Although Crown Castle’s safety protocols do not require having a medical doctor on a tower site when technicians are present, one was available for Novotech Construction’s safety-conscious tower techs recently should a medical emergency present itself during a recent tower compound visit by Pennsylvania Congressman John Joyce. Dr. Joyce has represented Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District since January 2019 and has …
QualTek is close to emerging from bankruptcy as stockholders lose all of their equity
QualTek Services, Inc., currently in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, knew that its stock would be delisted from the NASDAQ stock market after it was notified on January 5, 2023, that if its listed securities didn’t reach a minimum bid price of $1 for 30 consecutive days through July 5, 2023, the company’s shares would be delisted. NASDAQ made it …
Ugandan carrier claims American Tower is discriminatory, but Kenyan official says ATC brings diversity and the internet
Smile, a carrier in Uganda is sneering at American Tower Corporation (ATC), asserting to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) that ATC illegally disconnected the power to its network and the company has been quoted in numerous media outlets stating that since 2018 ATC has been using discriminatory pricing practices, as well as unfair and illegal power billing practices. An ATC …
Virginia broadband railroad crossing fee lawsuit says one price endangers site safety
The Association of American Railroads wants a new Virginia law streamlining broadband providers’ access to railroad property invalidated. In a federal court lawsuit, it alleges that it amounts to an illegal taking and violates both the state and U.S. constitutions. They said it treats railroads, unlike any other landowner, “seizing from them and giving broadband service providers a permanent easement …
NATE’s work zone protection safety video is a must view for ground level projects
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association announced today the official release of a video on Work Zone Protection. The video, the second to debut in Volume 6 of the Association’s popular #ClimberConnection series. The video shines a spotlight on the safety best practices associated with Work Zone Protection, specifically relating to the appropriate use of temporary traffic control devices, proper …
While burning contractors and suppliers, Nexius’s facade exposed a possible terrorist cell site security hole
As Nexius used ‘every trick’ to keep contractors working, although the company knew they would never pay them, the wireless infrastructure developer reportedly continued scamming T-Mobile by using a Nexius-aligned company in Lebanon that was prohibited from accessing T-Moble’s network – possibly exposing a network security threat to the nation’s second-largest mobile operator, according to sources familiar with the ruse. When …
Not a typical gin pole, Matt’s Arm provides a safer, quicker and more profitable pick at any level
Matt’s Arm is the newest tool in the tower industry, and contractors say there is no other tool that is so versatile since it adapts to most all tower types and lifting needs. It’s quickly becoming an essential tool for contractors’ crews. For decades, there had yet to be a serious design change in an industry stalwart, the venerable but cumbersome …
QualTek Services files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with hopes that its debt can be cut almost in half
Wireless infrastructure developer QualTek Services warned earlier this month that it would need to obtain alternative sources of capital or otherwise meet its liquidity needs and/or restructure its existing indebtedness through the protections available under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The Blue Bell, Pennsylvania company filed for bankruptcy today in the Southern District of Texas, identifying that it had …
Towerco execs hint at a future slowdown, but for many wireless contractors the future is now
Last week at WIA’s View From the Top panel session at Connectivity Expo 2023, the top towerco executives hinted that they are aware of a dip in carrier capex and a turn towards fiber, possibly cutting into site builds. Still, they championed the industry and said 5G would be a constant and maybe a ten-year driver, although it would be …
A taste of 5G spectrum offerings is more easily explained using its constituent flavors
By John Paleski Mobile broadband businesses were eager to shell out over $120 billion during FCC auctions to acquire spectrum blocks to roll out 5G. That’s understandable since they needed it to lay the groundwork for fifth-generation wireless services. However, understanding what 5G is and the spectrums used to offer transformational speeds and capabilities that can open the door to …
Andrew Seybold, 77, passes, leaving a legacy of improving the nation’s public safety communications
In March, well-known and respected public safety and wireless communications consultant, advocate, and writer Andrew “Andy” Seybold was looking forward to speaking at the International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) – where critical communications technology professions have always labeled it as a must-attend conference. In an All Things FirstNet article, he said, “I hope to see many of you there. Please …
Over 5,200 infrastructure jobs are on the line as QualTek Services teeters on the edge of bankruptcy
UPDATE: May 3, 2023 – A spokesperson for QualTek said that the company’s employees’ jobs were not at risk, and the turnkey infrastructure provider will “continue to be a workplace of choice.” They issued the following statement: “QualTek is continuing to actively negotiate with our creditors and is progressing towards a resolution that will position us for the future with a stronger …
Eleven Senators say no to the NOFO prioritizing criminal hires for $42.5B BEAD infrastructure funds
In a joint letter to Alan Davidson, who heads the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a partisan group of 11 U.S. Senators were emphatic that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) overstepped its bounds when it wrote the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program that addresses how $42.45 billion will …
TIA’s BEAD summit will thread the way for contractors and suppliers to take advantage of $42 billion in funding
Recent trade shows have explored opportunities that will become available through the Broadband Access and Employment Program’s (BEAD) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), providing States approximately $42 billion to deploy broadband in America where it is not located. However, they were typically 45-minute sessions that often scratched the surface, leaving many unanswered questions. Fortunately, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is …
Until there’s a consensus standard, industry experts provide initial hoisting grip guidance following fatality
When a 32-year-old tower technician passed away on December 15, 2022, in Weatherford, TX, while engaged in an installation project for Verizon, Wireless Estimator identified shortly after that that a secured cable grip failure might have caused the death. Huber+Suhner provided the hybrid cable and factory-installed hoisting grip, which was later identified as a FIOMA grip. OSHA investigated the accident and has not …
TESSCO will be partnered up with Alliance and GetWireless in an all cash deal valued at $161.4 million
TESSCO Technologies announced that the company has entered into a definitive merger agreement with entities affiliated with Lee Equity Partners and Twin Point Capital, which also own Alliance Corporation (“Alliance”), a value-added distributor of equipment for the wireless industry, and GetWireless, LLC (“GetWireless”), a value-added distributor of cellular solutions that connect the Internet of Things (IoT). Under the merger agreement’s …
After a month-long outage, PerfectVision’s website woes appear to be ending
A little over four weeks ago, PerfectVision’s website and its internal network went down, a failure frequently occurring in many companies when servers malfunctioned. However, a robust backup system can seamlessly recover data, and the system is back online, often with employees never realizing there was a problem. However, IT personnel quickly let management know that there were severe problems …
Texas court will likely give AT&T a hollow victory in its $1.44M lawsuit against former golden child Goodman
Contractors and suppliers that have had to sue clients, such as Nexius, for past due payments know that it’s an expensive legal and often fruitless process that can take a year or two since attorneys aren’t adverse to the defendant’s counsel delaying the process as long as possible as they pile up billable hours. So when AT&T’s attorneys filed a lawsuit …
Nexius crashes and burns its dedicated construction supply chain, stiffing them for millions of dollars
Selected by AT&T in 2016 as one of their eight suppliers of the year out of more than 5,000 companies, well-established Frisco, Texas-based network deployment firm Nexius cemented a relationship with the carrier that would see them become one of their leading suppliers and turfing contractors. Wireless infrastructure manufacturers, distributors, and contractors were eager to accept Nexius’s business and provide …
NATE UNITE 2023 breaks all-time attendee, exhibitor, and sponsor records
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association announced today that the recent NATE UNITE 2023 Conference in Orlando, Florida ascended to record-setting heights. The Association said that 2,843 individuals registered to attend NATE UNITE 2023. The total eclipses the organization’s all-time conference registered attendee total in its 28-year history, exceeding the previous attendance record from last year’s NATE UNITE 2022 in …
