Cell Site Insights: Navigating the 2026 Wireless Inflection Point

Welcome to Cell Site Insights, the podcast brought to you by Cell Site Appraiser (CSA). CSA is a wireless consulting firm dedicated to helping cell site landlords maximize their property value and protect their rights through expert appraisal and negotiation. In this episode, we break down the critical developments hitting the wireless infrastructure industry in early 2026.

• The DISH/EchoStar Lease Crisis: Tower giants American Tower and Crown Castle have filed federal lawsuits against DISH Wireless. DISH is attempting to use a "force majeure" argument to escape hundreds of millions in tower rental obligations following forced spectrum sales. This creates significant payment risk for landlords with DISH equipment on their property.

• Massive Carrier Shifts: Verizon has closed a $3.3 billion deal selling 6,300 towers to Vertical Bridge, making Vertical Bridge the largest private tower operator in the U.S.. Simultaneously, Verizon is acquiring Frontier Communications for $20 billion, signaling a massive push into fiber-mobile convergence that will likely require equipment modifications on many tower sites.

• Leadership and Technology Changes: New T-Mobile CEO Srini Gopalan is leading a "digital transformation" that includes phasing out LTE starting January 2026. Meanwhile, AT&T is launching a satellite broadband beta in H1 2026, which poses a medium-term threat to rural tower lease renewals.

• Regulatory Tailwinds: The FCC is moving forward with an Upper C-Band spectrum auction. This is a major positive for landlords, as new spectrum deployments require carriers to add more equipment to existing towers, potentially generating supplemental lease revenue.

To protect your revenue and maximize property value during this period of "cost transformation" and litigation, landlords should take the following actions:

1. Immediate Lease Audit: Gather your agreements and identify your escalation formulas and expiration dates.
2. Verify DISH Status: If DISH is on your property, immediately verify their payment status and monitor the ongoing litigation in Colorado District Court.
3. Prepare for Site Activity: With Verizon’s fiber buildout and T-Mobile’s 5G refarming, expect increased requests for site access and equipment modifications.
4. Monitor the Earnings Calendar: Key financial updates that will impact tower investment include AT&T (Jan 28), Verizon (Jan 30), and American Tower (Feb 24).

At CSA, we believe knowledge is power. As tower companies like Crown Castle pivot to a "pure-play" tower model and face financial pressure from litigation, they may become more aggressive in renegotiating lease terms with landlords. Do not sign anything without expert representation to ensure you are not leaving value on the table.

For more information or to request a consultation, visit cellsiteappraiser.com or call 213-986-7620.

Understanding the 2026 Market: The 2026 wireless market is a critical inflection point where the industry is simultaneously strengthening and fragmenting—much like a building undergoing a massive renovation where some structural columns are being reinforced with new 5G steel while other sections are being dismantled due to budget cuts and legal disputes.

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