Garcia hopes to gain permission for his company, Teligent Inc., to erect antennas atop Velsor's buildings. There are about 750,000 office buildings in the nation. Companies such as Teligent are deploying foot soldiers like Garcia to pry their way in. If they fail, they could remain shut out of broad swaths of the multibillion-dollar frontier of the Internet and local phone competition. As they pursue their modern-day guerrilla war for access, the companies are encountering stiff resistance.
Landlords demand a rich share of the spoils.
Some are launching their own telecommunications ventures from the inside. Horowitz, gatekeeper over his domain, listens to Garcia's pitch. Then he leans back in his chair, folds his hands over his belly and unleashes questions. Suppose a tenant is harmed. Suppose they sue.