Crown Castle (NYSE:CCI) (NYSE:CCI) is a leading real estate investment trust specializing in shared communications infrastructure across the United States. The company owns, operates and leases a nationwide network of approximately 40,000 cell towers, more than 80,000 route miles of fiber and small cell networks designed to support wireless carriers, private businesses and public safety organizations. Through its extensive portfolio of macro towers, small cells and fiber solutions, Crown Castle enables the deployment and densification of advanced mobile networks, including next-generation 5G services.
Founded in 1994 as Crown Communications, the company initially focused on traditional tower assets and went public in 1998. In the early 2000s, Crown Castle expanded its tower footprint through strategic acquisitions, including the purchase of towers from Nextel in 2003. The company transitioned to a REIT structure in 2014 to optimize its capital structure and deliver more stable, predictable cash flows to shareholders. Over the years, Crown Castle has consistently invested in network densification and fiber transport assets to meet growing data demands.
In addition to its macro towers, Crown Castle offers small cell deployment solutions for urban and suburban environments, distributed antenna systems (DAS) for large venues, and an extensive fiber network that connects cell sites, enterprise campuses and public infrastructure. Its integrated approach allows wireless carriers and enterprises to scale coverage and capacity efficiently while leveraging existing rights-of-way and utility poles. This service model supports a broad spectrum of applications, from enhanced mobile broadband to IoT connectivity and critical communications.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Crown Castle’s operations span all major U.S. markets, including urban centers, suburban corridors and rural areas. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Jay Brown, who was appointed in 2013, the company has emphasized customer collaboration, network reliability and disciplined capital allocation. With a governance structure aligned to long-term value creation, Crown Castle continues to invest in infrastructure that underpins the evolution of wireless technology and digital connectivity nationwide.
