Binghamton announces micro cell-tower lease program

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — The City of Binghamton will partner with Atlanta, Ga.–based Communication Management Associates Inc. (CMA), for installation of micro cell-tower units on city-owned property.

Binghamton Mayor Richard David, whose office announced the program in a news release Thursday, contends the initiative will “potentially” boost revenue and cell service for the city of Binghamton.

CMA works directly with cell carriers such as Dallas, Texas–based AT&T (NYSE: T) and New York City–based Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) to market these locations and secure lease agreements.

Binghamton then receives 60 percent of the lease revenue with no up-front costs or investment, according to the news release.

“While we are currently streamlining operations to save taxpayer money, we are also look for ways to develop new sources of revenue,” David said. “This new plan allows the city to generate income while also building a state-of-the-art communications infrastructure to support continued growth and economic development.”

Binghamton City Council unanimously approved David’s initiative during its Wednesday business meeting.

Micro-towers are small antenna systems that crews can install on public buildings or light poles.

The micro-towers, or distributed-antenna systems, support cellular service in a 500-foot radius with minimal impact on aesthetics, as most “fit in the palm of the hand,” David’s office contended. Compared to traditional 25-story cell towers, micro-towers are “virtually invisible” to the public eye, it added.

Unlike most municipalities, the City of Binghamton owns its roughly 7,000 street lights, which it can use for micro-towers.

Over the next several months, CMA engineers will study cellular demand and identify “strategic” locations for the micro-towers.

In addition to marketing sites and establishing agreements with carriers, CMA will also oversee installation and audit activity to ensure compliance.

Revenue projections are not yet available, David’s office said.

Nationwide, the number of cell towers will need to quadruple by 2016 to meet the growing demand for 4G cellular data, CMA said in the news release.