He plans to use some of that capacity for a separate line of business by running telephone conversations through them. According to this part of the scheme, Composite Power will install antennas in every tenth transmission tower and run a supplemental cellular telephone network through them. Because the tower materials are transparent to cellular transmissions, the structures can house the antennas within their hollow hexagonal bodies. McCombs speculates that his first customers could be railroad crews that want to use cellular phones in remote areas of the country. Composites also allow for more flexibility in power line construction and configuration because of the material's mechanical properties and its ability to insulate electricity.
Composites also weigh less than steel.
A typical 40-foot Class 1 pole, the type used to carry moderate power loads, checks in at only 390 lbs. Because of their light weight, composite towers are easier to transport. The same flatbed truck that carries three concrete towers can haul 72 composite poles. McCombs says they can be lifted to remote sites by helicopter. Their light weight also makes them easier to manipulate and install.