Consultant recommends options

The idea “towering” over the town’s $36,000 wireless communications study was a proposed 150-foot cellular tower on the Longboat Island Chapel property. The findings of the study were presented at the Longboat Key Town Commission’s Thursday, April 19, regular workshop.

Scott Wierson, project manager for TE Connectivity Networks Inc.’s island-wide study, didn’t sound off on whether small-cell technologies, such as an outdoor Distributed Antenna Solution (DAS) system or a cellular tower, would best serve the island but instead made recommendations about implementing each option.

Wierson presented findings suggesting that a DAS system could be a viable option for improving Key-wide communications. And, although he also found that a cell tower would bring major improvements, he said that the Longboat Key Public Works site would be a better location than the proposed chapel property.

He said that the Public Works property would be a more strategic location than the chapel property because it would provide better coverage to the entire north end, including the farthest north areas.

Wierson also presented data that estimated north-end coverage for a cell tower of varying heights at the chapel property:

A 60-foot tower yielded 2.1 miles of coverage. Coverage rose to 2.6 miles at 80 feet; 2.75 miles at 100 feet; 3 miles at 110 feet; 3.25 miles at 120 feet; 3.35 miles at 140 feet; and 3.5 miles at 150 feet.

Wierson said the study would recommend the DAS system as a small-cell technology, but the system would require the installation of multiple hub stations on FPL lines to send signals through fiber-optic cables.

Wierson estimated that a tower would be cheaper to construct, with costs estimated at $400,000, compared to $590,000 for a DAS system, but would come at a higher environmental impact. The DAS equipment would be approximately 38 feet high, compared to 150 feet for the proposed tower on the chapel property.

Wierson also discussed emerging technologies, such as the Alcatel-Lucent lightRadio, which could improve capacity but isn’t available yet.

Wierson recommended placing equipment on condominium rooftops to improve south-end service. The north end, however, lacks the high-rise condominiums that would make a similar solution possible.

The study concluded that T-Mobile, AT&T and Metro PCS should expand their service on the island; while Sprint needs to improve service to the southern most two miles of the island. It also found that all operators need to improve their service to the northern three miles of the island and that LTE should be expanded and optimized throughout the Key.

Alpha-Omega Communications Inc. owner Jim Eatrides and his business partner, Kevin Barile, president of the Tampa-based Ridan Industries II, spoke to the commission after the presentation.

Barile said that the DAS network cost presented was likely a low estimate.

Eatrides said, however, that they were generally pleased with the study.

“For the most part, it confirms and validates the work we’ve done in the past four years about the problems we have here,” he said.

Eatrides told the Longboat Observer that he didn’t want to discuss specific technological aspects of the presentation, having only received the report the Tuesday night before the Thursday afternoon workshop. But Eatrides and Barile, who develop DAS systems as well as cell towers, reiterated that they didn’t believe that such a system was viable for the Key.

Attorney Charlie Bailey, who represents Grand Mariner condominium principals Ralph and Sheri Trine, told the commission to consider what level of service the town needs to achieve — such as the -85 dBm standard often used in other communities — and determine the easiest way to reach it.

Attorney Michael Furen, who represents Gus Sclafani and Doreen Erickson, whose home is adjacent to the site of the proposed tower, urged the commission to include a provision in its cell-tower ordinance stating that a tower is a last resort.

Potential solutions

Solution: Tower
Cost to construct: $400,000
Number of carriers: Five
Number of remotes or sites: One
Availability: Now

Solution: Distributed Antenna
Solution (DAS) Network
Cost to construct: $590,000
Number of carriers: Three (can be configured for more)
Number of remotes or sites: Four
Availability: Crown Castle currently negotiating with FPL to place equipment
on poles in several Florida sites

Solution: lightRadio
Cost to construct: Currently not available
Number of carriers: One
Number of remotes or sites: Multiple
Availability: In trial for LTE (4G)