A diverse coalition of influential communications industry organizations, whose members depend on a properly trained and highly skilled workforce, sent a letter to key congressional leaders in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives requesting support for industry-specific workforce development programs through stand-alone legislation or as part of a larger telecom/broadband infrastructure package. The coalition sent the letter to …
Complī takes on industry giant Avetta to provide a risk management compliance alternative
World-wide vendor management leader Avetta which appears to have the oil and gas and other industries locked up now has a formidable competitor in wireless, Complī, a platform available from ABIS Solutions, a leading technology firm that has made inroads with NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and the National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA). Introducing the company’s qualification and compliance software …
NWSA to develop Spanish language telecommunication tower technician assessments
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved proceeding with the Spanish language translation of assessment tests for the Telecommunications Tower Technician 1 (TTT-1) and Telecommunications Tower Technician 2 (TTT-2) trade certifications. MasTec Network Solutions is sponsoring the effort with a generous contribution to cover the cost of translating written tests and associated …
Prestigious ANSI accreditation accorded NWSA and its proud Tower Technician 1 & 2 cert holders
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced it has been awarded accreditation by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a wholly owned subsidiary of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), for its Telecommunications Tower Technician 1 and Telecommunications Tower Technician 2 programs. ANAB’s decision to accredit these programs came after thorough analysis of test data and rigorous audits of NWSA’s …
Fuentez, Haldane, Nicks and Siegel to join National Wireless Safety Alliance Board of Governors
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that Paul Fuentez, Central Region Director of Environmental, Health and Safety at Ericsson, Andy Haldane, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Tower Engineering Professionals (TEP), Joe Nicks, Director of Safety for PeakNet Services and Robert Siegel, Executive Director at ENSA North America have been appointed as members of the Alliance’s Board of …
NCCCO and NWSA launch new Telecommunications Tower Rigger Certification
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) and the National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today the official launch of the Telecommunications Tower Rigger Level I (TTR-I) Certification Program. Established collaboratively between NCCCO and NWSA, the new TTR-I certification was adapted from NCCCO’s Rigger Level I program and specifically addresses those with responsibility for handling and moving …
NWSA announces dates, locations for first two Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshops of 2020
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) is encouraging industry employers, trainers and workers to register for the Telecommunications Tower Technician Practical Examiner Accreditation Program (PEAP) Workshops scheduled for March 24-26, 2020 in Mt Juliet, Tennessee, hosted by Comstar LLC, and April 7-9, 2020 in Phoenix Arizona, hosted by Tower Safety & Instruction. NWSA-accredited Practical Examiners are NWSA-certified personnel who have …
SBA sets NWSA certified climbers at 25% next year, 50% in 2021
SBA Communications (SBA), the nation’s third largest tower owner, has released the percentages of National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) certified climbers that contractors will have to maintain when doing work on their sites. Prior to climbing any SBA structure, all general contractors and lower tier subcontractors must meet the following guidelines and dates: Effective June 1, 2020: 25% of the …
TIRAP’s Board adds T-Mobile’s Gastelum and MUTI-Sabre Industries’ Brewer
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) has announced that Heather Gastelum, T-Mobile’s senior manager for national site safety & T-Mobile for Business Development, and Stephanie Brewer, Compliance Coordinator for MUTI-Sabre Industries Telecom Services, were elected to serve on WIA’s Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) Advisory Board. “The TIRAP Board welcomes Heather and Stephanie and appreciates their vision toward building a …
Serious workforce shortage has the wireless industry and FCC pulling together to solve it
Although it’s difficult to assess exactly how many additional trained tower technicians America needs to build out 5G, it’s clear that there is a shortage of skilled workers and Aiken Technical College (ATC) in South Carolina is helping to fill that gap with the nation’s most successful tower and wireless installation training program. After observing the ATC program in Graniteville …
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 …
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 …
Contractor survey uncovers some startling financial statistics that could trigger a 5G train wreck
In their drive to lower capex as they roll out 5G, carriers have created a troubling national Achille’s heel – a contractor base that has many companies swimming in debt with serious cash flow problems, according to results of an extensive nationwide survey taken by Wireless Estimator. The wireless contractor survey that was completed last quarter by 263 vetted companies, clearly indicates that …
Comments on contractor roadblocks set up by carriers that will derail America’s 5G race
Deeply concerned about the unsustainable state of wireless contracting, company executives provided 328 optional comments in Wireless Estimator’s extensive survey that was unveiled today. Armed with anonymity, it’s not possible to verify the accuracy of their statements. But it’s clear that their comments, in most cases, were well-thought-out summaries of the difficulties they are facing as carrier capex cuts, extended …
Carriers either ignore or are unaware of contractors’ higher than average truck roll expenses
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 …
NWSA launches Tower Foreman and Antenna & Line Specialty certification programs
New nationwide portable certification programs provide career progression pathways for industry workers The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today the official launch of the Telecommunications Tower Foreman and Antenna & Line Specialty Certification programs. These programs were developed by the NWSA’s Foreman and Antenna & Line Specialty Task Force that is comprised of subject matter experts from all aspects …
National Wireless Safety Alliance announces Board of Governors leadership appointments
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) has announced that Jim Coleman, National Tower Safety Manager at AT&T, and Paul Roberts, Vice President of Compliance at American Tower Corporation, have been appointed to serve as Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively, of the organization’s Board of Governors. NWSA also announced that J. John Barker, Partner of Barker MacEntee PLLC, Richard Cullum, Director of …
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 …
Industry pride shines as Pat Cipov is selected as Wireless Hall of Fame honoree
Accolades from all quarters of the industry have been coming in for Pat Cipov who was selected by the Wireless History Foundation (WHF) last week as one of its 2018 Wireless Hall of Fame honorees – the most recognized and highest honor acknowledging the leadership, innovation and achievement of each honoree in the wireless industry. In making the announcement, the …
Foremen getting unique opportunity to help set the creation of certification guidelines
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) is reaching out to the industry’s thousands of tower foremen to complete a survey to provide their valuable input to ensure the new NWSA Certified Foreman Examination accurately reflects today’s work environment, regulations, and technology. This new certification for the telecommunications Industry will define a set of criteria to verify that candidates have achieved …
