Ted Miller, the co-founder of Crown Castle, stated today that the U.S. telecom infrastructure firm could sell its fiber assets for up to $15 billion if he and his partners were added to the board of directors. In a conversation with Reuters, Miller expressed confidence that his team is ideally suited to secure buyers for the fiber division and to assist …
Three top towerco execs, Cavanagh, Kavanagh and Noel, join Wireless Infrastructure Association’s Board
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) announced the following industry leaders have joined its Board of Directors: Brendan Cavanagh, President and Chief Executive Officer, SBA Communications Mike Kavanagh, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer-Towers, Crown Castle Bud Noel, Executive Vice President and President, U.S. Tower Division, American Tower Brendan Cavanagh succeeds former SBA President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Stoops …
Gun-toting Texas arsonist sentenced to 78 months for allegedly torching 22 cell towers
A 30-year-old San Antonio, Texas man was sentenced Wednesday in a federal court to six and a half years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and setting fire to approximately 22 cell towers, according to court records. In a statement, prosecutors said Sean Aaron Smith “maliciously attempted to damage and destroy, using fire, multiple cellular …
Taking editorial roads less traveled seen as the successful driver for Wireless Estimator’s 20th Anniversary
In 2004, two years before Facebook became accessible to the general public and Yahoo! Groups were getting their internet legs, there was the now-defunct Tower-Pro group. It boasted 2,200 members at its peak, and was one of the few vehicles offering news and only when a member posted a link. At that time, former journalist and veteran contractor in the …
Dale Heath elected as Vice-Chair of TIF, Karmen Rajamani and Anthony Castillo added to Board
The Telecommunications Industry Foundation (TIF) has elected Dale Heath as its Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. The organization also announced that Karmen Rajamani and Anthony Castillo will join the TIF Board. Heath replaces Vice-Chair Scott Stekr, who has stepped down to support the entire industry as he has accepted his appointment to the editorial committee for TIA’s TR …
Study reveals 73% of underground fiber deployment’s cost is in labor, 67% for aerial
The Fiber Broadband Association has announced the results of its 2023 Fiber Deployment Cost Study, conducted by Cartesian, which provides the industry’s benchmark to help fiber broadband service providers evaluate their cost profile and identify areas of inefficiency. FBA’s comprehensive study identifies that, on average, labor contributed to 73% of underground build costs and 67% of aerial costs. The study also provides regional …
NTIA awards DISH with a $50 million grant for an Open RAN center in Cheyenne, Wyoming
DISH Wireless, a subsidiary of EchoStar, has been awarded a historic $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish the Open RAN Center for Integration & Deployment (ORCID). ORCID will allow participants to test and validate their hardware and software solutions (RU, DU and CU) against a complete commercial-grade Open RAN network deployed …
Crown Castle’s surprising about-face on Canonsburg relocation sparks employee confusion
Crown Castle Inc., in a dramatic turnaround, has left its employees in Canonsburg, PA, scratching their heads after abruptly canceling plans to relocate them to the corporate headquarters in Houston, TX. The decision comes following activist investor Elliott Investment Management’s call for changes within the company as CEO Jay Brown prepares to step down in January. Interim CEO Anthony Melone, …
Crown Castle CEO Jay Brown announces retirement amid activist investor pressure to resign
Communications infrastructure provider Crown Castle Inc. is undergoing a significant leadership change as CEO Jay Brown has decided to retire, effective January 16, 2024. The announcement comes amidst pressure from activist investor Elliott Management, which has been advocating for leadership changes and strategic improvements at the company. Brown’s departure follows a series of scathing critiques from Elliott, known for its …
Thieves find it more profitable in India to steal the entire cell site instead of stripping cable
Thieves normally specialize in stealing batteries or transmission lines at communications sites in the U.S., but in an incident in India, thieves went for the full monty, stealing the entire cell site. The theft occurred last March but wasn’t reported to authorities until last week in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district, where a cell tower, standing at 165 feet and weighing …
