A U.S. District Court Judge has ruled that the Township of Brighton, Michigan overstepped their authority in denying a Verizon application for two cell towers on General Motors’ 2,000-acre Milford Proving Ground complex that accounts for approximately 10% of the Township’s property. The facility, built in 1924, has approximately 4,000 employees, many of them Brighton residents whose 2010 census identified a …
NATE’s contractor COVID-19 Impact Survey provides an excellent snapshot of concerns
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today unveiled the results of the Association’s Member COVID-19 Impact Survey. The survey provides some interesting details such as 24% of their members stating that they pulled tower crews from the field. The survey, conducted over a six day period from Friday, March 27 to Wednesday, April 1, 2020, included responses from 224 member …
Connect (X): All Access will satisfy the industry’s pent-up thirst for knowledge – virtually
Connect (X), a leading 5G infrastructure annual conference in North America, originally scheduled to begin May 18, 2020 in the Miami Beach, Florida Convention Center has been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, and in its place, the Wireless Infrastructure Association will offer “Connect (X): All Access,” a free global virtual conference featuring the best of the in-person event, debuting on …
NATE webinar will help contractors understand CARES Act as they navigate troubled financial waters
Wireless contractors and other infrastructure businesses scrambling to determine how the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act applies to them will welcome a webinar scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. EDT to be presented by NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association with Brian Gramm, a prominent small business consultant from Seemore Hawk. This important webinar …
UK 5G towers still being torched amid bogus coronavirus theories supported in the U.S.
United Kingdom wireless operators and government officials strongly condemned acts of violence by individuals incorrectly linking 5G to COVID-19 after vandals set fire to at least five cell sites, the very infrastructure that is keeping people connected and safe during the pandemic. Rumors and conspiracy theories over a link between the roll out of 5G and the spread of coronavirus …
Employees with coronavirus and other wireless workforce/permitting issues could cause a Q2 slowdown
Twenty-three industry contractor and vertical realtor executives interviewed in confidence by Wireless Estimator in the past six days said that they’ve seen a marked decrease in their normal workloads and schedules but are weathering the effects of COVID-19 and adapting to changes daily. However, there is a general consensus that the impact on construction activities will become more profound in …
T-Mobile/Sprint merger is a done deal as Legere gives reins to Sievert
T-Mobile announced this morning that it has officially completed its $26.5 billion merger with Sprint to create, what they are calling “a supercharged un-carrier that will deliver a transformative 5G network”. The enhanced scale and financial strength of the combined company will drive a planned investment of $40 billion into its network, business and more over the next three years. …
Shocking 5G study: Tower techs and nearby residents are a minimum of 8.7% smarter than general public
CTIA President and CEO Meredith Attwell Baker is being heralded throughout the world for her courage in funding a multi-million-dollar, multi-nation study of 5G and in the process, the peer-reviewed report found that it actually increased the IQ of individuals living and working around cell sites by realigning monoamine neurons in the brain. Over 800 people ranging in ages 6 through …
Verizon joins AT&T in hiking its employees’ pandemic pay, but doesn’t disclose increase
Verizon announced today that it’s immediately implementing a significantly enhanced compensation plan for the company’s employees who must deploy outside their homes to meet critical customer needs. These mission-critical employees are unable to work remotely as they fulfill and repair broadband orders and connection issues, maintain networks and offer products to customers immediately and in person when deemed essential, the company …
Even if you don’t climb, safety sleeve testing report is a must read
The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today officially released the NATE Safety Sleeve Testing Final Report. This in-depth, 62-page white paper describes the overall scope, methodology and results from the NATE sponsored Safety Sleeve Testing events that were performed at the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) in Dayton, Ohio in 2018 and 2019. If you’re knowledgeable about the “Sunflower Effect” …
Radiation guidelines panel finds 5G safe while tin-hatters embrace MD’s YouTube nonsense
A panel of international experts has identified that 5G does not pose a health risk, after updating its radiation exposure guidelines. The organization responsible for assessing health risks, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), has updated its guidelines regarding exposure to electromagnetic fields to cover 5G signals. The commission has ruled that some protections are required against the …
DOL releases coronavirus response act notice to be posted by employers
The Federal poster regarding employee rights in reference to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) that takes effect on April 1, 2020, has been released by the Department of Labor. The (Non-Federal Employee) family leave poster is available here: The FFCRA provides partial income replacement benefits to employees working for private employers with fewer than 500 employees, if, amongst …
CWA captures an additional 20% COVID-19 pay boost for AT&T field technicians and other workers
Following negotiations with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union, AT&T announced that it will pay a 20% bonus above its regular hourly base pay rate to all of its union employees starting yesterday and until further notice due to working conditions being presented by the coronavirus pandemic. This includes both employees working from home and those still in offices …
Connect (X) still weighing its best options for the May 18-21 Miami Beach show
UPDATE: March 27, 2020 – The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA), updated the status of their May 18 through 21, 2020 Connect (X) 2020 show to their exhibitors, attendees and sponsors on their web site Wednesday, as the planned dates for Connect (X) Miami approach. “The health and safety of each of you is our top priority. Like all of you, we are …
NATE’s legal eagles address ever-changing COVID-19 regulations impacting employers/workers
A live NATE webinar this morning presented by attorneys Edwin Foulke, Jr. and Howard Mavity, partners in the Atlanta office of Fisher & Phillips LLP, enabled almost 200 registrants to obtain the latest information regarding the serious issues facing all employers and employees stemming from COVID-19. But as both attorneys acknowledged, the most recent information could be outdated as fluid …
WIA report says CBRS spectrum will play a pivotal role across many industries
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) published a new report: “The CBRS Opportunity: New Spectrum, Stakeholders, Networks and Devices.” Written by members of WIA’s Innovation and Technology Council, the paper highlights the benefits, impact, and opportunities for commercial-use shared spectrum of Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) for existing and new networks. “The industry needs as much spectrum as possible as quickly …
DHS steps in with letters to assist contractors as ‘essential’ workers maintaining wireless infrastructure
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued two letters valid through May 28, 2020, to help wireless contractors maintain access to critical infrastructure. The letters are from John O’Connor, Director of the National Communications Coordination Branch of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The first letter indicates that wireless contractors are part of the nation’s emergency infrastructure and …
Sprint merger ready to roll despite COVID-19 fears says T-Mobile CEO John Legere
In a message to investors today, T-Mobile announced that it is financially prepared to close the merger with Sprint and the COVID-19 crisis will not delay the deal. The carrier said that 16 banks are involved in the merger and none of them have stated that they will be unable to meet prior commitments. “I’m pleased that right now we …
Fall protection succumbs to the need for virus protection as Washington State-based Gravitec closes
Since the initial reports of the COVID-19 outbreak, Washington State-based fall protection training company Gravitec had been coordinating their efforts and strategies to protect their clients, students and employees to sustain their operations, but yesterday evening North America’s largest fall protection training company made the difficult decision to suspend their in-house training as well as temporarily suspend travel for their …
Flash Technology launches Vanguard High Product Series with infrared / night vision compatibility
Flash Technology, a global leader in aids-to-navigation solutions, announces the launch of the Vanguard High FTS 270 LED lighting system. The system is appropriate for broadcast towers, skyscrapers, smokestacks, bridges and other applications requiring high intensity obstruction lights. Engineered for maximum LED life, the feature-rich Vanguard High product line provides ultimate serviceability, minimizing downtime if maintenance is required. The FTS …
