New Towers in OC

[714tmobile]

Anyone know of any new Cingular/T-Mobile towers/sites going up in Orange County?

[larry]

In the city of orange at El Modena Park near Hewes & Jordan St. Construction to begin in January. Joint project between Sprint & Cingular. This one will be fun to watch.

[kisalex]

One more public "hearing" with predictable results:
Nov. 4, 2002
Antenna disguise
Cingular Wireless and Nextel Communications on Wednesday will ask the Planning Commission to permit a 50-foot-tall cell tower disguised as a pine tree at Faith Lutheran Church, 34381 Calle Portola. It would be surrounded by taller trees. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 33282 Golden Lantern St.

That was a month ago in Dana Point. Dunno about the results.

[larry]

I believe that one passed.

[foofighter]

How funny, the one in dana point was my project! Yeah that one was a crazy one, wasn't sure if they planning commission would approve it dispite the neighbors coming out to oppose the project. This is the 2nd ground build "tower" in the city of dana point; the other being at dana hills high. My other project in dana point near golden lantern and camino del avion was continued due to the neighbors protesting that the cupola we are proposing will "block" their viewshed.

There's quite a few cingular sites going up in OC; we're in a feverish crunch to build apprx 280 sites in the LA/OC/SB area this year.

The majority of sites that I worked on are in OC this year. quite a few went up in costa mesa, mission viejo, irvine, laguna hills, laguna niguel.

It's unfortunate but the other carriers have all but cut back because they ran out of money for this year. Cingular and to some extent AT&T (GSM) are building. But Cingular is the one that is the most aggressive.

[kisalex]

Originally posted by: foofighter
How funny, the one in dana point was my project!...

Do you know if Cingular will try to pursue microcells deployment in Turtle Rock, Irvine because of (in spite of) fiasco with the cell tower a la pine tree? There are a lot wireless albeit connectionless customers in that area.

[larry]

Originally posted by: foofighter
How funny, the one in dana point was my project! Yeah that one was a crazy one, wasn't sure if they planning commission would approve it dispite the neighbors coming out to oppose the project. This is the 2nd ground build "tower" in the city of dana point; the other being at dana hills high. My other project in dana point near golden lantern and camino del avion was continued due to the neighbors protesting that the cupola we are proposing will "block" their viewshed.

There's quite a few cingular sites going up in OC; we're in a feverish crunch to build apprx 280 sites in the LA/OC/SB area this year.

The majority of sites that I worked on are in OC this year. quite a few went up in costa mesa, mission viejo, irvine, laguna hills, laguna niguel.

It's unfortunate but the other carriers have all but cut back because they ran out of money for this year. Cingular and to some extent AT&T (GSM) are building. But Cingular is the one that is the most aggressive.

Very interesting! Do you work on Cingular projects only or for other carriers? Do you happen to know anything about the Sprint site that was supposed to go up in Laguna Niguel near Golden Lantern & Beacon Hill Way? It was approved in April but I haven't heard anything else.

The reason why Cingular can continue to build is because they have T-Mobile helping them out with the costs. Sprint is still building but not nearly as fast as they were last year.

[714tmobile]

i have to say that the new tower on Garden Grove Blvd and Beach Blvd (it's right behind the motel, looks like a pine tree) is a god-send [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[foofighter]

Originally posted by: kisalex

Do you know if Cingular will try to pursue microcells deployment in Turtle Rock, Irvine because of (in spite of) fiasco with the cell tower a la pine tree? There are a lot wireless albeit connectionless customers in that area.

well not in the forseeable future, i believe the company that i work for along w/ Cingular will be filing suit w/ the City of Irvine for them overturning the planning commission's ruling. Microcell would be nice but you saw what happened w/ just one monopine; everyone went nuts...can you imagine if we proposed to put up 20 or so microcell on the street lights/traffic lights. It would be a blood bath for me!