Elliott Investment Management turns up the heat on Crown Castle with another scathing critique
Elliott Investment Management L.P. (“Elliott”), which manages funds that collectively have an investment of approximately $2 billion in Crown Castle Inc., on Wednesday submitted a Section 220 demand and accompanying letter to the Crown Castle Board, requesting inspection of the company’s books and records. This request follows the company’s adoption of shareholder-unfriendly amendments to its bylaws that compromise the fundamental tenets of the …
Delusional ‘Postmaster General’ serial coax thief Douglas Lee arrested again in North Carolina
In August, Yadkin County NC Sheriff’s Office investigators received a report that someone had climbed a tower in East Bend and cut off several hundred feet of coaxial cable that would likely be sold to a scrap metal firm. In October, another Yadkin County theft of copper cable was reported in Yadkinville. Detectives, with the assistance of AT&T Mobility Services, …
Big policy decisions loom over the future of America’s wireless networks, says WIA CEO Halley
By Patrick Halley, President and CEO, WIA – Wireless Infrastructure Association Access to broadband – fixed and mobile – is table stakes for participation in today’s Internet-driven economy. Hence the billions of dollars coming out of Washington to connect every unserved home in America. That’s good news for consumers who remain on the other side of the digital divide. Beyond a …
Dish Network stock dives following its CEO’s resignation, financial woes, and a steep drop in subscribers
Dish Network Corporation stock swung to a loss again this morning to $3.47 from yesterday’s close of $3.51, a severe loss from $17.16 where it traded last November. Dish reported a Q3 2023 loss of 26 cents per share on November 6, a surprise to Wall Street. Dish finished the quarter with 8.84 million pay TV subscribers, down from 8.904 …
DC Judge okays Dish Network’s additional time to buy 800 MHz licenses from T-Mobile
A U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia signed off on an agreement Monday to give Dish Network additional time to buy 800 MHz licenses from T-Mobile. Judge Timothy Kelly accepted a motion filed last week by the two companies and the Department of Justice. Judge Kelly granted the consent motion “with no party to this action opposing the …
Eric Chase resumes CEO leadership of Ontivity; Ian Stringfellow is appointed as its COO
Ontivity, a leading national provider of wireless infrastructure services, has reappointed Eric Chase as Chief Executive Officer. The company said in a statement that the leadership move will fuel the company’s culture of growth. In September, Ontivity acquired Infinity Construction Solutions of Buford, Georgia. The company was integrated into Ontivity member company CMS Wireless. Chase takes over the reins from …
SpaceX says AT&T and RWA’s opposition to satellite direct to cell is a ‘desperate 11th hour campaign’
AT&T and the Rural Wireless Association (RWA) have coordinated “a desperate, 11th-hour campaign” to prevent SpaceX from testing its mobile coverage from space in partnership with T-Mobile with “baseless procedural claims while offering no substantive reasons” for denying its special temporary authority (STA) approval, SpaceX said in a filing with the FCC. Although Dish isn’t a voting carrier member of RWA …
South Florida Broadband Careers Awareness Day is expected to set the national template for other states
South Florida will host the first national Broadband Careers Awareness Day, a broadband industry coalition led by Broadband Careers and supported by Junior Achievement of South Florida and Neptuno USA, Corp. Open to the public at no charge (REGISTER HERE), the promoters have provided an opportunity for telecommunication companies, education providers, industry associations, and representatives of state, local, and federal …
Nation’s largest-ever lawsuit filed against DoD and Commerce for $39 billion by Ligado in spectrum fight
Satellite company Ligado Networks is seeking up to $39 billion in compensation from the U.S. government for spectrum rights it claims were unfairly denied, alleging that the Pentagon and Commerce Department used a false pretext of GPS interference to deny its use of wireless spectrum licenses. In its Hail Mary attempt to stay solvent as bankruptcy looms for Ligado, and …
Telecoms get rip and replace extension, but China-controlled equipment may be with us past 2024
The FCC has granted five telecom companies’ requests for additional time to “rip and replace” Chinese-manufactured equipment due to a shortfall of funding, supply chain issues, and workforce shortages due to factors beyond their control. The agency agreed to delay their deadlines, extending them all into 2024 with the following new dates: WorldCell, May 20, 2024; Mediacom, January 15, 2024; …
