A land owner can be approached by an agent for a cellular provider for either of two types of telecommunications tower leases. The benefits and fair market values for each vary for different reasons. Below, we weigh the pros and cons rooftop leases and ground leases.
Rooftop Leases
Rooftop leases can be offered for a variety of reasons, but they typically fall into one of two categories.
- Panel Antennas – Panel antennas are found in urban and residential areas with high population densities. Ranging from 1 to 10 feet in height, panel antennas are leased to function for fixed wireless services, PCS antennas, cellular antennas, paging services, and much less frequently, specialized mobile radios
- Satellite Dishes – Satellite dishes typically provide TV service. Satellite dishes often make up for internet shortcomings and are consequently used for large bandwidth services like video conferencing.
Ground Leases
Ground leases have a higher profit potential than rooftop leases. Antenna towers and billboards require ground leases that control how a landowner will lease space on an existing tower or land for new construction to a cellular provider. They are often disguised as trees or building extensions as local code dictates. As many towers can range up to 300 feet, it is important to fully understand the local regulations before entering into an agreement with a cellular provider.