The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday granted Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC, and Drake Services, Inc., an exemption from the mandatory quarterly inspections of antenna structure lighting systems stipulated under existing regulations (see below). The exemption specifically pertains to the requirements under 47 CFR § 17.47(b), which mandates owners of antenna structures to conduct …
2005 erected Rhode Island American Tower monopole collapses for no apparent reason
UPDATE: Wireless Estimator has confirmed that the monopole that collapsed on March 25, 2024, in Bristol, Rhode Island, is an Andrew structure. Initial confusion arose when a representative from one manufacturer suggested it was a Fred J. Nudd pole, while a Nudd spokesperson identified it as a PiRod monopole. An individual knowledgeable about PiRod’s designs pointed out that the pole in the …
DigitalBridge’s corporate move to downtown Delray Beach will provide an uptown setting for its employees
When a large corporation moves to a new headquarters, it’s often a problem for employees who have to relocate. Still, DigitalBridge’s announcement today that it is moving its entire staff north to a new mixed-use complex is being welcomed by employees since the move to Delray Beach from its Boca Raton, FL headquarters is less than six miles further or …
ISP given a $10,000 fine for lying about coverage said they didn’t take the time to read the FCC’s guidance
A broadband provider has agreed to a $10,000 settlement with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after confessing to falsifying its service area information. The provider, Jefferson County Cable (JCC) based in Toronto, Ohio, admitted inaccurately claiming it provided fiber services in regions it had yet to reach. Additionally, it has been revealed that the company submitted incorrect data to the …
New Board members will help shape the future for the Tower Family Foundation’s worker support initiatives
“As an Executive Committee, we are excited to add the visionary leadership and philanthropic spirit of Ron, Eric, Jake, and Michael to the Tower Family Foundation’s Board of Directors,” said President Jim Tracy. The Tower Family Foundation announced the newest appointments to the non-profit organization’s leadership team. Ron Bizick, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vertical Bridge; Eric Dudek, …
‘Mentally stressed’ RF expert bails on Roswell, GA in the final days of a T-Mobile lawsuit costing $1 million-plus
This week, T-Mobile continued its 14-year battle with Roswell, Georgia, to erect a 108-foot monopine near Lake Charles Drive that was denied multiple times. The ongoing lawsuit is the costliest and most protracted siting litigation in the United States, with both parties shelling out well over a million dollars in legal fees since T-Mobile filed the complaint in 2010. It is also …
Crown Castle co-founder Miller says the company deserves better and needs ‘people who live and breathe towers’
Ted B. Miller, co-founder of Crown Castle Inc. and his investment vehicle Boots Capital Management, LLC, issued an open letter yesterday to the Crown Castle Board of Directors, the company’s employees, and its shareholders. Miller said he believes Crown Castle’s stock can be worth at least $150 in the next 18 months if the board takes immediate action to restore …
Former T-Mobile tech president Neville Ray elected to American Tower’s board of directors
American Tower Corporation announced that its Board of Directors had elected Neville R. Ray as a director. Ray most recently served as T-Mobile’s President of Technology until 2023. He joined T-Mobile (then VoiceStream) in April 2000, and from December 2010 to November 2019, served as its Chief Technology Officer. Prior to that, Ray served as Network Vice President for Pacific …
New ADA lawsuit tells American Tower, T-Mobile and AT&T to relocate their tower or reconfigure their network with beamforming antennas
After American Tower, AT&T, and T-Mobile did not respond by February 1, 2024, to Duluth, Minnesota resident Marcia Haller’s request to mitigate RF levels that continued to make her ill at her home (as detailed on February 29, 2024, by Wireless Estimator), and caused 51 strokes, her attorneys, being paid by the Children’s Health Defense’s Electromagnetic Radiator & Wireless program, filed …
‘Inchworm’ tower erectors’ desert demo video shows how robots can easily build lunar telecom towers
GITAI USA Inc. (GITAI), the space robotics trailblazer, unveiled a game-changing giant leap for moon construction automated tower erectors. They’ve pulled off a stellar first by showcasing their robot squad building a 16.5-foot-tall cell tower, mimicking moon-like conditions. This feat was a team effort with KDDI Corporation, a telecom giant from Japan, cheering from the sidelines. (SEE VIDEO BELOW) Here’s the …
