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if modifications are needed and to <br />ensure that the structure will sup- <br />port the extra weight. To date, utility <br />company has denied an installation <br />for technical reasons. <br />Indeed, FWT officials found that <br />economic factors outweigh technical <br />factors in securing an installation. <br />Carriers, in other words, must often be <br />keen negotiators to assure affordable <br />lease payments for tower real estate. <br />But lease payments almost always <br />offset the zoning and siting hassles <br />accompanying the installation of a <br />dedicated tower for antenna arrays. <br />The PowerMount allows a sectored - <br />array installation on transmission <br />monopoles, which are often located in <br />residential areas, where opposition <br />to structures is generally strongest. <br />The PowerMount installation <br />includes PowerArms, which connect <br />the antenna array directly to the <br />monopole. Coaxial lines then are <br />routed alongside the pole via a band- <br />on ladder. <br />"For a lot of communities, this <br />option is a given," says Douglas <br />Athas, referring to the PowerMount <br />installation. Athas is director of site <br />development for PrimeCo's north <br />Texas major trading area. But we <br />take a very proactive relationship <br />with the community. <br />'We go to the community," Aches <br />adds, "and involve (community resi- <br />dents), let them know what [the instal- <br />lation) looks like and what is going to <br />happen every step of the way." <br />PrimeCo has some 100 towers with <br />PowerMount installations throughout <br />the United States. Athas notes that an <br />engineering analysis is pct -formed on <br />every structure. <br />"We can't take risks with these <br />towers," he explains. "We are deter- <br />mined to get to the market quickly <br />and, at the same time, be community <br />friendly" <br />Athas points out that many com- <br />munities served by PrimeCo still <br />require some type of zoning or per- <br />mitting process, even for existing <br />structures. But the use of an existing <br />structure generally makes the proce- <br />dure much simpler. <br />When carriers team with utilities it reduces <br />problems of siting and acquisition. especially <br />in residential areas. <br />Page 99 <br />69[0[9�I9I 'Oi[ <br />id'a[IS1f id IS,I [di L6 -92- <br />