fbpx

|

Working nearly complete on new cell tower at 63rd and Mission Road; T-Mobile could join other three carriers

Share this story:

The new cell tower at 63rd and Mission Road is thicker than its predecessor to hold more equipment.
The new cell tower at 63rd and Mission Road is thicker than its predecessor to hold more equipment.

Final work on the new cell tower at 63rd and Mission Road should be completed this week and negotiations are expected soon to add T-Mobile to the three carriers now using the facility: Sprint, AT&T and Verizon.

Indian_Hills_Cell_Phone_Tower
The view of the old tower

The 150-foot tower is located on Consolidated Fire District No. 2 property. Fire Chief Tony Lopez said landscaping and concrete work to the equipment shed at the base is almost finished.

The three carriers’ signal operations continued seamlessly between the dismantling of the old tower and its replacement.

Sprint took the lead building the new tower and has the first five years of its rent abated.

Lopez said Verizon and AT&T pay his fire district $100,000 annually in lease payments, an amount that will jump significantly once the Sprint abatement rolls off.

Of particular interest to T-Mobile customers, the carrier has signed a letter of intent to use the tower as well. The design included space for an additional carrier.

Lopez believes negotiations should begin soon on bringing T-Mobile on board, a move that should improve the carrier’s signal strength in the area.

The new tower has a thicker diameter than its predecessor. Prairie Village city council members debated the design a year ago, but were told the larger size was required to accommodate signal canisters for all four carriers.

 

About the author

LATEST HEADLINES