HOLLYWOOD, Fla.-Wireless carriers are going to have to fortify their networks to become increasingly reliable as more people cut the cord.
Does that sound like good news for tower companies, which have been victims of carriers’ tightly closed purse strings during the past year?
Not so fast.
Carriers also are facing an imminent Nov. 24 mandate to enable wireless local number portability. Wireless LNP likely will bring high churn. If churn rates are high, carriers are going to be under increased pressure to bring down their operating expenses. That likely could mean carriers will demand tower companies lower their lease rates.
Those issues were just two of the good-news, bad-news scenarios bantered about at last week’s PCIA Wireless Infrastructure Conference & Expo, held here. The well-attended show-nearly 1,100 people-was missing one notable figure, PCIA President and Chief Executive Officer Jay Kitchen, who was not able to attend the show because of a medical condition. According to Rick Harris, PCIA’s senior director of marketing, Kitchen had some medical tests done and was advised by his doctors not to travel last week.
Julie Coons, executive vice president of the association, stepped in to fulfill Kitchen’s responsibilities at the show in his absence.