Deputies bust dad on his bring your son to work day at tower site; multi-site copper thief gets probation
Two North Carolina men, a father and son team, are facing criminal charges after being accused of stealing transmission lines from a cell site tower in eastern Richmond County for their copper value. According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) press statement released on March 4, 2024, deputies responded to a call about the cutting and theft of copper …
An unsafe 1,541-foot Texas TV broadcast tower is decommissioned with a picture-perfect landing
On Wednesday, Nexstar Media Group Inc. discovered that a 1,541-foot guyed tower in La Feria, Texas, was unsafe because one of its guy wires had detached. Instead of retrofitting it with a new outer anchor wire, the company decided to decommission the hazardous structure, asking nearby residents to evacuate the area. The broadcaster’s structural engineers then initiated a plan for an …
Residents urged to evacuate area near Texas 1,541-foot TV tower after distressed guy wires failed
The Nexstar Media Group Inc. has raised concerns about a TV tower located south of La Feria, Texas, indicating a slight risk of collapse. Jeff Miller, Nexstar’s VP and General Manager, reported that the issue was investigated on Wednesday afternoon. One of the outer anchor guy wires may have been severed on the east side of the 1,541-foot tower, which is …
For those unaware of the Climber Rescuer Training Standard, a guided tour is available in new NATE video
Two years ago, NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association released the Climber/Rescuer Training Standard (CRTS) to establish uniform fall protection and rescue training guidelines for the tower and communications infrastructure sector. Now that the standard is well-established and welcomed by NATE and non-NATE members for its novel evaluation methods for employers to identify qualified climbers/rescuers and provide guidance on developing …
Verizon’s Fresno faux brick building cell site is a slight to the community and an eyesore, residents say
OPINION — “What the’ x&!*’ is that monstrosity?” a member of the “For the Love of Downtown Fresno” Facebook group asked. “Looks like low-quality brick wallpaper,” commented another member. “This looks like crap, and if this is the finished version, I cannot believe the forward, thinking people who designed that,” a third member remarked. “It needs advertisements,” a fourth post …
Four faux T-Mobile contractors arrested after caught in the act of ripping off ‘3G’ cables
A brazen communications cable theft at a West Boylston, Massachusetts, cell tower on Friday afternoon led to the arrest of four New York men accused of posing as subcontractors to steal the cables for their scrap value. The incident, which highlights a troubling trend of cell tower transmission line thefts across New England, unfolded when local police responded to an …
Phoenix Tower International enters Ireland after acquiring Cellnex’s 1,900 towers for $1.1 Billion
Spanish telecom infrastructure company Cellnex has announced the sale of its Irish mobile tower unit to Boca Raton, Florida-based Phoenix Tower International (PTI) for about $1.1 Billion, equivalent to a multiple of around 24x EBITDA. This move comes as Cellnex, which currently manages approximately 1,900 tower sites in Ireland, aims to consolidate and simplify its corporate structure as part of …
Shentel strikes a $310 million deal with Vertical Bridge to sell its tower portfolio of 226 sites
Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel), a prominent provider of broadband services, including cable TV across the Mid-Atlantic region, has announced a significant transaction with Vertical Bridge Holdco, LLC, a company based in Boca Raton, Florida, led by President and CEO Ron Bizick. Shentel will sell its tower portfolio and operations to Vertical Bridge for $310.3 million in cash. This deal, expected …
Having to sleep in a Faraday cage, Minnesota couple threatens ATC, T-Mobile and AT&T with a lawsuit
In 2008, Marcia and Jason Haller moved into their newly constructed home with an oversized free-standing garage in a peaceful setting in a rural area just north of Duluth, Minnesota. Within months, Minnesota Tower, Inc. erected a 295-foot guyed tower on leased land approximately 1,300 feet from Haller’s home, which was approved for construction by the FCC in 2007. Although …
Long-sought testing results of 19 lanyards released by NATE Safety Equipment Manufacturer’s Committee
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association released the 2023 Safety Equipment Manufacturer’s Committee (SEMC) Fall Arrest Lanyard Testing Report today. The Fall Arrest Lanyard Testing was conducted at the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) over two days, with five different scenarios and over 100 drop tests completed. The testing utilized new and used equipment attached to an antenna supporting …
