What happens when a carrier wants to build a tower on your land?
When a carrier wants to build a tower on your land, they send a proposal that looks routine but is carefully written to protect their interests, not yours. What you agree to in this first step can shape your income and property rights for the next 30 to 50 years.
It usually starts with a letter, call, or visit from a site acquisition agent working for a carrier like Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile or a tower company like American Tower or Vertical Bridge. They may say your property is a “great fit” and present the opportunity as simple, standard, and time-sensitive. The promise is steady income for unused land. What they do not say clearly is that this is the moment when almost all leverage is decided.
The carrier controls the process. They have market data, legal teams, and hundreds of past deals to reference. Most property owners are seeing their first and only tower agreement. This imbalance matters. The initial proposal includes long lease terms, broad access rights, automatic renewals, and limited protections for you as the landowner.
At this stage, nothing is final. The tower is not approved. The carrier has options. And so do you. But once you sign a lease, your leverage drops sharply. Rent increases, relocation rights, future buyout amounts, and even how your land can be used later are all shaped by what is agreed to upfront.
Many landlords feel pressure to move quickly. Agents may say the carrier will “go elsewhere” or that the deal is “standard.” In reality, carriers expect negotiation. They plan for it. They also know that if a landlord signs early, they may save hundreds of thousands over time.
This is where having guidance matters. A proper review looks beyond monthly rent and asks bigger questions. How long is the true commitment? What rights are you giving up? What happens if the tower is upgraded, sold, or expanded? Can the lease be bought out later, and on what terms?
At Aries Advisors, we help landowners slow the process down without killing the deal. We explain what the offer really means in plain English, benchmark it against real market data, and negotiate so the carrier still gets their tower while you protect your land and long-term value.
The goal is not to block development. The goal is to make sure that if a tower is built on your land, it becomes a smart, protected asset instead of a decades-long regret.