IPCS to get another cell site!

[larry]

Fruitport Township water tower to get electronic ears
Posted by Local reports | The Muskegon Chronicle August 26, 2008 21:48PM
Categories: Fruitport Township

The beaming Fruitport Township water tower, affectionately called 'Smiley' by township officials, is about to get a set of ears.

A cellular phone company, the Illinois-based iPCS Wireless Inc., will rent space on top of the smiling, yellow water tower, which is owned by both the City of Norton Shores and the township.

Antennas will be placed on a 10-by-20 foot space on top of the tower for the company's telephone service, according to the Fruitport Township Director of Utilities Derek Gajdos.

The township has agreed to lease the antenna space to iPCS for $650 a month, with the money going into the Norton Shores and Fruitport Township "regional water fund, which is used for future water tower maintenance projects, Gajdos said.

According to the iPCS Web site, the company is the Sprint PCS affiliate of Sprint Nextel, with the exclusive right to sell wireless services under the Sprint brand in 80 markets, including Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio and Tennessee.


Fruitport Township water tower to get electronic ears - Muskegon Chronicle - MLive.com

[jrip]

I argued with IPCS"s engineer about this many times. He hates using water towers or any city, county or state owned structures for site locations. I tried many times to talk him into placing equipment on this water tower and the one in north muskegon.

[RadioFoneGuy]

I have been to a few of the Muskegon WT.

Water Towers are a pain to get on. You have to get antenna ports put in the sides at the base so the antenna lines can exit the WT. You have to have a WT stuctural engineer evaluate the tower and give the ok to cut holes in the tower.

If the WT does have the Paint rail mounted the top (smooth top) you have to weld one on which can scotch the inside water tanks. After the rail is welded you have to get another engineer to go climb in the water tank and inspect.

Access to WT is also a pain if not done right. Backhauls need to be outside the WT gate as well as the Carriers equipment if possible.

I like the thought of using WT for in town coverage as its already built and most are over 100feet tall.