From using municipal rights of way for micro networks to Wi-Fi Hotspot 2.0 deployment, the build out of small cells and new carrier antenna leases, the wireless business offers many growth opportunities.

By Don Bishop

We have more cell phones than people in the United States, 340 million cell phones. This year, we had 110 million smartphones. Kids tell you where it's going. Their iPhone, their smartphone, is a critical aspect of their identity. Every high school kid has a smartphone.

Looking ahead to 2015, we won't only see data streaming, there will be more machine-to-machine communications that we won't see, such as intelligent cars with IP addresses. In 2008, one percent of the population had given up home phones to opt for cell phones. In 2012, 37 percent of the population, over 100 million people, had given up home landlines. Everything around us will become wireless. There are a lot of creative ideas going on right now that will drive a tremendous amount of bandwidth. The mobile network's use of micro sites is critical because micro sites are essential for getting the bandwidth low to the ground and close to the consumer. You have to have a lot of mirco sites to make it work effectively.

The challenges for the carriers are cost and approval, and that's where CMA comes in. We obtain city approval in two weeks to put sites anywhere in the city that you want. That's a tall challenge, but we do that! It's a very narrow focus. If instead you were to go to every single building owner to negotiate a rate of $150 per month, it would be impossible. Carriers have to have a format that allows a return on investment with small-cell technology, and it requires a big-footprint mentality. Carriers can't wait a year to prove the economics work. It has to be done in weeks. If you can solve those problems, you've solved a lot of the industry's problems.

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By Jesse Chambers

BESSEMER, Alabama -- The City of Bessemer may soon enter into an agreement with CAM Inc., a Georgia firm that places small micro-towers for cellular transmission on utility poles and other assets owned by municipalities, sells the new capacity to cell-phone carriers and splits the revenue with the cities.

Mayor Kenneth Gulley and IT Director Rick Singleton have been looking into the arrangement with CMA President Paul Reynolds, who also made a presentation to the council at a planning session May 15.

Gulley and Singleton told the council Tuesday that there are no costs to the city, since CMA will pay for all of the equipment and installation.

"This would not cost the city anything," Gulley said. "In fact, any profits would be split with CMA." As part of the deal with CMA, the city would get free wireless Internet service in some designated areas of the city, such as downtown, according to Gulley. "For instance, if I'm sitting in DeBardeleben Park, I can power up my computer and get wireless access to the Internet without having a plan," Gulley said. "So I do view this as a benefit for the citizens, where you are able to take advantage of the wireless network system at no cost to them."

The exact size and location of the areas where the free wireless would be available is not yet determined, according to Singleton. "That's to be negotiated," he said. "The final footprint or final plan would be approved by the (council)." The council will have to approve any agreement with CMA, and Council President Ron Marshall asked Gulley to come back to the council with a copy of a contract.

Gulley said after the meeting that he and his staff would take another look at the deal with CMA. "We just want to take a look at the agreement that (CMA) has (and) have legal take a look at the agreement," he said. "I think it's advantageous for the city." Gulley again mentioned that he would like to see Bessemer residents get free wireless, at least some locations. "I think it would be huge for our city," he said.

During the pre-council meeting, Singleton told Marshall that cell carriers need to build capacity to handle the expected growth in the number of wireless devices the next five years and that using micro-towers can be more cost-effective for them than spending millions on large, traditional cell towers. Councilman Jesse Matthews asked Gulley why CMA is asking the city for a 5-year lease. Gulley said that he understood the firm's logic given the other parts of the proposed agreement, including the generous share of the revenues being granted to the city. "If they assume the headaches, then split the profits to the city's advantage and put in all the gear, they want a 5-year lease," Gulley said.

He said he agreed to this because the City of Bessemer is not just a municipality but the owner of the water and power company, meaning CMA will have that many more city assets to choose from as sites for micro-towers. "That's important when we put up those antennas," Reynolds said. "They are also a utility, so we're kind of getting two for one."

Reynolds said that the future is with wireless technology and that cities have nothing to lose from signing up with his company, since they incur no costs from doing so. And if he is successful in marketing the service to carriers, he said, the cities "get millions of dollars in revenue and free wireless network."

