New Market officials are exploring the addition of “stealth” cell phone towers to the town’s landscape in an effort to provide clear cellular access for residents while also gaining a source of revenue for the town.

The council discussed the towers after a presentation at their Wednesday meeting.

Jennifer Bond of Milestone Communications, based in Reston, Va., said the company often works with schools, government institutions and municipalities, including new partner Frederick County.

The surge of smart phones and similar devices are overloading current towers.

“Consumers are talking far less on their phones,” Bond said. The increase in messaging and internet usage has stressed the networks and more infrastructure is needed.

And carriers want to be in neighborhoods close to where service is often needed.

Bond said the company does not construct a tower until one carrier has agreed to use it, and if a tower is constructed, the landowner receives $20,000 up front, plus $5,000 for each carrier on the pole. The company on average has three carriers on a pole, but are built for up to five carriers.

“The real key is the reoccurring revenue,” Bond said. The carriers are charged $2,500 a month.

“We share that 50/50 net with the landowner,” she said, estimating a three-carrier pole would come out at $36,000 annual reoccurring revenue escalating at three percent a year.

“Over a 10-year period, one cell phone tower could generate for a local jurisdiction about $400,000,” she said. “… it’s a great way to raise revenue for your town without raising taxes.”

Though no resident at the meeting commented on the presentation, council members discussed the possibility of using the towers in 100 Acre Woods, land owned by the town northeast of New Market.

In the process, the town allows the company to market to carriers to gauge interest in a tower in the area. After garnering information and support, Milestone comes back to the landowner to see if the interest is still there to place the towers somewhere in the area.

Bond said the company openly works with residents, both supportive and non-supportive.

“Obviously it’s hard to completely hide cell phone towers,” Bond said. “They’re ugly, they’re unattractive — we’re very aware of that, but we do pride ourselves on trying to find the best fit for each unique situation to help it blend into the existing environment as much as it can.”

The poles average around 115 feet tall, the maximum being 150 feet and the minimum not much below 80 feet, with the signal having to go above the tree line. Examples include adding towers to preexisting light poles in fields and parking lots or even disguised as trees. “We pride ourselves on stealth poles,” she said.

The poles also need equipment sheds within 100 feet of the tower.

Councilman David Price questioned the longevity of the towers, and what would happen if they were unneeded anymore. “If you guys end up putting five towers here, technology changes and you only need two, would you take them down?” he asked.

The company is responsible for the towers and not the landowners.

The council agreed to look further into the matter.

“We’ll do a little bit more digging,” Councilman Jake Romanell said.

acochrun@gazette.net