To reach that number, the company is in the midst of a high-speed build-out. Last year the company put up 5,000 cell sites at a cost of $130,000 to $150,000 each. "That broke the record," says Morrow, 50. "This year we're doubling that in terms of the number of sites we're constructing." In 2010, Clearwire will spend up to $3.2 billion, the bulk of that on capital expenditures.
Consider what's involved in putting up a single tower: leasing or buying real estate: winning community support and zoning permits, sometimes over fierce opposition; and paying as many as 25 workers to erect structures up to 400 feet high. The process takes from nine months to three years, says Dave Cloud, co-owner of NuHites Construction Services in Arkansas, which has installed equipment for Clearwire. "The task and the resources to do this build-out are enormous," says technology consultant Chetan Sharma. He figures Clearwire is putting up a tower an hour?including weekends.
How Craig McCaw Built a 4G Network on the Cheap - BusinessWeek
Consider what's involved in putting up a single tower: leasing or buying real estate: winning community support and zoning permits, sometimes over fierce opposition; and paying as many as 25 workers to erect structures up to 400 feet high. The process takes from nine months to three years, says Dave Cloud, co-owner of NuHites Construction Services in Arkansas, which has installed equipment for Clearwire. "The task and the resources to do this build-out are enormous," says technology consultant Chetan Sharma. He figures Clearwire is putting up a tower an hour?including weekends.
How Craig McCaw Built a 4G Network on the Cheap - BusinessWeek
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