County broadband board reports progress on cell-tower leases; Hudgens site expected live within months

Matthews Countys Broadband Advisory Board reported July 17 that work to bring T-Mobile and Verizon service to county-owned towers is underway and will generate recurring lease revenue that is not real-estate tax income.

The board said contractors completed antenna-framework work at one tower and that climbers had finished tower installation elsewhere. A speaker said the local Hudgens tower was on track for a three-month schedule to finish and go live; another county tower (referred to as Mulhannon) was estimated at about six months. The Lohan tower was also reported to be under construction with Verizon equipment scheduled to be installed.

Why it matters: Expanding carrier equipment on county towers increases cellular coverage for residents and produces lease revenue that can support county services; the county also noted improved public-safety communications as a priority.

County staff said the project would use the same licensing template the county negotiated with Verizon and that an RFI (request for information) for other carriers would follow. The board expects increased service and revenue once the equipment is live and reminded the public that some dead spots should be reduced when antennas go into service.

The board also acknowledged intermittent internet outages during vendor work and urged continued work to secure resilient backhaul; one speaker said the countys current ISP, Breezeline, had experienced a failure that affected emergency dispatch during the meeting day, underscoring the need for alternative connectivity routes.

No formal board action was required; staff will continue negotiations and the permitting process with carriers and report construction milestones to the board.