[foofighter]

Very interesting! Do you work on Cingular projects only or for other carriers? Do you happen to know anything about the Sprint site that was supposed to go up in Laguna Niguel near Golden Lantern & Beacon Hill Way? It was approved in April but I haven't heard anything else.

The reason why Cingular can continue to build is because they have T-Mobile helping them out with the costs. Sprint is still building but not nearly as fast as they were last year.

I've worked for sprint at the initial network launch back in 96; then onto nextel for a stint and now Cingular...lately i've been working on T-mobile's expansion project backeast.

But here's the thing w/ sprint; they are so screwed up internally that they may have a site approved (planning wise) but will have some sort of hang up internally that they will not build the site for another 6 or more months! It's really frustrating to get pushed get a site submitted and approved and then they just sit on it. I know that they are hurting for money and that's part of the reason...this time of year is when a lot of the carriers cut back because they spent their money for the year.

[714tmobile]

hey foofighter... just out of curiousity, what is the capacity of those microcells? or are they simply repeaters to a tower...

[larry]

[quote]
Originally posted by: foofighter

I've worked for sprint at the initial network launch back in 96; then onto nextel for a stint and now Cingular...lately i've been working on T-mobile's expansion project backeast.

But here's the thing w/ sprint; they are so screwed up internally that they may have a site approved (planning wise) but will have some sort of hang up internally that they will not build the site for another 6 or more months! It's really frustrating to get pushed get a site submitted and approved and then they just sit on it. I know that they are hurting for money and that's part of the reason...this time of year is when a lot of the carriers cut back because they spent their money for the year.

Yeah I know what you mean. The new site which Sprint is building right now at 1142 W. La Veta in Orange was approved back in May 2001! They just got around to building it now! Can you believe that one? Another example is the 4 new sites that were supposed to go between Oceanside & San Clemente along Camp Pendleton. They were supposed to be completed before Christmas and they have yet to even start on them.

[larry]

Originally posted by: foofighter

well not in the forseeable future, i believe the company that i work for along w/ Cingular will be filing suit w/ the City of Irvine for them overturning the planning commission's ruling. Microcell would be nice but you saw what happened w/ just one monopine; everyone went nuts...can you imagine if we proposed to put up 20 or so microcell on the street lights/traffic lights. It would be a blood bath for me![/quote]

I hope they sue the pants off of the City of Irvine for rejecting this project. They need to learn that they can't break federal law just to appease a bunch of stupid NIMBY's.

[foofighter]

Originally posted by: 714tmobile
hey foofighter... just out of curiousity, what is the capacity of those microcells? or are they simply repeaters to a tower...

IIRC 14 calls simultaneously for microcells and their radius is 1 mile in a perfectly flat and unobstructed world. But you know that's not the case particularly in turtle rock where you have topography changes and nice eucalyptus trees that absorb a lot of the signal. they're actual sites that have to be integrated into the network.

Larry: yeah, it was riddled w/ politics once it made it to the council level and i kind of had a feeling it was going to go that way, especially since it was an election year as well. So everyone was jockeying for position and turtle rock being as affluent as they are they were just bitter that all this other new development was going on (qual hill) that this was something easy that they could fight. What a shame. I'd hate for something bad to happen and they cant use their phones, they'll probably turn around and sue the carriers for not have coverage...

[714tmobile]

Originally posted by: foofighter

IIRC 14 calls simultaneously for microcells and their radius is 1 mile in a perfectly flat and unobstructed world. But you know that's not the case particularly in turtle rock where you have topography changes and nice eucalyptus trees that absorb a lot of the signal. they're actual sites that have to be integrated into the network.

Cool... how do they interface w/ the network? T1, Microwave? I took a peek at one and it only looked like a powercable coming out...

[foofighter]

either or actually...they have applications now that are microwave and they prefer it that way since it's cheaper...T1 is expensive every month if this site isn't rocking.

