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.