments (2)I started off something is changing or about to and then you answered that question later in your post -- the providers are outsourcing the towers. It is a cost saving measure -- not only do they put maintenance in the hands of specialists who can work on any provider's towers, they are moving to combining towers so the hardware cost, the land rents, the need for number of people and locations are all reduced as well. Why can you not do the deals directly? Economics. You have one tower. You are inexperienced and are going to be in over your head. They won't want to deal with you on solo terms, They either have to stop and explain everything or you will be run over. It will take them far more time to deal with you than it is worth to them. It is also likely to cost you more time than it is worth to you. A good attorney in a specialized area would be cheap at $500-600/hr and could be $1000/hr or more (top guy -- who probably has associates and paralegals at a lesser rate doing some of the work and also billing). Every time you talk to them, they talk to the tower lawyer, read documents or do any work, you get billed. You would likely burn up years of the rent you are currently getting and it may outweigh the increases they would be offering for years to come. And that's not only the original deal, but wth any questions or problems down the road. My DH was involved in some licensing deals 7 or 8 years ago and they are still dealing with disputes on those. Not using experienced, specialized lawyers who know what issues to spot and forsee would be against your interests. Stupid in laymans terms. But again, it would cost them more money to deal with you as someone outside the game and they might not even talk to you. They have likely set up a system to have all their contracts the same and want to keep it that way for simplicity and efficiency. My guess is that you would get nowhere. They will wait for you to give up and come to them or find another spot and leave you out of the deal. What I would look at is whether you are willing to have the tower on your property for as many years as they need it? Does it limit your use, interfere with anything? Would it prevent you from leasing or selling the property down the road (a buyer might like the income, but depending on their purpose, the tower could get in the way and nix the deal -- but the income might also lessen the interest you have in selling the property). I get the frustration -- you don't seem to know enough to understand what is happening and what it should be worth to you. You want to make sure you get a fair deal. Your negotiation position is limited. I just entered cell tower lease in google and the first hit is for a group that says it works with property owners, government agencies, etc in negotiating leases (steelintheair - I know nothing about them, so proceed with some caution). I'm sure the will want to sign you up and claim a fee or possibly a percentage of the rents you would recieve. You could start with talking to someone there or a similar group. I would expect a strong sell and some pressure to sign up -- not unlike the personal injury lawyers on TV. But stand your ground and get questions answered first and make sure you understand what the will and won't do for you. Read carefully any contract they offer and consider having another attorney look it over to make sure you don't sign away something without realizing it. Know exactly what it is going to cost you to have them represent you and why it would be a benefit over not using them. Perhaps this group or another had contacted you or your neighbor. Compare notes. Your taller tower is likely worth more, so don't focus on dollars so much as concepts and rights in the deal (how add-ons are treated, whether rents increase over the years or with inflation, etc.). Don't be rushed into signing anything. Make sure you understand everything before you sign. Sleep on it, get away from it and make sure you don't have any forgotten or unrealized questions (you probably will at some point -- the pros get into years of disputes because what they thought was clear isn't so clear years later, but you want to minimize those issues). The values aren't likely to decrease in the short term. There is sometimes a premium for the last folks who sign -- but you risk them finding a way to go around you and having nothing at the end of your current term (maybe sooner if there is an out under the current lease). I've just scratched the surface and this is long. Haven't seen or read anything -- can you see why it could cost a small fortune to try to go it alone? On the other hand, for no real time or effort on your part, you could wind up with a nice stream of income -- but it isn't likely to replace your day job. Enjoy it, don't be run over, but don't get thinking greedy if you want to stay in the game. And that's about all I can tell you -- keep in mind I know nothing about any particulars and my answers are intended to be common sense replies to general questions, not particular legal advise. As my mom always said, it may be worth exactly what you paid for it. But I hope it helps at least a bit....See MoreYepitsdevon (zone 5a-6b)
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agopudgeder
8 years agoMDLN
8 years agobee0hio
8 years agoMDLN
8 years agocynic
8 years ago
Related Stories
HOME TECHComing Soon: Furniture That Charges Your Phone
Countertops, tables and home appliances with wireless charging capability mean less clutter — and zero effort powering your phone
Full StoryHOME TECH6 Sound Solutions for the iPhone Home
Listen up: An iPhone and one of these stylish audio systems let your music look as good as it sounds
Full StoryVINTAGE STYLEDial Into Old Phones for Decor With Character
Give a nostalgic nod to the past with vintage telephones, working or not. Booths and sawdust optional.
Full StoryHOME TECHSmart Phones Hold the Keys to Front Doors
Knock, knock. Who's there? A brand-new generation of hardware and app combos that let you play doorman from anywhere
Full StoryHOME TECHUnlock Your Smart Phone's Front-Door Powers
Take your locks and keys into the digital age with 3 solutions that put convenience and new capabilities on your doorstep
Full StoryARCHITECTUREHouzz Tour: Towering Above London in a 7-Story Home
Maximizing see-forever views, the U.K. couple who converted this water tower are aiming high
Full StoryORGANIZINGCharging Stations Lead Tidiness Battle
Keep your cell phone, camera and other electronics handy and juiced up without a tangled mess of cords
Full StoryPRODUCT PICKSGuest Picks: Time to Buy a Clock
Cell phone screens just can’t compete with the charm of analog timepieces like these
Full StoryHOME TECHHere's a Bright Idea: Smart Bulbs for Better Lighting
Lightbulbs that can change brightness and color with a cell phone command show flashes of design brilliance
Full StoryLIFETable Manners for Modern-Day Dining
Elbows and cell phones? Maybe. Forgetting to say 'thank you'? No way. Our mealtime etiquette guide takes the guesswork out of group dining
Full Story
ravencajun Zone 8b TX