T-Mobile to offer cell service

T-Mobile users may be getting more bars on the Point.

In February SBA Communications sent an email to the Point Roberts Park and Recreation District that they were in contract negotiations with the cellular telephone provider to lease it space on the tower, said parks district chair Bennett Blaustein.

The cell tower is owned by SBA on land they lease from the parks district. It is currently home to equipment owned by Verizon Wireless, the company that originally entered into the agreement to lease the land and applied to build the tower in 2008. With permitting in place, Verizon sold the project to TowerCo, who in turn sold it to SBA Communications in 2012. It is not known if that sale included an exclusivity clause that did not permit other providers from co-locating on the tower for a period of time.

SBA Communications representative Lynn Hopkins said she did not have public information to share about the Point Roberts tower, previous contracts, contracts in place or under negotiation. “Most towers are open to colocation and there is not an issue of exclusivity,” she said.

Blaustein said the email they had received indicated that while a contract is being drafted with T-Mobile, it has not been finalized. “Once they sign it, the sublease needs to come to the parks board for approval,” Blaustein said.

“We will have the ability to collect additional rent for space being used by additional equipment.” He added the park district’s contract with SBA Communications requires they be notified of sublease contracts by certified mail so nothing is official until they receive that letter.