The terms of rent for cell towers lease may vary depending on the agreement between the carrier and the landowner. Whatever terms there would be, it is a must that before closing the deal, the payment and lease terms should be properly discussed to avoid any misunderstanding on both parties.
There are terms that cover a long-term contract which lasts for 20 to 25 years. Others on the other hand have a five-year interval lease agreement whereas every five years, the landowner and the cell site company would get a chance to renegotiate for the possibility of renewal and discuss if there would be any changes in the terms and rent.
There are unavoidable circumstances, however when the terms are not strictly followed. A good example of this is when consolidation of two companies happens and some cell towers must be sacrificed and the landowner ends up being offered with a lump sum for the lease. Also, if the land is found to be no longer appropriate to have a cell tower, termination, initiated by the carrier, could take place. On the other hand, if the landowner finds it more beneficial to sell the tower lease, he could do it without affecting the lease.