Cell Tower Companies purchase utility easements or real estate which includes a wireless antenna lease. Many Cell Tower Companies start by building their own tower locations on land owned by others and then maintain the tower in exchange for a portion of the collected rents.
Over the next several years, tower companies will be upgrading their sites to support 5g technology. These upgrades are typically done by the carrier but 5g cell tower companies and small cell tower companies have been improving new tower locations which can now often be found on the sides of the road instead of high in the sky.
Growth of Cell Tower Companies
As these small Cell Tower Companies grow, they are able to leverage debt (loans) to acquire or add more towers to their portfolio. Over time, there have been several companies in the US which have built a large portfolio of wireless tower sites and are now publicly traded in which you can buy cell tower companies stock. These larger Cell Tower Companies now operate throughout the US and Internationally, purchasing and maintaining Wireless Cell Tower Leases. Although the latest technology boom has been seeking 5g Cell Tower Companies, many of the larger companies have also now ventured into Data Centers and other wireless infrastructure.
Cell Tower Companies Stock
If you’re looking to invest in a Cell Tower Companies Stock, there are a handful of tower companies, REITs or funds that invest in the space. Here are some that invest in 5g cell tower companies:
- American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT)
- SBA Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:SBAC)
- Crown Castle International Corp. (NYSE:CCI)
- Uniti Group Inc. (NASDAQ:UNIT)
- Defiance 5G Next Gen Connectivity ETF (FIVG)
Top Cell Tower Companies in the US
The below list of the top 50 cell tower companies has been compiled from information obtained by publicly available sources. In some cases, the tower company might not own the structure but has lease rights and the ability to acquire the towers on the property for a set period of time. The totals shown below do not include distributed antenna systems (DAS) or small cells.
Free Cell Tower Site Valuation
If you have a cell tower antenna on your property with an active lease, Wireless Equity Group will provide a free site valuation and provide insight on how to maximize the value of your property tower and property. We can review your current lease agreement and provide feedback based on current market conditions. Many Cell Tower Companies try to renegotiate leases to lower your rent or reduce the escalator %. This can dramatically alter the value of your property and lock you into unfavorable terms or restrictions. A first right of refusal has been used in recent years which has cost property owners their rights to sell their own property due to the encumbrance. Don’t renegotiate your lease without a site valuation from our team.
Selling your lease or tower to Cell Tower Companies
If you own a Cell Tower Antenna location and are interested in selling your location to a Cell Tower Company, understand that not all tower companies will provide a competitive offer. To maximize the equity in your tower, call 858-295-3040 or request a free site valuation so our team can provide you with free advice along with a competitive offer from our network of wireless infrastructure investors.
Updating Cell Tower Company Data
If you represent a tower company and have updates to your total tower count, or if you are not listed and have 10 towers or more, please contact us.
Updated: 3/22/2022
