InSite Wireless

InSite Wireless Group, LLC operated as a significant owner, operator, and manager of wireless communication infrastructure facilities, primarily serving the wireless and broadcast industries across the United States and Canada. The company was founded in December 2000 as InSite Wireless by David E. Weisman and senior managers from Mountain Union Telecom. Initially, the firm concentrated on the in-building Distributed Antenna System (DAS) market, launching its first major project at San Francisco's Moscone Center in 2001.

David E. Weisman, a veteran of the wireless industry with over four decades of experience as an investor, executive, and attorney, co-founded the company and served as its CEO. His extensive background includes a previous role as President and CEO of Mountain Union Telecom, LLC, which he also co-founded. In 2006, a pivotal year for the company, Weisman, alongside co-founder and CFO Lance Cawley, established the Towers division, significantly scaling the company's operations. This strategic expansion propelled InSite to become one of the largest privately-owned tower companies in the U.S.

InSite's business model centered on acquiring, developing, and leasing its portfolio of communication sites to major wireless carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile under long-term contracts. The company's diverse asset base included macro towers, DAS networks, rooftop sites, and land parcels under communication sites. This infrastructure is critical for wireless carriers to expand network coverage and capacity, particularly with the rollout of 5G technology. Revenue was generated from leasing space on this infrastructure.

By 2020, InSite's portfolio comprised approximately 3,000 communication sites, including over 1,600 towers in the U.S. and Canada, around 70 DAS networks, and hundreds of rooftop and land parcel sites. This substantial asset base attracted significant investment from entities such as Cox Enterprises and Macquarie Infrastructure Partners. In a landmark transaction that concluded in December 2020, American Tower Corporation acquired InSite for approximately $3.5 billion. At the time of the acquisition, InSite's assets were projected to generate around $150 million in property revenue in their first full year under American Tower's ownership.

Keywords: InSite Wireless Group, wireless infrastructure, communications sites, cell towers, Distributed Antenna System, DAS, American Tower, David E. Weisman, Lance Cawley, telecom infrastructure, macro towers, rooftop sites, wireless carriers, 5G deployment, communication site leasing, Mountain Union Telecom, tower acquisition, wireless real estate, telecom assets