CMA has also signed up several other cities in Alabama, Georgia, New York, and California, according to Reynolds.

One of those cities is Irondale, which CMA announced a deal with on its website May 16. CMA has also pitched this program to more than 30 cities nationwide, according to Reynolds. "We have a lot of them looking at the agreement," he said.

Monday May 20, 2013

CMA announced today that their President and Founder Paul Reynolds will be speaking at Southern Polytechnic State University. This Thursday, May 23 at 7:30pm at the Southern Polytechnic State University Continuing Education Center. The program Thursday night is to inform students regarding the new expanding industries and technologies. The program is designed to inform and inspire the students into action.

With the wireless industry on the verge of a massive infrastructure expansion, Paul Reynolds has become a leading expert in wireless infrastructure and small cell technologies. Earlier this year Mr. Reynolds spoke at the Technology Association of Georgia, where he was a keynote speaker as well. This Thursday night Mr. Reynolds will again be the keynote speaker. Mr. Reynolds has a finger on the pulse of the wireless industry and his foresight into its future is highly sought after. This is a great honor for both Southern Polytechnic State University and Mr. Reynolds. One of his passions is education and being able to inspire the next generation of wireless engineers is a great opportunity to pass on his knowledge.

Thursday May 16, 2013

CMA, a Leader in Small Cell Deployment, announced today that they have entered into a multi-year agreement to promote and establish the deployment of Small Cell Infrastructure in the city of Irondale, AL. After months of negotiations, both Irondale and CMA have an agreement that fits the needs of both. 

Paul Reynolds, President of CMA, stated that "Irondale is in a great position on the edge of Birmingham, AL to take advantage of leveraging their assets for the deployment of small cell infrastructure." CMA has again added to their portfolio of cities that they are partnering with to bring small cell technologies to the consumer. "We believe that small cell technologies are the wave of not only the future, but today as well. We are helping to bridge the gap between the municipalities and the carriers." said Mr. Reynolds.

CMA has access to all of Irondale's real estate including road right-of-ways and physical facilities. Irondale is the first city in the Birmingham area to sign with CMA and is looking forward to the partnership going forward. Irondale's annual Whistle-Stop Festival attracts thousands to its eclectic mix of art, food and music. This new program will help alleviate wireless network congestion not only at festival times, but in everyday life as well. CMA's program will help bring in a new stream of revenue for Irondale for decades to come.

With the addition of Irondale, CMA is currently managing over 72 square miles of municipal real estate from California to New York and south to Georgia and Alabama. These agreements include all approvals, licenses, and permitting of a site request within two weeks, anywhere on the municipal right-of-ways or physical facilities. CMA also announced that they anticipate another 20 cities to be online in the near future. Any carrier or third party needing site access please contact CMA at info@cma-ind.com. If you represent a State, County, or City Municipality and would like to have CMA make a presentation of their program, please contact CMA at info@cma-ind.com.

Monday Apr 29 2013

Micro size can sit atop a street light

By: Laura O'Brien, Loomis News Correspondent

Loomis town council members considered leasing traffic signals and other Town property for wireless and broadband use at the April 9 council meeting.

The Town would allow internet providers to affix micro cell towers atop structures such as street lights and rooftops, in exchange for 60 percent of the proceeds from lease agreements.

Representatives of Georgia-based Communication Management Associates Inc. (CMA) pitched the idea at the council meeting. The company would act as a broker of leases with carriers such AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

Through the process of identifying potential cell sites, CMA also would develop a Wi-Fi plan for the town.

“I think it’s really important to develop the state of the art communications in town,” said Mayor Walt Scherer. “Wireless network capability is one of the key abilities if we’re going to move forward.”

Town staff will make some changes to the contract with CMA and bring it back for Council’s vote on a future consent agenda.

Upfront costs to the Town would be minimal. Cell carriers would offset costs of preparing lease sites, according to the presentation by CMA President Paul Reynolds, who participated by telephone. Reynolds coordinated with local real estate consultant Gary Mapa, who attended the meeting and answered questions from council members.

