Verizon and AT&T, the No. 1 and No. 2 biggest U.S. wireless carriers have entered into a joint agreement with Tillman Infrastructure to build hundreds of cell towers, with the potential for significantly more new site locations in the future.
Tillman, owner and operator of towers, small cells and smart cities infrastructure, has agreed to construct these towers to-suit with AT&T and Verizon, which have committed to leasing and co-anchoring the co-located towers.
These new structures will add to the overall communications infrastructure in the US, and will fulfill the need for new locations where towers do not exist today. They also will serve as opportunities for the carriers to relocate equipment from current towers.
Construction plans on the first towers will begin in the first quarter of 2018 and as those sites are completed, network engineers will begin installing equipment and turning the sites up quickly.
Nocola Palmer, Chief Network Officer, Verizon Wireless
We continue to focus on technology innovation and investing in the latest software platforms to provide the best possible customer experience on our network. At the same time, it is imperative to reduce operating costs.
Susan Johnson, SVP of Global Supply Chian, AT&T
We need more alternatives to the traditional tower leasing model with the large incumbents. It’s not cost-effective or sustainable. We’re creating a diverse community of suppliers and tower companies who will help increase market competition while reducing our overhead.
