Industry Facts

Market forces continue to transform the wireless industry through consolidation, cost-cutting, and technological innovation. The information you'll find here - on wireless service providers, cell tower companies, and other key topics - delivers a basic foundation to help you understand the industry factors that are driving rent reductions, the decommissioning of cell tower leases and the deployment of new competitive technologies.

How will this information affect your unique lease situation? Call us to find out. With over 50 years of combined experience in an industry defined by rapid change, we're ready to answer any questions you have, so you can decide what's best for you and your financial future.

Rent & Escalators

Average site rent per tower/tenant:

Varies significantly, depending primarily on location; from under $500 to over $3,000 per month.

Average escalator:

3% per year or 15% per five year term. Some leases specify the greater of the Consumer Price Index or 3% per year.

Average number of tenants per typical tower site:

2.4

Average number of cellular communications tenants per typical tower site:

1.8

Profitability

Estimated average monthly cellular bill in 1987:

$96.83

Estimated average monthly cellular bill in 2005:

$49.98

Subscriber Stats

Number of wireless subscribers in the US in 1985

340,000

Number of wireless subscribers in the US in 2005:

207,000,000

Current US population:

300,000,000

Cellular users as a percentage of current US population:

69%

Site Stats

Number of sites in the US, including rooftops:

over 180,000

Number of sites in the US controlled by the top 4 tower companies:

approximately 44,000 (nearly 25%)

Number of sites that Cingular alone identified for decommissioning as of 11-2005

12,000

Consolidation

Estimated market share of top five wireless carriers in 1999:

58%

Estimated market share of top five wireless carriers in 2005:

78%

Carriers affiliated with or consolidated into the new AT&T Wireless (formerly Cingular):

Cingular, AT&T Wireless Services, Bell South, SBC Communications, Southwestern Bell, SNET, Pacific Bell, Ameritech, Houston Cellular, Delaware Valley PCS, Salmon PCS (Partnership), New York Holdings, LLC, Genessee Telephone Company, ABC Wireless, Triton, Cellular One, Tritel, SunCom, Telecorp, Mercury, Orange County Cellular, West Virginia Cellular, Edge Wireless, Pittsburgh Cellular, American Cellular, Vanguard, Wireless One, Houston MTA

Carriers affiliated with or consolidated into Sprint-Nextel:

Sprint PCS, Nextel Communications, APC Realty, Alamosa, Illinois PCS, Independent Wireless Corp, IWO Holdings, Nextel Partners, TriStar Wireless, Ubiquitel, US Unwired/LA Unwired-Meretel, Via Wireless, Washington Oregon Wireless, Gulf Coast Wireless, Eatel, Airgate, Enterprise, Bright PCS, Horizon, Northern PCS, Roberts Wireless, Brookings, SW PCS, Georgia PCS

Carriers affiliated with or consolidated into Verizon Wireless:

Qwest Wireless, NextWave Telecom, Primeco, GTE, Airtouch Cellular, Bell Atlantic Mobile, Northcoast Wireless, Sygnet, Dobson Cellular, Southern and Central Wireless, LLC, Cellco Partnership

Carriers affiliated with or consolidated into T-Mobile:

Voicestream, Omnipoint, Western Wireless, Aeiral, APT, Western PCS, Pacific Northwest Cellular, General Cellular Corp, Powertel, Digiph PCS, Intercel, GSM Alliance, Eliska, SOL Wireless

Sources: US Census Bureau estimates, Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association reports, public filings by Crown Castle, American Tower, Global Signal, SBA, AT&T, Sprint-Nextel, T-Mobile, and Verizon; Unison estimates.