Reynolds said internet carriers cannot keep up with the demand for mobile data traffic, predicted to multiply 26 times by 2015.

Much less expensive than full-scale cell towers, micro cell towers fit the need for additional network capacity. These sites also may utilize Distributed Antenna Systems or DAS nodes, which can fit in the palm of a hand.

CMA will limit the technology’s infringement on town aesthetics, Reynolds said. Some new street light designs incorporate the micro cell technology.

As a benefit to the town, the company will analyze existing fiber routes to determine wireless connectivity options, including for schools. CMA also will develop a strategy for building a Wi-Fi network in town, at minimal cost or using proceeds from site leases, Reynolds said.

Since last year, CMA has entered into agreements with municipalities in Georgia and New York. Traditionally, cell phone companies had reservations about working with municipalities because of possible delays in project schedules, he said.

Council member Dave Wheeler said he approved the agreement with CMA, pending changes from town staff to agreement language.

“At the end of three years, if it’s not working out for us, we’re out,” Wheeler said. “I think it’s a safe avenue for us to take a look at this.”

Mapa plans micro tower presentations to City of Lincoln staff and Supervisor Jim Holmes.

 
February 4, 2013 by J. Sharpe Smith 
 
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski threw down the gauntlet before the nation’s state and municipal officials calling for at least one municipality in each state to host a network with speeds of one gigabit per second by 2015 at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting, Jan. 17-19, in Washington, D.C. Currently, according to the Fiber to the Home Council, 42 communities in 14 states are served by ultra-high-speed fiber Internet providers, which are 100 times faster than the average fixed high-speed Internet connection.

“Gigabit Cities,” as Genachowski referred to them, would accelerate the creation of a critical mass of markets and innovation hubs with ultra-fast Internet speeds.

“American economic history teaches a clear lesson about infrastructure. If we build it, innovation will come,” Genachowski said. “The U.S. needs a critical mass of gigabit communities nationwide so that innovators can develop next-generation applications and services that will drive economic growth and global competitiveness.”

An example of a successful municipal deployment cited by the FCC was Chattanooga, Tenn., where a local utility deployed a fiber network to 170,000 homes.  Because of the city’s broadband infrastructure investment, companies like Volkswagen and Amazon have created more than 3,700 new jobs there in the past three years. In Kansas City, the Google Fiber initiative is bringing gigabit service to residential consumers, attracting new entrepreneurs and startups to the community.

To help communities meet the Gigabit City Challenge, Genachowski announced plans to create a new online clearinghouse of best practices to collect and disseminate information about how to lower the costs and increase the speed of broadband deployment nationwide. The FCC will also hold workshops on gigabit cities.

Paul Reynolds, president and founder CMA, who consults cities on wireless deployments, told DAS Bulletin that municipalities can be an integral part of the wireless super highway and if they embrace that role, they will improve their cities on multiple fronts, including revenue and business development.

“Every CEO says if there is no a robust wireless network in a city, by 2015, they would reconsider relocating there with their company,” Reynolds said. “The fiber is a critical component of the backbone of wireless networks for backhaul. A wireless site needs that 1 gig link. That’s very important.”
 
Wireless infrastructure and fiber backhaul will be two critical components for cities to stay current with development of mobile technology in the future, Reynolds said.

“Pretty soon, cars will have IP addresses, homes will have IP addresses, even Coke machines will have IP addresses,” he said. “Those cities that embrace this are going to be way ahead of everyone else, and the FCC is trying to get the cities to be an active partner in the development of this infrastructure and to not rely strictly on carriers.”

Kelly Davis-Felner, marketing director, Wi-Fi Alliance, agreed that the fiber backbone is critical to the develop of super-fast Wi-Fi networks, “Wi-Fi data rates exceed that of most backhaul offerings today,” she said. “So, fast fiber, which would be a higher-performing pipe to the Wi-Fi network, is a valuable enabler for users to get the full potential out of their Wi-Fi network’s capabilities.”

