What's Really Happening When You Get a Cell Phone Tower on Your Property.

Hugh Odom is a former AT&T attorney (for over 11 years) and the founder and president of Vertical Consultants, a telecom consulting firm that has provided consulting advice for companies like WalMart and Disney, and governmental institutions like the United States Postal Service; New York Housing Authority; Veteran Affairs; the City of Atlanta and the City of Charlotte. Hugh shared the evolving story of how the telecom industry (services, infrastructure, cell site locations) has and will become more crucial based upon the COVID-19 pandemic and the "new normal" that will result after COVID-19 has run its course. As the founder and President of Vertical Consultants, Hugh wants to demystify not only what is being reported in the news but what is going on behind the scenes inside companies like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Hugh has been an expert to newspapers, podcasts, radio shows, and blogs for years. Topics We Discussed:  -- Major telecom industry changes -- The 5G rollout -- The Sprint & T-Mobile Merger -- Wireless usage and connectivity Questions Hugh Odom Answered:  -- Is it not more important than ever to have a stable wireless infrastructure due to the COVID-19 surges and the great need to handle emergency services, telemedicine services, and communications for local and federal first responders? -- Do the wireless networks really have the capability to maintain business requirements as tens of millions of people are forced to work from home? -- Should the federal government require companies like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile to set up temporary cell sites (rural and urban) to handle increased wireless network needs? -- Does the COVID-19 pandemic change the outlook of wireless services from a luxury to a utility (much like electric, water, etc) that everyone should have unrestricted access to? -- How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted or, more particularly, expedited the need for the immediate buildout of 5G services throughout the United States? -- What is the potential impact of the Sprint / T-Mobile merger on competition for the wireless industry? -- What do you mean when you say that the cell tower industry is like the oil industry was 100 years ago? This is the ABQ Business Podcast with your host Jason Rigby. Each week we interview leading business leaders to inspire the vision and the spirit that is in every entrepreneur. We discuss strengths, weakness, strategies, systems and the problems we can all solve together to fulfill a shared vision of a new future for Small Business. Please go to www.abqpodcast.com where you can get show notes, resources ,and links to everything we talked about today to help you navigate your journey as an entrepreneur and business owner in ABQ. Follow me on instagram at @abqjasonrigby or sign up for my email list here where I drop marketing secrets to help your ABQ Business!