Report - Master Telecommunications Plan (MTP) (Wireless Facilities)

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Figure 19. Typical urban cellular network configuration Only at peak demand, such as during a traffic emergency, is it likely that capacity issues are experienced in the County. However, in coming years, increase demand brought about by new wireless products and services may result in capacity issues on a more routine basis in heavily traveled corridors such as Routes 7 and 28, and the Dulles Greenway. Tower Development Companies Wireless service providers (carriers) are licensed by the FCC and are distinct from tower development companies. Tower development companies do not own bandwidth and thus do not have the same rights and protections to deploy wireless facilities as afforded to licensees under the Telecommunications Act. Tower owners are, however, required to register structures over 200 feet in height with the FCC. The sole objective of a tower developer is to construct towers and then lease space on the structures to service providers and others needing a place to mount antennas. Tower development companies do not provide wireless service. From a developer's perspective, the more leases on a tower, the more profitable the tower becomes, thus the inclination on the part of a developer to construct tall towers capable of accommodating many antennas. Most wireless service providers do not own the structures on which they are located but instead lease tower space from the structure's owner, which is typically a developer. Many of the larger carriers have entered into "build -to- suit" agreements with the development community to construct towers to meet a particular coverage objective. Several licensed service providers do own a significant proportion of the towers on which they are located while others have sold their tower assets to focus solely on providing service and to generate capital that can be used to expand their networks. Deployment Mandates Ultimately service providers want to offer services to market to begin to recover their investment in licenses, infrastructure, and equipment costs to compete for customers in the highly competitive and lucrative wireless arena. For each 30 MHz license block, the FCC requires that PCS licensees have a signal level sufficient to provide service to at least one -third of the population in their licensed areas within five (5) years of receiving the license. Two - thirds of the population must have service available to them within ten (10) years. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the permanent loss of a license. PCS licensees of 10 and 15 MHz blocks, must provide adequate service to at least one - quarter of the population in their licensed area within five (5) years of being licensed or be subject to forfeiture of their license.