Company guide
SBA cell tower lease: what owners need to know
If SBA Communications pays your rent, it runs the tower on your land. It is not a phone company. It rents space on its towers to carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon, and it pays you for the ground. SBA has about 17,400 sites in the US and more abroad.
SBA works hard to control the land under its towers. That is why owners often hear from SBA about a lump sum for an easement, a long extension, or a change to the rent. Each offer is written to get the best deal for SBA. Treat it as an opening offer.
Here is who SBA is to you, what changed recently, and how to answer each kind of letter.
Why SBA's name is on your check
SBA grew by building its own towers and by buying towers from other companies. In 2012 alone, it bought about 3,250 towers from TowerCo and about 2,300 from Mobilitie. It has kept buying smaller groups of sites since then.
So your lease may have been signed with another company, or with a carrier, and SBA now holds it. The check may come from an SBA company with a slightly different name than the one on your lease. Match the site number on the letter to your lease.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- DISH stopped paying. DISH leased thousands of SBA towers. In late 2025, DISH said it was ending its network business and then stopped paying. SBA sued in February 2026 and expects to lose about $56 million in rent from DISH in 2026. DISH's parent units filed for Chapter 11 in July 2026, and the claims are still being fought over.
- Old Sprint equipment keeps leaving. Since T-Mobile bought Sprint, it has been dropping overlapping leases. SBA expects about $75 million in lost yearly rent from this, spread over several years.
- US rent is flat to down. SBA's US leasing revenue fell about 4% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with a year before, while its overseas business grew.
- SBA may be sold. In April 2026, news reports said SBA was exploring a sale to large infrastructure investors. As of October 2026, no deal has been announced. If SBA is sold, your lease would normally carry over to the new owner.
Pressure on US revenue can lead to more rent cut requests and more pushes for long extensions. Know your lease before you answer.
The letters owners get from SBA and how to respond
A lump sum for an easement
SBA often offers one payment to replace your monthly rent with an easement. Some SBA easements run for a set term, such as 50 years, rather than forever. Read the fine print closely. Some offers let SBA end the deal at any time, leave property taxes with you, and let SBA assign the easement without asking you.
- Work out the multiple: the offer divided by one year of rent. Many buyouts land around 15 to 22 times a year of rent.
- Get the full written terms, including how long the easement lasts and what land and access it covers.
- Get competing offers before you answer. Don't take the first number.
An extension request
SBA may ask to add 40 years or more, often for a small signing bonus or a small rent bump. Your lease's end date is your leverage. Read every new clause, including any right of first refusal and changes to your yearly increases.
A rent cut request
Ask which carriers are on the tower today and ask for written proof of any planned removal. Check how much notice your lease requires before the tenant can end it. A rent cut is usually permanent, so don't sign without knowing what you give up.
A request for more ground
More space lets SBA add tenants and earn more. Ask for more rent in return.
How SBA as your tenant affects your lease value
SBA is a large public company. Most of its revenue comes from T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon on long-term contracts. While carriers stay on your tower, your rent stream is fairly secure, and buyers value that.
SBA already owns or controls the land for more than 20 years under about 71% of its towers. It spends money every year to buy land and extend leases, and it keeps working on the rest. If your site is one of the few with a short lease, that can give you real leverage. Your value depends on how many carriers are on the tower, how much time is left, and how hard the site would be to replace.
Common questions
Why does SBA pay me when I signed with a different company?
SBA has bought thousands of towers from other companies over the years. When it buys a tower, it usually takes over the ground lease and starts paying the rent.
SBA offered a lump sum for a 50-year easement. Is that a buyout?
It is a type of buyout. You get one payment now instead of rent for the term. Check whether SBA can end the deal early, who pays property taxes, and what the land is worth to you after the term ends.
What happens to my lease if SBA is sold?
As of October 2026, no sale has been announced. If one happens, your lease would normally pass to the new owner on the same terms. You would just get checks from a new name.
DISH left the tower. Does my lease end?
Not if your lease is with SBA. DISH rented space from SBA, not from you. If your lease pays you a share of carrier rent, that share may drop.
MyTowerLease.com is independent. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or paid by SBA Communications.