[kisalex]

Originally posted by: foofighter

IIRC 14 calls simultaneously for microcells and their radius is 1 mile in a perfectly flat and unobstructed world. But you know that's not the case particularly in turtle rock where you have topography changes and nice eucalyptus trees that absorb a lot of the signal. they're actual sites that have to be integrated into the network.

Larry: yeah, it was riddled w/ politics once it made it to the council level and i kind of had a feeling it was going to go that way, especially since it was an election year as well. So everyone was jockeying for position and turtle rock being as affluent as they are they were just bitter that all this other new development was going on (qual hill) that this was something easy that they could fight. What a shame. I'd hate for something bad to happen and they cant use their phones, they'll probably turn around and sue the carriers for not have coverage...

Yeah, that side of Turtle Rock is going to loose the pristine hills view to the new development. I remember they tried to fight that too, but nobody can guarantee the view, unless it's really close to your property, like the monopine. That leads to a conclusion that only ocean view is a good "investment": not many forces in this world can change it (except for major commercial port or an oil slick).

Thinking back, that monopine wouldn't have helped me after all; I'm on Turtle Rock drive on the opposite side of the main hill (@ Canyon Park).
But I don't think microcells are as visible as towers (Again, per FCC, they can fight it only on aesthetic "view" ground, not for the health reason). Are they really bulky? Can I see some in Irvine?

[foofighter]

Kisalex: There aren't any in Irvine. Trying to think where...oh...santiago canyon road has a slew of them from various carriers...cingular's microcells are made by Ericcson of course so it's something to investigate should you be bored.

[larry]

There are also some on Live Oak Canyon Rd. going to O'neil Regional Park. Sprint has a bunch along there.

[714tmobile]

Down Irvine Center Drive and on Bake Pkwy, you can see them hanging from the lightpoles..

[larry]

Interesting...never noticed any on Bake.

[714tmobile]

There's one on Bake right across teh street from the toyota dealer, right before you get on the 5

[larry]

Thanks. I'll check it out soon. I don't think it's Sprint.

[714tmobile]

No, it's Cingular... he was asking what they looked like is all. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[kisalex]

Originally posted by: 714tmobile
There's one on Bake right across teh street from the toyota dealer, right before you get on the 5

Thanx... That's the closest to me. Gotta go for an extended lunch break. Wonder if I can steal it and hang on Turtle Rock Drive [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

[714tmobile]

hehe... don't blame you...

[kisalex]

Originally posted by: 714tmobile
hehe... don't blame you...

Well, at least I don't start "BEWARE OF T-MOBILE" thread. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] No coverage at home = less chance my wife will go on a cell-talking spree.

[foofighter]

Dont think the one on Bake is a Cingular microcell...as they have a macrocell over off of research on a PacBell Switch building already. Might be some other carrier's repeater.

I think we have some stock photos of microcells on our company's server i'll see if i can dig up a post here for u.

[larry]

Originally posted by: 714tmobile
No, it's Cingular... he was asking what they looked like is all. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

That's surprising that it would be Cingular's microcell when they already have several regular towers in the area. They have a new one near Muirlands & Bake (between Alton & Bake) on the Spectrasites tower and I could have sworn that the light tower at the Spectrum is also Cingular.

[foofighter]

Originally posted by: larry

That's surprising that it would be Cingular's microcell when they already have several regular towers in the area. They have a new one near Muirlands & Bake (between Alton & Bake) on the Spectrasites tower and I could have sworn that the light tower at the Spectrum is also Cingular.

Man larry you're good...yeah i did that project (colo w/ verizon) on that pole and the oblisque(sp?) is actually Verizon in there...we're currently working w/ the IRVINE COMPANY to go inside the tallest tower in the irvine spectrum...the tower is perfectly suited for our application as some of the "stain glass" is actually RF friendly fiberglass. The "Y" is one of the most heavily covered road as anyone could guess lots of traffic is carried in this area.