Have you ever noticed that once you pinpoint and identify a feature in your landscape, you suddenly begin to see it all around you? Author Robin Williams coined the mind trick titled the “Joshua Tree Principle,” following his discovery of Joshua Trees around his neighborhood after receiving a book identifying different types of trees.

Many engineering projects can be spotted thanks to this same principle, especially in the telecommunications industry. For example, once you notice a certain tower on your commute every day, your mind will easily identify it.

Ashley Sustek, Telecommunications Senior Project Manager has over 15 years of experience working with tower projects, from designing new tower sites and disguising them to the specifications of local jurisdictions, to providing modification services.

Shapes and Sizes

There are three main styles of telecommunications towers that are used throughout the work of the Colliers Engineering & Design team – monopole, self-support, and guyed tower. Each tower has its own benefits and challenges, and Ashley and her team analyze existing and new towers and mounts to help the customers determine the best path forward for upgrading their equipment to better serve their customers’ needs.

“What makes telecom fun and interesting is that every site is different. The way the site is built, loaded, where the site is located, it keeps things interesting,” explained Ashley. “When it comes to modifying tower and mount structures, creativity and experience is what sets us apart.”

Towers can also be concealed if necessary. From custom trees, cacti, grain silos and flag poles, telecommunications equipment can be disguised into everyday objects to fit local regulations or prevent the site from being an eye sore. These concealment structures can mainly be found in metropolitan areas.

Working Beyond a New Site

Working on telecommunications towers goes beyond just new site work. With the continually growing demands of the population for faster and stronger service, tower owners can face a challenge when upgrading the mobile network operator’s equipment exceeds the existing capacity of their structure.

“In these cases, our team will provide structural analysis services and see if any modifications are needed to hold the additional equipment,” Ashley said. “If changes to the structure are needed, we can assist in the modifications of the tower or mount seamlessly for whatever the client needs, because of our full-range, in-house capabilities.”  This is where our ingenuity comes into play. We understand the time and constructability constraints on upgrading a site and we utilize our diverse expertise to determine the best options for tower owners and carriers alike.

Multidiscipline Work Together

The Telecommunications team at Colliers Engineering & Design houses many talents within one discipline providing national coverage. From structural engineers to CAD designers, the team is experienced with all aspects of the industry and are ready to assist you on your next project.

“With our vast range of skills and relationships within the industry, we are able to provide customized and cost-effective solutions for all tower projects,” Ashley said.