Alcatel-Lucent Inks Small Cell Services Teaming Agreement with Towerstream

Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert) has added 4G and small-cell rooftop tower company Towerstream Corporation to its Metro Cell Express Site Certification program which is focused on enabling the acceleration of small cell sites going on-air.  Now with Towerstream as a participant, the Metro Cell Express Site Certification program brings together site acquisition, site installation and backhaul suppliers.

The announced agreement was concluded under a small cell services teaming agreement, under which Alcatel-Lucent will utilize Towerstream's fixed wireless and small cell assets. With this, Alcatel-Lucent will get access to locations and services, including high-capacity backhaul, power, and mounting rights, to instantly meet its customers’ preferences and technical requirements.

As a 4G and small-cell rooftop tower company, Towerstream owns, operates, and leases Wi-Fi and small cell rooftop tower locations to cellular phone operators, tower, Internet and cable companies and also hosts a variety of customers on its network.

Towerstream’s fixed wireless and small cell assets are marketed under its HetNets Tower Corporation subsidiary. HetNets offers a neutral host, shared wireless infrastructure solution, either independently or as a turnkey service. Its wireless communications infrastructure is available to wireless carriers, cable and Internet companies.

Under the terms of the agreement between Alcatel-Lucent and Towerstream, both the companies will work together to support each other in preparing customer proposals and projects, and either can sign up carriers as the general contractor while working with the other on a sub-contractor basis. This in turn will help Alcatel-Lucent customers to build the ultra-broadband wireless networks that their subscribers have been demanding the most.

Mike Schabel, Vice President, Small Cells, Wireless Division, Alcatel-Lucent, in comments on the agreement said, "Scaling the deployment of metro cells requires that we simplify site acquisition, power accessibility, and backhaul connectivity. By adding Towerstream to our Metro Cell Express Site Certification program we have greatly expanded our ability to help our customers accelerate small cell sites on-air, helping them to build the ultra broadband wireless networks that subscribers demand."

"Alcatel-Lucent's expertise and relationship with carriers puts our real estate assets on a quick path to small cell deployments," said Jeff Thompson (News - Alert), chief executive officer, Towerstream. "Alcatel-Lucent has proven to be a leading designer of wireless networks. The combination of their market experience and customer base coupled with our 5000 plus locations, immediately available on-site high capacity backhaul, and pre-built infrastructure allows us the opportunity to instantly meet the needs of carriers whether it be an all encompassing build-out or a la carte solutions."