We had heard previously that AT&T wasn't willing to allow lease optimization firms to send out letters on its letterhead without disclosing that the letter did not include actually come from the AT&T. A client just received a letter though that clearly does not include anything identifying that Md7 (a lease optimization company) is involved. We assume that Md7 is involved because the address on the letter as shown in the letterhead below
just happens to match that of Md7's offices.
The letter is the same as many other letters that are going out predominantly to private tower owners and municipal tower owners indicating that AT&T may extend or terminate the lease at the end of the current term and that AT&T is implementing a new program to "evaluate terms and conditions of all leases coming up for renewal, explore advance renegotiation options and consider alternative site locations." (emphasis added) AT&T further requests that the tower owner:
It appears that Md7 and AT&T have decided to remove any indication that Md7 is involved here altogether (except for the address). Is that because the renegotiation efforts have been unsuccessful otherwise or is AT&T just looking to ratchet up the heat on tower owners to remove the opportunity for rent increases due to possible FirstNet modifications? How many times can a company threaten to terminate a lease but not actually terminate it before owners just completely ignore the requests? AT&T knows and based upon the fact that they keep sending the letters, there must be some tower owners that accept the revised terms with each round of letters.