In their first foray into telecom, $310 billion institutional investor Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), one of Canada’s biggest retirement fund managers, has announced it has reached an agreement to acquire a thirty percent stake in the main operating subsidiary of Vertical Bridge Holdings, LLC, the largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure in the United States. Vertical Bridge …
With prank videos and articles, industry was also ‘GraviHook’ed on April 1
If April 1 isn’t your spouse’s or a loved one’s birthday or other special date, the day sneaks up on you along with a number of April Fools’ Day articles and videos, oftentimes catching you off guard as Wireless Estimator’s Huawei CFO’s Releasei and Dust Spectrum articles did to over 8,000 viewers yesterday, many of them not catching on until …
Huawei CFO’s release requires her to show how she swapped out cell site circuit boards
Tina Glandian, the attorney for ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett, shocked the nation this morning when she announced that she has brokered a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice to have all financial fraud charges against Huawei Technologies CFO Meng Wanzhou dropped, her extradition hearing to the U.S. terminated, and all records sealed. Wanzhou was scheduled to have her first …
FCC to unveil breakthrough technology to replace billion-dollar spectrum bids
The nation’s media was quick to note last week that FCC Commissioners, normally incessantly microblogging their Twitter followers with FCC information and what they believe are cultural consciousness must-reads on every imaginable subject, haven’t tweeted once since last Tuesday. An exclusive report this morning by Emmet T. Witllinger of POLITICO’s Morning Tech uncovered why. The federal agency has been feverishly working on …
PiRod’s founder Myron Noble leaves us, but memories of his kindness will last forever
Do you know what the death rate in Indiana is? One per person. In most quarters that would be considered an irreverent way to begin an article about someone’s passing, but for those who had the privilege of knowing tower manufacturer PiRod’s founder Myron Noble, he wouldn’t want it any other way, and is most likely laughing, even if he’s heard that …
A safer more professional industry mourns the passing of NATE founder Bill Carlson
William (Bill) Carlson, President and CEO of Tower Systems, Inc., and heralded as the founding father of the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE), passed away peacefully at home on Mon., March 25, 2019, leaving a legacy of friendship, leadership, mentoring and a collective belief that through his efforts the wireless construction industry has become one of the most professional …
Services set for New Jersey tower tech who died after falling from Georgia monopole
UPDATE: March 27, 2019 – Services have been set for Devon James Collins who passed away on March 21, 2019 in an industry accident. He attended Pinelands Regional H.S., and graduated from Oakcrest H.S. in Mays Landing, NJ. Devon not only loved climbing cell towers, but he loved and cherished the tower family he gained and grew into nationwide over the …
Widespread Nebraska flooding hits home in the wireless industry with a missing business owner
The recent flooding in Nebraska caused by snow melt, ice jams and rain is being seen as the most destructive event ever seen and roads have been washed away as well as bridges, a dam, and it has buried houses, some up to their roofs. Sadly, the historic catastrophic flooding is expected to continue across parts of the Missouri and …
Widening student cancer concerns appear to be based upon inaccurate cell site RF test results
When a fourth child was diagnosed with cancer at a San Joaquin County, Calif. elementary school earlier this year, parents championed the need to have a Sprint cell tower removed from the Weston Elementary school campus since it could be causing harm to students. The Ripon Unified School District (RUSD) sent out a letter to parents stating that the RF …
Congressman Loebsack tours Crown Castle monopole site in Iowa
U.S. Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) today conducted a site visit to a communications tower located in Le Claire, Iowa. The tour was facilitated by representatives from the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE), the Association’s Wireless Industry Network (WIN) and Crown Castle. The site visit was held at a Crown Castle-owned monopole cell tower site that is conveniently located in …
NWSA announces 2019’s first Practical Examiner Accreditation workshop in Wisconsin
