Industry leaders praise essential contributions of tower Technician workforce to global connectivity and 5G economy
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association unveiled a commemoration declaring tomorrow, Wednesday, May 5, 2021, as Tower Technician Appreciation Day.
For the fifth consecutive year, a day has been set aside by NATE and the industry in order to pay tribute to the important work that communications infrastructure technicians conduct on a daily basis to enable a connected world.
NATE encourages member companies and industry stakeholders to use Wednesday, May 5 as a day of commemoration to host recognition events within their respective organizations to pay tribute to the technicians they employ. The Association also encourages companies to incorporate #TowerTechAppreciationDay into social media posts throughout the day.
To download and print the official Tower Technician Appreciation Day Proclamation, visit HERE.
The Industry Honors Tower Technician Appreciation Day
Jimmy Miller (Chairman, NATE)
“NATE is honored to proclaim Wednesday, May 5, 2021 as Tower Technician Appreciation Day in order to highlight the immense contributions that these skilled professionals provide to the industry,” said NATE Chairman Jimmy Miller from Gulfport, Mississippi. “Over the last 14 months alone, tower technicians have demonstrated their essential roles to the country’s economy by deploying the 5G and broadband infrastructure and related networks while simultaneously navigating a global pandemic. These men and women are true heroes and the MVP’s of the industry in my book,” added Miller.
Meredith Attwell Baker (President & CEO, CTIA)
“The wireless industry is committed to keeping Americans connected, and no one embodies that quite like the men and women who climb towers every day to keep our networks running, expand capacity and build the infrastructure to help America lead the emerging 5G Economy,” said Meredith Attwell Baker, President and CEO, CTIA. “I am particularly proud of the role they’ve played over the past year, working long hard hours out in the field, so we could stay safe at home, connected to our jobs, our schools and our friends and families.”
Jonathan Adelstein (President & CEO, Wireless Infrastructure Association)
“Tower technicians are too often underappreciated for the critical role they play in keeping the nation connected. The networks they enable helped keep our entire economy afloat during the pandemic,” said WIA President and CEO Jonathan Adelstein. “Their challenging work allows first responders to protect the public, enables loved ones to reach one another, and in so many other ways, has made wireless a reliable part of our daily lives. WIA is proud to support their career development through the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program that is designed to help tower technicians and others in the industry perform their jobs as safely and as effectively as possible. We thank NATE for spearheading this day of recognition.”
Steven K. Berry (President & CEO, Competitive Carriers Association)
“CCA proudly supports Tower Technician Appreciation Day and thanks the men and women who devote their time, effort, and energy to supporting the entire wireless ecosystem,” said Steven K. Berry, President & CEO, CCA). “Communications tower technicians are on the front lines of ensuring consumers, businesses, emergency responders, and more, can connect not only on a daily basis, but most importantly during times of emergencies. This challenging work, oftentimes in unforgiving environments and conditions, requires unique skill sets that should most certainly be recognized. As consumers and industries continue to rely on wireless networks more and more each day, the work of tower technicians is arguably more important than ever before, and CCA thanks them for their enormous contributions to the wireless industry and beyond.”
Gordon Smith, President and CEO, National Association of Broadcasters)
NAB salutes America’s tower technicians whose work is critical to the operation of broadcast radio and television stations,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. “The particular skill set required, including working under dangerous conditions, is vitally important in preserving broadcasting’s uniquely local and resilient platform on which consumers and communities rely.”
NATE Tower Technician Appreciation Day Commemoration
Whereas communications tower technicians are the backbone of the wireless ecosystem and the work performed by tower technicians is of critical importance to homeland security, public safety, the nation’s economy and competitiveness, expansion of broadband and our nation’s vital communications capabilities; and
Whereas communications tower technicians have enormous responsibility in servicing or maintaining as well as inspecting hundreds of thousands of communications towers and next generation networks throughout the United States and around the globe; and
Whereas communications tower technicians have been designated by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) as essential critical infrastructure workforce and are currently playing a heroic role on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic building, installing and maintaining America’s broadband infrastructure to accommodate the explosive demand for data and wireless services, thereby ensuring or enhancing reliable, high-speed networks; and
Whereas tower technicians have been uniquely responsible for developing and maintaining every generation of wireless networks, often in challenging environments and conditions, and their skills and productivity are essential to ensure that the United States wins the global race to 5G; and
Whereas tower technicians and their companies are committed to closing the digital divide and are currently on the front lines deploying the fiber and infrastructure required to bring high-speed broadband and improved connectivity to low-income, rural, underserved and unserved communities in the United States; and
Whereas tower technicians play an instrumental role in maintaining or, when necessary, restoring networks and related communications infrastructure in the aftermath of natural disasters and weather catastrophes; and Whereas tower technicians are the “zero responders” whom are called upon by 911 and public safety entities when emergency communication networks need to be restored, and are currently being called upon to support the deployment of FirstNet, the country’s first nationwide, interoperable broadband network devoted exclusively to public safety that will ultimately help save lives and provide law enforcement officials, fire fighters and EMS personnel with the critical communications capabilities and resources they need to respond to emergency situations; and
Whereas tower technicians possess diverse skill-sets that enable them to conduct small cell installations on utility poles, street lights, street furniture and small structures located in both urban areas and in highway rights-of-way; and
Whereas tower technicians must study and learn, then master, innovations in safety and deployment techniques in order to promote the welfare of the industry’s workers and infrastructure while advancing the quality and efficiency of the services they are striving to provide; and
Whereas tower technicians also are helping to advance the deployment of Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), which are critical in densifying network coverage to accommodate large volumes of data traffic in urban environments, stadiums, airports, shopping malls and in other populated areas; and
Whereas the efforts, expertise and diligence of tower technicians will be essential to deliver next generation networks and technologies vital for the continued growth of Smart Cities, the Internet of Things, Telehealth Applications and Automated Vehicles; and
Whereas industry access to spectrum is critical to unleash the potential of 5G wireless networks to the American economy and it is the tower technician workforce that ultimately works to transform this valuable commodity into action to enable connectivity; and
Whereas NATE – The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association is the organization that is committed to facilitating training and providing the safety resources, standards and best practices to ensure tower technicians perform work safely and in a quality manner, while collaborating with key federal and state agencies and Members of Congress in furtherance of these goals; and
Whereas tower technicians and their employers are committed to promoting and enhancing workforce safety, education, training and apprenticeships within the industry, as well as maintaining a safe work environment by following codes, standards and legal regulations; and
Whereas tower technicians are demonstrating their talents and skill-sets by obtaining national, professional and portable American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited worker certification through the National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) assessment and credentialing organization;
Now, therefore, be it resolved that NATE – The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association hereby declares Wednesday, May 5, 2021 as Tower Technician Appreciation Day to honor the men and women who deploy and maintain America’s communications infrastructure.
