SteepleCom - Antenna Agreement

SteepleCom - Comments and Questions

New England Conference in conjunction with...
SteepleCom BannerCommon Thoughts & Concerns  These are actual questions and comments that have come in, and the responses. They are include here because they represent genuine thoughts and concerns of our pastors and members.

Comment - Our church is on a hill on the Route 106 exit for Route 24, the major artery between Boston, Brockton, and Fall River. 106 itself carries about 30,000 vehicles a day. The catch is that on the other side of the highway is a massive antenna tower, which may already meet all the need. I am curious about any possibilities.

Response - While that antenna probably has several wireless carrier antennas on it, the needs are multiplying. New companies, carrying telephone, Internet, and other data systems are being developed. The major companies will look at the address of your church and see if there is a need. If there is, they will have to see if the church is a good physical location.

Comment - I suggest that the information written on the website about SteepleCom may be viewed by some as a bit insulting. To state that churches are naive ("easy pickings") and may not have the experience or expertise to negotiate a contract with a cell company might be received negatively by the very people you are trying to encourage to use the SteepleCom service. We have negotiated a contract with Cingular and believe we were very well represented by our lawyer. I think your product may be helpful to our churches in the New England Conference. But I'm not sure, as the information was presented, you will achieve your aim. In fact, it may have an opposite effect turning more church pastors and Trustee Boards off to the idea than on.

Response - Good point - well taken. While we don't want to insult the churches, the fact is that many of them have settled for less than they might have. Almost none of the local representation available to churches is familiar with the history of these arrangements, nor of the technology on the horizon. Many churches do not negotiate a contract with built-in increases, although some do. Many sign away exclusive rights to their steeples, when they might have had additional carriers added, with additional monthly checks.
 
The churches don't have to work with SteepleCom, but the company is available to assist -- and in either case, the church is now on the lists for wireless companies (telephone and other) to consider. The church can always say "no", but now they are more apt to have the opportunity to say "yes" if they wish.

Comment - When you say that the New England Conference has entered into an agreement, who do you mean? Was this arrangement voted on at Annual Conference? I feel churches should have been notified or consulted before any information, re: coordinates, etc., were given out. I feel a little like we've been put on a marketing list whether we want to be or not!

Response - No, this wasn't voted on at Annual Conference. This was an opportunity discussed by the communication director, the treasurer, the conference chancellor, and the bishop, along with consultation with the conference administrator / secretary, director of connectional ministries, and others. These persons have been given the responsibility to manage the business of the conference, and this was one of those matters.
 
The arrangement with SteepleCom is within the parameters of the Discipline and conference rules, and was enacted because it provides opportunities for our churches without creating any requirements for them. Over the geography of the conference, it will help to bring in possibly millions of dollars to our church budgets over the next couple of decades.
 
We see no negative to providing a list of the addresses of our church buildings. Our churches are not something we want to keep secret, and this is not a marketing list. If your church address looks like a possibly good location for wireless transmission, the company will contact either your church or SteepleCom to hold a conversation and possibly to view the location. If the location is good and your church want to discuss the possibilities, you then have that opportunity. If you don't, the company will be glad to move on to the next church or other location. But if you want to continue the discussion, you can do it on your own, or you can work with SteepleCom.
 
It's all a matter of maximizing opportunity. No one needs to engage in the discussion if they don't want to. One of the purposes of the conference is to guide resources to the local church. This is part of that work.
 

Comment - Thanks -- We tried to make that connection (sorry, accidental pun) several times over the years with no interest from the companies.  Perhaps it is an idea whose time has come!