Wireless contractors can’t be profitable with the hourly rates set by carriers and turfing contractors in many markets or the rates that they have to use to successfully win a bid, according to company executives who registered their concerns in an extensive nation-wide survey taken by Wireless Estimator that will be released this week. “They treat us like we’re a …
Night climbing requirements could be “putting profits ahead of tower technicians’ lives”
“It’s obvious, carriers are simply putting profits ahead of tower technicians’ lives,” said a Texas-based contractor’s safety manager last week, deploring requirements by some carriers to perform maintenance work during nighttime hours to keep subscriber service interruptions at a minimum. He was one of many company owners and safety professionals Wireless Estimator spoke with after there was a groundswell of concern following …
FCC Chairman Pai and Commissioner Carr to deliver keynote addresses at NATE UNITE 2019
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr are confirmed to deliver keynote addresses at the NATE UNITE 2019 Conference in Grapevine, Tex. taking place Feb. 4-7, 2019 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. The event is widely regarded as the premier and most comprehensive educational event and …
NATE announces free 2019 Advanced Rigging Principles Training dates and locations
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) has announded the dates and locations for the 2019 Advanced Rigging Principles Training sessions. Twelve (Advanced Rigging Principles Courses will be hosted nationwide in 2019 and will be offered free of charge to industry employees and employers due to a Susan Harwood Training Grant (SH-05018-SH8) from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. …
Schlekeway and Nurnberg sign long-term extensions as NATE moves through 5G and beyond
Todd Schlekeway, Executive Director and Paula Nurnberg, Chief Operating Officer of the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE), have agreed to multi-year contract extensions that will keep them directing NATE, the nation’s leading grassroots communications infrastructure organization. “The wireless industry is extremely fortunate to have Todd and Paula directing the management of our organization,” said Jim Tracy, NATE Chairman and …
FCC returns to full five members as the Senate confirms Carr and Starks
The Senate late yesterday evening in a voice vote confirmed Geoffrey Starks as an FCC Commissioner to the open seat left by former Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Commissioner Brendan Carr for a full five-year term. Carr and Starks had been previously approved by the Senate Commerce Committee, and their swearing in is expected shortly. Both will be paid during the …
Wireless contractor’s required Job Hazard Analysis is front and center with NATE’s newest informative video
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) has unveiled their newest video entitled “Job Hazard Analysis: Reducing Your Risk” that highlights the important elements of conducting a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) at a communications tower or any other infrastructure site. The Association is taking an active role in promoting the need for a JHA, an endeavor that Wireless Estimator has been assisting the industry with …
Drouin, Mallon and Young elected to serve on NATE Board for first time, Scott re-elected
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released the official results of the 2019 Board of Directors election with Randy Scott, President of Texoma Contracting, Inc. in Muskogee, Okla. being re-elected, and Victor Drouin, President of Green Mountain Communications, Inc. in Pembroke, N.H.; Chris Mallon, President of Tower MRL, Inc. in Sun Prairie, Wisc.; and Michael Young, Chief Operating Officer at Sioux Falls …
Execs inform the FCC of women’s key roles in wireless infrastructure’s success, opportunities
Women of NATE (WON) representatives recently met with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr and FCC Policy Advisor Evan Swartztrauber at the FCC Headquarters in Washington, DC to exchange views on key industry topics. Commissioner Carr visited with members of WON, Andy Lee, Vice President of Operations, Lee Antenna & Line Service, Inc.; Miranda Allen, CEO, Radiofrequency Safety International; Shama Ray, CEO …
Fewer contractors entering wireless construction as requirements increase and profits head south
A Wireless Estimator survey recently completed by 263 wireless infrastructure contractors has provided a wealth of information regarding carrier payment terms and other industry concerns that will be detailed in additional reports next month. However, the first evident troubling or possibly beneficial data unveiled is that new contractors are not entering the business as they did four years ago when …
Tower mods video emphasizes exacting sequences required
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today unveiled a video entitled “Tower Modifications: It’s All About the Sequence” that focuses on the dos and don’ts of performing proper tower modifications. The video was unveiled as part of Volume 3 of the Association’s acclaimed Climber Connection series. The informative video includes an interview with an experienced industry construction manager who …
Split House and Senate bodes well for NATE’s wireless industry lobbying efforts
Wall Street’s bulls were cheering midterm election results yesterday that saw Democrats on Tuesday take control of the House and Republicans hold control of the Senate, delivering a split Congress and prospects for legislative gridlock over the remaining two years of President Trump’s term. Today, enthusiasm was a little subdued and the market remained flat, although the communications sector was …
OSHA construction chief and friend of the industry Dean McKenzie passes at age 62
OSHA Directorate of Construction Dean A. McKenzie,62, passed away Nov. 4, 2018, in Maryland after a year-long battle with cancer. McKenzie, who assisted the wireless construction industry in many of its efforts, including federal safety workshops, was instrumental in seeing if there could be an industry balance with the possibility of a new wireless construction regulation that would encompass current …
Mount failure being investigated in accident that killed a New Mexico tower technician
A 28-year-old tower technician was killed Friday afternoon in an industry accident that occurred off of NM 14 northeast of Albuquerque, N.M. According to sources knowledgeable of the incident, David Fernandez of Las Cruces, N.M., employed by Enertech of New Braunfels, Tex., was performing a Sprint antenna change-out on a water tower in an all-terrain man lift when he fell …
Climbers’ challenging weather environments highlighted in video
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released a #ClimberConversation video shining a spotlight on the challenging weather-related environments tower technicians are confronted with while working at communication tower sites. The video release is timely as weather patterns are changing dramatically across the United States with the calendar turning to November. The #ClimberConversation volume is a companion series to the …
Fed’s findings could stymie new OSHA tower rule and lead to adoption of A10.48 Standard
An extensive 266-page report from The Small Business Advocacy Review Panel (SBAR) regarding a possible new OSHA standard that would apply to all work activities performed on cell, broadcast and all other communications towers was released this week with 10 key recommendations (below) for OSHA to consider if they’re going to introduce a new industry safety rule. OSHA is required …
NATE announces STAR Initiative participants for 2018-2019 program
STAR Initiative Companies Represent Best-in-Class for Safety and Quality The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) has announced the member companies who have been formally approved to participate in the STAR Initiative program for the 2018-2019 year. The NATE STAR Initiative is currently entering its eighth year and is the Association’s signature program designed to help companies operate safely and …
NATE UNITE 2019’s keynote luncheon address will feature Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that Willie Robertson will deliver the keynote address at the NATE UNITE 2019 Conference in Grapevine, Texas. The event will take place February 4-7, 2019 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. NATE UNITE is widely regarded as the premier and most comprehensive education event in the wireless and broadcast …
NATE hosts UAS operations showcase event in D.C. Beltway at Crown Castle site
Key stakeholders from federal government agencies, industry and media participated in the inaugural NATE Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Operations “Field Day Showcase” yesterday. This dynamic drone experience was held at a Crown Castle tower site located in Gainesville, Va., in close proximity to the Washington, D.C. beltway. At the event, attendees were provided an opportunity to witness live flight demonstrations …
Industry’s first-ever influential contractor survey’s deadline is October 10
Make your company’s concerns count As wireless contractors are acutely aware, contractor firms in the industry have experienced trends that have seen payment terms go from 30 days to 60 days, and now are settling in at 90 to 120 days, placing an undue financial burden on contractor companies. It’s not whether these terms could potentially compromise safety and hinder …
