FiberTower Corp. (FTWR)

WPThatcher (55.68) Submitted: 10/21/2009 9:05:27 AM : Start Price: $1.57 FTWR Score: -68.78

Solid cash position with a manageable debt load.

PCBuyer (< 20) Submitted: 10/20/2009 9:42:39 PM : Start Price: $1.57 FTWR Score: -68.78

Best and Cheapest Backhaul Play in the Market Today!

harrisbradley (< 20) Submitted: 5/7/2008 1:58:53 PM : Start Price: $1.91 FTWR Score: -54.70

Completely undervalued, and company data indicate critical mass for market penetration in 08-09. I expect good earnings on Friday

coolroyt (26.18) Submitted: 3/24/2008 10:00:12 AM : Start Price: $1.58 FTWR Score: -52.69

good one, up and coming

doorsx111x (< 20) Submitted: 1/4/2008 8:26:52 PM : Start Price: $2.20 FTWR Score: +58.04

Finnerman needs to show the love, her stock picks always suck.

swinqstep (< 20) Submitted: 12/15/2007 10:18:06 AM : Start Price: $1.96 FTWR Score: -52.87

1 – The current cellular backhaul infrastructure that is in place in the United States is 85-90+% serviced by copper T1’s. In order to add more capacity to a cell site to handle the traffic back to the core network you have to physically add more copper T1’s. The average cell site had 4 – 8 copper T1’s. Within a few years the average cell site is going to need 16 – 32 T1 equivalents. Blackberries, I-Phones, Smartphones, Sending Pictures, Sending Videos, Downloading Videos, Wireless Surfing etc…are all driving this. Data Revenues are important for the wireless carriers as it is currently growing 60%+ Year over Year. That increase in data revenue is replacing the erosion in voice revenues and is currently outpacing it’s downward trend so that overall revenues per user are on the increase due to data traffic.

3 – Google getting into the wireless game and driving carriers towards open devices. Currently the carriers control what application you place on your devices. Very difficult to get a data hog application on your device but that will be changing. Imagine a wireless world(Coming in less than 3 years) that is all 3G and you have DSL / Cable like speed on and I-Phone where you can browse, take videos, upload, download etc… The competition among the carriers is going to drive this and that progression is going to drive the need for huge backhaul capacity.

2 – Critics of using microwave for backhaul think that running fiber to the cell sites is the quick fix. Running fiber to cell sites within the urban and suburban areas requires trenching/digging and more political BS than you can imagine. You can either trench/dig or put up a microwave antenna at a cell site. The first takes months and huge capital investment, the latter takes a day or two and costs average around 75K per site. Fiber to the cell site will handle all the voice and data traffic but that will also mean that ATT, T-Mobile, Sprint, Metro PCS, All Tel etc… will still have to fork over leasing fees so that the LEC incumbent who laid the fiber can recoup their cost and make a profit.

4 - With Fibertower the carriers are paying a third party or basically outsourcing their backhaul and thus are not at the mercy of the LEC. You see historically if T needed more T1’s from Verizon or vice versa, the incumbent LEC did not have much incentive to help out their direct competitor.

5 – Fibertower has a model where if they are at a particular cell tower and the carrier needs more capacity at their site on that tower then with a very quick turnaround Fibertower can give that carrier the capacity they need to carry that carrier’s traffic back to the core network.

6 – Carriers do have their own microwave sites on towers and there is some free unlicensed spectrum out there. But that spectrum is running out and with unlicensed spectrum you run the risk of interference with other users and thus traffic could drop. The major carriers demand five 9’s reliability which means 99.999% reliability.

7 – There was a post earlier on Fool.com which questioned Fibertower’s financials. What start up Telco does not run in the red in the early stages of their life? Go take a look at AMT, CCI, PCS etc….How are their financials looking? That post failed to look at the wireless market, where it stands today, and where it is heading.

8 – Fibertower has nationwide spectrum and they are the first to deploy microwave Ethernet to handle backhaul. Look at Fibertower as a first and very fast mover, competitive advantage with the American Tower and Crown Castle agreement, huge revenue growth, and most importantly: Realize the value that they are bringing to the wireless carriers and wireless customers.

9 – As of Q3 07 Fibertower reported 2,655 sites deployed with 1,991 of those sites billing and 3,252 customer locations on those 1,991 sites. In addition to the 3,252 customer locations they had demand for another 3,403 customer locations which is their backlog. They currently have demand for more sites than they actually have billing. At their older more mature sites(Top 200 Sites) they have the following “T1 Equivalent per Billing Site” growth rates. 3Q06 – 9.9, 4Q06 – 10.7, 1Q07 – 11.3, 2Q07 – 12.2, 3Q07 – 15.5.

10 – They are currently operating in the following markets: Dallas/Ft Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Denver, NYC/NJ, Boston, Washington DC, Baltimore, Detroit, Tampa, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and are set to launch in Atlanta by Q1-2008.

11 – They are backhauling Sprint’s Wimax network. Sprint will use them to backhaul Wimax wherever they can as it is critical to Wimax’s success to avoid the LECs.

