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Select Board OKs legal review for 5G small cells on streetlight fixtures, asks for school/day-care buffer
Summary
Presenters from RT Energy and Ubiquia outlined a plan to mount carrier-funded small-cell radios on town-owned streetlight fixtures to improve coverage and capacity; the Select Board voted 5-0 to have staff and legal negotiate a master attachment agreement and to research exclusion zones around schools and day cares.
Mark Carter of RT Energy Services and Tom Crow of Ubiquia presented to the Wells Select Board on Sept. 17, 2024, a proposal to mount small-cell radios on town-owned streetlight fixtures to extend cellular coverage and add capacity in busy corridors such as Route 1. Carter said the project uses existing streetlight NEMA sockets, requires fiber backhaul for full 5G functionality and would “cost the town a penny” upfront because carriers pay installation and monthly fees, producing modest revenue for the municipality.
The presenters described the hardware as a compact, weather-rated unit that clamps to the streetlight fixture, runs on roughly 90 watts, and is typically visible only from close range. They said deployment planning begins with a GIS audit of streetlight locations, then carrier layout requests (usually submitted in batches of 10–20). Company representatives cited local examples, including Rumford, where small cells offloaded roughly 25% of a macro site’s traffic, easing summertime congestion.
Board members and residents asked about radio range, carrier compatibility and regulatory review. Presenters said the units generally cover a short radius (practical spacing often less than a half-mile), that the carrier radio used in the company’s kit is Ericsson-based (making some carriers easier to accommodate), and that federal and historic-preservation (Section 106 / NEPA) reviews can vary by site. On privacy and public safety, presenters stated the camera options are not facial-recognition systems and that license-plate readers are a separate attachment.
A Select Board member asked for an exclusionary zone around schools and day-care facilities, noting precautionary concerns for children. The company replied that the town can pre-exclude specific poles using the GIS layer and that the firm’s typical radio output is low power (the presenters said the radio configuration they deploy operates at roughly 20 watts). The board also discussed control over placements: the master attachment agreement would grant the company permission to solicit carriers but the town retains final approval or denial of each proposed pole location and a removal clause for installations.
After discussion, the board voted unanimously, 5-0, to authorize town staff and legal counsel to continue negotiating and reviewing a tailored master attachment agreement with RT Energy/Ubiquia and to return with recommendations. The board also asked staff to research other municipalities’ models for exclusionary buffers around schools and day cares and to provide an exhibit of poles excluded from carrier submissions.
The next step is legal review of the proposed attachment agreement and an updated fee/exhibit schedule; the presenters requested the town provide its GIS streetlight file so they can prepare targeted lists to submit to carriers for site selection. The Select Board will revisit the item following counsel review and presentation of recommended exclusionary-zone language.
