Selling the Cell Site Upgrade

The fate of wireless power equipment traditionally lies in the cell site. It's simple math: The fewer sites built, the lesser the need to install DC power equipment. But luckily for power equipment makers, carriers are still tinkering with their sites, even if they're not building new ones.

Investment in cell towers means investment in power. The standard formula is 2% to 3% of total cell site investment, and last year was true to form, falling in at 3%, said John Celentano, president of Skyline Marketing Group. The differences between CDMA- and TDMA-based networks matter little in the final numbers. TDMA/GSM sites are monstrous affairs that eat up power and require larger plants. CDMA sites, while more efficient, require greater density of distribution, thus demanding more, if smaller, power plants. It all evens out.

What happens when this upgrade boom comes to an end? Don't worry. Carriers will enter the age of the pico cell, Celentano said. Their plants will be small, but their numbers big. That should hold power vendors for a little while longer.