12 – Fibertower will hit that critical mass in the next couple of years and blow by it.

SaintCroix (95.96) Submitted: 12/14/2007 12:30:25 PM : Start Price: $2.00 FTWR Score: -52.54

I think Goog is gonna win the spectrum wireless auction next quarter. I also think they will spend some of their billions building out a wireless network. And I think Verizon and AT&T will have to make another buildout as well. All their copper lines work for voice but are too expensive for the exponential growth of data. In short I think we're heading into a telco equipment upgrade cycle.

FiberTower is the first mover in wireless microwave backhaul in the US. They have non-compete agreements with both Crown Castle and American Tower, the two leading tower companies in the U.S. If Google or the telcos opt for microwave backhaul instead of fiber optics, this company will be the winner.

Currently unprofitable, may go bankrupt, but if they win this will be a multi-bagger and will crush the S & P.

humvee5000 (96.96) Submitted: 9/20/2007 8:31:51 AM : Start Price: $3.70 FTWR Score: -64.77

Looks like a great company. This is a Karen Finerman pick. One thing that bothers me a lot is that the insiders
are selling big time at what are depressed levels for the year. Are bad times coming. Great industry - could be a big winner - WHY ARE INSIDERS SELLING so much. I emailed investor relations at the company hoping that I get some kind of reply. I intended to put a feww hundred thousand into this pick but insider selling scares me. Until I can get
more information -- will only have this as a small position.

fastest2 (< 20) Submitted: 9/5/2007 1:33:43 PM : Start Price: $3.75 FTWR Score: -65.44

THEY ARE BUSY SIGNING DEALS WITH COMPANIES LIKE SPRINT NEXTEL AND PURCHASING OTHER COMPANIES TO EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS WITH THE FUNDS TO DO SO. It's a-comin'!

Wirelessking (< 20) Submitted: 8/30/2007 4:29:43 PM : Start Price: $3.74 FTWR Score: -65.40

Things are going to get interesting in the wireless. This is quite simple, demand is growing each and everyday. The investment from Fibertower is signicant, but I clearly see site revenues skyrocket in 2008 and beyond. Don't miss this opportunity.

80brown (97.49) Submitted: 7/24/2007 1:31:02 AM : Start Price: $4.20 FTWR Score: +64.10

Trading at 326% intrinsic value.

Chadtor (< 20) Submitted: 7/22/2007 6:01:08 PM : Start Price: $4.47 FTWR Score: -64.33

With Fibertower I think it's a no brainier, the rewards definitely outweigh the risk. At this price even if this stock went under which I find highly unlikely you still wouldn’t be losing much. Wireless backhauling is something that has massive potential for growth. Were just seeing the beginning of this booming market with the introduction of these smart phones (Blackberry, iPhone, etc.). I believe over the next couple of years you will be seeing a whole bunch of iPhone knockoffs coming onto the market. As this wireless technology becomes more advanced companies like Fibertower will see their revenue grow exponentially. While I do like Ceragon (CRNT) better since they currently have the more advanced technology I do currently own both of these stocks and plan on holding onto them for the long run. Now is the time to buy Fibertower as it approaches its 52 week low. Wireless backhauling is a big market on the verge of going on a rampage, do yourself a favor and buy at least one stock in this industry whether it be Fibertower (FTWR), Ceragon Networks (CRNT), or even Level 3 Communications (LVLT)

mrwimbledon (72.83) Submitted: 7/17/2007 11:33:28 AM : Start Price: $4.09 FTWR Score: -62.81

Interesting company here. Backhaul is a fast growing segment in the wireless infrastructure. I think FTWR has a good position in the backhaul position, and in my opinion is doing better than competitors XOHO, and HSTX.

"Karen Finerman’s speculative trade is FiberTower (FTWR) which is involved in wireless “backhaul.” She explains FTWR allows wireless companies such as AT&T (T) to have additional capacity.

Karen adds this trade is fraught with risk; and believes investors could either make 15 times their money over the next few years or lose it all." this was taken from CNBC (Fast Money), website so check there.

I think FTWR has lots of upside room from here, they have contracts with all the big tier 1 carriers. IMO, this stock looks like an aqusition target as the fight for more broadband real estate continues.

dm982 (83.78) Submitted: 7/16/2007 10:55:51 AM : Start Price: $4.45 FTWR Score: -63.68

I like this play on the backhaul wireless service. Phones and other devices will need large amounts of wireless bandwidth to do what we need them to do in the future (have you tried sending a 1024 x 768 photo through your wireless phone to your e-mail??? Good luck) and FTWR should be able to reap some business as they provide backup bandwidth for wireless companies.

mooman1963 (35.85) Submitted: 6/7/2007 10:01:12 PM : Start Price: $3.87 FTWR Score: -65.23

new iphones will eat up greater bandwith and cause shortages among larger carriers who will then have to turn to Fibertower to handle the excess .

TyPicks (< 20) Submitted: 2/3/2007 2:25:53 PM : Start Price: $5.14 FTWR Score: -71.51

Wall Street Pro Pick.