Cellular technology company answers call for better cell service in Lakewood Ranch

USA Cran CEO Ken Goff has a big plan for improving cellular service in Lakewood Ranch, and he’s got the next 15 months to make it happen.

USA Cran will be the exclusive provider of small cell technologies in Phase 1 Lakewood Ranch, composed of the Greenbrook, Summerfield, Riverwalk, Country Club and Edgewater communities, according to agreements reached Aug. 16.

The small cell technology will take the form of a low-powered cellular structure. It is used to enhance cellular service in areas where there are coverage gaps.

The company now must convince cellular providers the investment in infrastructure is worth making. It needs at least two carriers per

small cell to make the project financially viable, Goff said.

“Our aggressive timeline is roughly 15 months from the completion of contracts to systems in the air, and ideally we would complete the construction for all desired sites during this time frame,” Goff said. “There may be a couple of updates after the initial installation, but our goal for the community is a ‘dig once’ installation policy. The critical component is contracting with the wireless carriers.”

USA Cran approached Lakewood Ranch Community Development Districts 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 in December 2016 about becoming the area’s exclusive provider for small cell technology. It has been negotiating with wireless providers about using the small cells in Lakewood Ranch for the past year, but the agreements finalized last week will help secure deals.

Goff said he hopes to have contracts with wireless providers finalized by the end of the year. Construction of each small cell, after engineering and permitting is complete, is six months. From there, integration, testing and taking the systems “on air” would take another 60 days.

Goff said he expects USA Cran, which operates and manages communications infrastructure facilities for the wireless and fiber optics industries, will construct between 13 and 30 small cells, depending on carriers’ needs. USA Cran will make its small cells look much like light poles.

“Wireless connectivity has changed the way we live, work and play and learn, and as Lakewood Ranch has grown, so has the need for wireless coverage,” USA Cran’s Goff said, noting the public generally has a “not in my backyard” attitude toward traditional macro cell towers. “(That) leaves many holes of coverage throughout the community as the towers are located on outskirts of said community. … Just from a safety perspective, residents need to have the best wireless coverage possible. The small cell technology would allow for better voice coverage within the ranch and also improve data speeds.”

Other small cell providers could install small cell locations on Manatee County-owned rights of way, but CDD officials hope the agreement will help guarantee any small cell locations within Lakewood Ranch will be as aesthetically pleasing as possible.

Lakewood Ranch Town Hall Executive Director Anne Ross said the agreement with USA Cran contains aesthetic requirements and gives the CDDs  final approval of locations.

“We couldn’t press upon them a level of improvement requirement. The intent is that it will improve service,” Ross said. “We’re not putting any money into it. We’re just providing the land.

“It’s not like our normal construction project,” she added. “We aren’t in control of the time frame for when they’ll get a commitment, or whether they get a commitment. We have only made available our district-owned property and USA Cran will be in charge of taking the project further.”