FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions municipalities ask us most, from what your cell tower site is worth to what to do when a carrier’s letter arrives.
Your Site
Value & Lease Terms
What is my cell tower site actually worth?
Every site is different. Value depends on the individual characteristics of your property: its location, the coverage it provides, what it would cost a carrier to replace it, local zoning, and much more. Rather than comparing your lease to a so-called “market rate,” BSP’s unique Tower Optimization ProcessSM evaluates over 50 unique characteristics of your specific site to build a financial model of its true value. Many municipalities find their current rents are well below what their site is worth.
What is the difference between a lease renewal and a new lease?
A lease renewal extends an existing agreement, typically under predetermined escalation terms. A new lease negotiation is an opportunity to reset the rental rate based on the true value of your individual site and to restructure the lease provisions. BSP evaluates which approach maximizes value for your municipality and negotiates accordingly.
Does our municipality have any lease termination rights?
Generally, cellular lease agreements give the landlord very limited termination rights. The tenant (the carrier), on the other hand, has multiple termination rights, the most common and egregious being the right to cancel for any reason or no reason with 60 days’ notice. Limiting the carrier’s termination rights is one of the key protections BSP negotiates into your lease.
How will 5G deployment affect our cell tower leases?
The rollout of 5G technology is not replacing macro cell sites, but rather reshaping them to serve as the critical coverage foundation of the network. While 5G relies heavily on millions of new, localized “small cells” in dense urban areas, macro cell towers remain indispensable for wide-area coverage.
Will the new Starlink technology make municipal cellular antenna sites obsolete?
The deployment of Starlink technology—particularly its rapid expansion into Starlink Mobile and Direct-to-Cell (D2D) communications—is driving a massive evolution in telecommunications, shifting the landscape toward a three-dimensional hybrid network model. Rather than rendering terrestrial infrastructure obsolete, Starlink is actively driving new demand for traditional cell sites while redefining how they are used.
Carrier Requests
Extensions, Rent Cuts & Buyout Offers
We received a letter from a carrier or a buyout company. What should we do?
Don’t sign or respond yet. Early extension offers, rent reduction requests, and lease buyout proposals often arrive with a response deadline, and the terms are written to favor the company that sent them. Send a copy to info@bsptop.com or tell us about it through our contact form. We will review it at no cost and explain what it means for your municipality before you reply.
A carrier is asking us to extend our lease early. Should we agree?
Not before you know what your site is worth. Early extension requests usually offer a modest increase or a one-time payment in exchange for locking in rent for many years. Municipalities rarely negotiate these agreements, while carriers do it every day. BSP takes control of the process, values your individual site, and negotiates any extension on your terms.
What should we do when carriers ask for a rent reduction or say our site is obsolete?
Carriers sometimes approach municipalities claiming they need a rent reduction or they will relocate, that the site is duplicative, that their networks can no longer support the payments for this particular site, or that the technology will not be needed in the future. In most cases, these are negotiation tactics used to cloud the reality of the situation. If a site were truly obsolete, why would carriers be willing to enter into 50-year extensions? And the cost of relocating a tower, building new infrastructure, securing zoning approvals, and navigating community opposition makes relocation far more expensive than paying what the site is truly worth. BSP gives you the analysis to respond from a position of strength.
Should a municipality sell its cell tower leases?
Lease buyout offers may seem attractive, but the high discount rates used by the firms offering buyouts mean those offers generally pale in comparison to the potential current and future revenue streams to the municipality. BSP performs a thorough NPV analysis comparing the lump-sum offer against the projected future lease income stream. In most cases, holding the lease and renegotiating based on the true value of your site provides significantly greater value to the municipality over time.
Working With BSP
Fees, Timing & Getting Started
How does BSP’s fee structure work?
BSP operates on a success fee model: we collect fees only on revenue increases above 20%. Our financial interests are directly aligned with yours. There is no upfront cost or retainer, and we only succeed when you see meaningful results.
Is there any cost for an initial consultation?
No. BSP provides an initial confidential review of your cell tower lease portfolio at no cost. If we identify opportunities and you choose to engage us, our success fee structure means we only collect fees on revenue increases above 20%. There is no upfront cost or retainer.
How long does the engagement process take?
It depends on portfolio size and complexity. Our initial assessment is typically completed within a few weeks; negotiations with carriers can take several months. Throughout the process, we keep you fully informed and involved in every key decision.
What information should we have ready?
If possible, copies of your existing lease agreements, any amendments, any recent correspondence from carriers, and any buyout or extension offers you have received. If you don’t have all of these on hand, don’t worry. We can help you gather what is needed.
Do you work with municipalities nationwide?
Yes. BSP works with municipalities, water districts, school districts, and other public entities across all 50 states.
Does BSP work with commercial and residential tower owners?
Yes. BSP will represent commercial and residential tower owners in their lease negotiations with either the tower company or the carriers themselves.
Still Have a Question?
Ask us about your site, or send us the letter or offer you received. We’ll review it at no cost and reply within one business day.