With the advancement of 4G and build-out of the 5G network occurring at about the same point in time for multiple carriers—and a significant percentage of carrier capital expenditure going toward micro cell sites to help densify urban population centers at the forefront of the industry— the macro telecommunications engineering industry has been shifting to cost sharing and thereby optimizing contracts between major carriers and tower owners.

Even though small cell build-outs are becoming more prevalent, due to the nature of the industry and expected explosion of 5G growth, it now seems more common for multiple carriers to have active applications for loading changes on the same tower site at the same time due to the volume of loading changes occurring. Tower owners and carriers are constantly requiring feedback from the structural upgrades at a site.

With this increase in cost sharing, and interest in multiple carriers co-locating on the same structure, there is also an increase in load cases and loading scenarios being requested during an analysis cycle. It’s not uncommon to need four or five loading and/or code combinations evaluated to provide cost feedback to clients and carriers. The combination of antenna changes and modifications that may or may not be considered can seem endless.