Atlanta, GA

Thursday, January 10, 2013 - CMA has signed agreements with two national wireless carriers. "This is another enormous piece to the equation. It also signifies that we are meeting a need on both ends of the spectrum." Paul Reynolds said in a statement. "This is a big step in bringing two entities together that at times have been against each other. This is a landmark moment for the consumer and allow wireless communications to continue to move forward. It also helps municipalities to become financially stable." says Paul, President of CMA, Inc. 

As the EPA and other government entities make it harder and harder to construct new cell towers, and as the need for data capacity doubles each year, CMA has positioned themselves to be a catalyst for the wireless industry for years to come. Microcells and Macrocells are key to the growth and ability to meet consumer and market demand for data access. 

Suwanee exploring possibility of mini cell towers
Story by Keith Farner

Wednesday, November 28, 2012


SUWANEE -- Preliminary research is underway in Suwanee to potentially add mini cell towers to city property.

City Council and staff two weeks ago began discussions after Paul Reynolds representing a company called Communication Management Association contacted city staff and made a presentation about its product. The pitch is to attach cell towers or technology to city property like buildings and light poles in hopes to improve "dead" areas, high consumption spots or basements where cell service can be inconsistent, city manager Marty Allen said.

"I've seen them when they're on top of light pole or encapsulating the pole itself," Allen said. "In some of them, the light pole itself becomes a big antenna."

While Mayor Pro Tem Dan Foster, a manager of enterprise data solutions with Verizon Wireless in Alpharetta, recused himself from the discussion, the rest of the City Council gave staff a thumbs up to pursue more information about the product and potential benefits for the city.

The same company, CMA, this fall contracted with the city of Woodstock to connect the city with interested wireless providers.

There wouldn't be a cost to the city, Allen said, but could be a potential revenue source, although a more specific figure is unknown. The city could receive a percentage of all lease or license payments.

"The revenue part, certainly is always nice, that's not what would be driving it," Allen said. "What would be driving it is performance for our community, our parks, our facilities."

Atlanta, GA

October 22, 2012 - CMA announced today that they have entered into an agreement with the City of Woodstock, GA for Small Cell deployment. According to the terms of the agreement, CMA will represent the City of Woodstock to various wireless carriers as a means to grow the City's 4G infrastructure and help create a revenue stream for Woodstock. "This is another example of our strategy at work" stated Paul Reynolds, "This again proves that we have a plan that will bring the carriers and municipalities together to work for the consumer. It is a win win for everyone involved."

CMA has now signed cities from the southeast to the northeast. Recently, CMA has also begun to explore opportunities in the mid-west to west coast. CMA continues to move forward with signing municipalities from coast to coast.

Atlanta, GA

September 28, 2012 - CMA announced today that they have entered into two agreements for Small Cell deployments in Upstate and Western New York. CMA is also assisting other communities in Upstate New York on designing their Wireless Infrastructure Ordinance. Giving the communities the opportunity to be in the forefront of the 4G small cell deployment. These new agreements and others that will be announced in the coming weeks, are right in-line with the company's strategic and long term business plan. CMA is an advocate of small cell development and believes there are many benefits besides enhanced cellular and data coverage. CMA continues to look for and pursue opportunities to develope and mature the small cell infrastructure in the United States, Caribbean, Central and South America.

Tampa, FL

August 7, 2012 - CMA, Inc and Peace River Packaging agreed in terms for CMA to market and lease a communications tower solely owned by Peace River Packaging of Fort Meade, FL. This agreement will expland CMA's Rural Initiative and its abilities to provide High Speed Broadband services to the rural market. With the recent announcements from major wireless carriers such as AT&T to end their 2G offerings, this agreement continues to show CMA's dedication to the rural market of providing cost-effective and efficient alternatives to the wireless marketplace.

Atlanta, GA

July 6, 2012 - CMA, Inc. successfully secured 250-miles of fiber and real estate access for greater Cincinnati, Ohio area.  We now have the ability to provide carriers with micro-site pole attachment access with extremely cost-effective fiber backhaul to data centers.  90-day turn-around with existing fiber route.  CMA is dedicated to providing cost-effective and
efficient alternatives and solutions for deployment of 4G technology and other High Speed Broadband Technologies.