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) is encouraging industry employers, trainers and workers to register for the upcoming Telecommunications Tower Technician Practical Examiner Accreditation Program (PEAP) Workshop scheduled for April 23-25 in Mukwonago, Wisc. The workshop, the first offered by NWSA in 2019, will be hosted by ENSA North America. Registration is available here. NWSA-accredited Practical Examiners are NWSA-certified personnel …
Christian radio station owner dies after fall from his Louisiana tower
Sixty-two-year-old Barry McCall died Monday afternoon from injuries he received when he fell while working on his Christian radio station’s guyed tower in Lake Charles, La. McCall founded Eternal Life Broadcasting KELB 100.5 FM in 2013, according to FCC documents. Their non-directional antenna structure for the non-commercial station is 89-feet above ground level. An electrician by trade, McCall would take …
Texas tower designed for 90 mph wind speed toppled in a 54 mph gust
High winds early this morning caused the collapse of 300-foot self-supporting tower in northwest Abilene, Tex. Owned by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the structure is located at the Abilene District office at 45250 North Clack St. Crews discovered the downed tower this morning around 5 a.m, according to Cheryl Sawyers, spokeswoman for the TxDOT Abilene District. “We suspected …
Three key leaders appointed to National Wireless Safety Alliance’s Board of Governors
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) has announced that Stephanie Brewer, Compliance Coordinator for MUTI-Sabre Industries Telecom Services, Neal Brown, Department Manager of Wireless Development at Pioneer Telephone Cooperative Inc. and Sonya Roshek, Vice President, Field Services for B+T Group have been appointed as new members of the Alliance’s Board of Governors. NWSA, headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, is a national …
American Tower’s stock goes through the ceiling as Crown Castle and SBA reach record highs
American Tower Corp. (AMT) reached record high trades this morning of $187.80, shrugging off analyst Jim Cramer’s March 4 bearish outlook on the stock when it was $178.57. On March 11, ATC rewarded investors by hiking its dividend to 90 cents. Eight executives had planned stock sales on March 10 at a price of $181.61 per share, with the largest …
T-Mobile’s filing disappears as FCC resets merger clock to review it
UPDATE: March 8, 2019 – The T-Mobile filing that caused the FCC to extend its time for the review of the T-Mobile/Sprint merger became publicly available again at approximately 3:00 p.m. today after visitors received a confusing ‘Access Denied” message for at least nine hours when clicking on news reports’ links as well as a link in a blog from T-Mobile CEO …
Free Press: FCC broadband gains overstated leads Fast Forward Friday news
Article Media Free Press: FCC broadband gains overstated B+C Huawei sues U.S. as ‘last resort’ to fight government ban UPI Was a cell tower illegally built in an Atlanta neighborhood AJC South Korea delays commercial 5G service over phone and carrier issues VB AT&T expects to hit second FirstNet buildout Milestone by year-end Missiona Critical Interoperability debate dominates carrier-selection panel …
Tower tech suffering from hypothermia in Washington D.C. is rescued three hours later
A tower tech was rescued in Washington D.C. off a 760-foot self-supporting tower by D.C. Fire personnel today after he contacted emergency services at 1:50 p.m., stating that he was hypothermic and couldn’t climb down from the 120’ level, which according to rescue videos was where a cell site sector was located. It took approximately three hours to rescue the …
T-Mobile accusations rebutted as city leaders’ group joins anti-merger movement
T-Mobile has informed the FCC that the Rural Wireless Association (RWA) has been falsely accusing the carrier of falsifying its 4G coverage maps and is not following the procedures the FCC adopted for challenging areas ineligible for Mobility Fund Phase ll funding. In correspondence to the FCC, T-Mobile said that the RWA “did not follow the rules for submitting a challenge …
Rescue crews still searching for victims following 23 tornado deaths
Rescue crews are still searching this morning for victims underneath smashed homes, trees and other debris caused by a tornado that ripped through Alabama Sunday afternoon, overwhelming the Lee County coroner’s office. Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones says crews with dogs and drones have combed over the hardest-hit areas, but there are many other areas that they still have not …
