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Tower technician fatally injured after fall from a 125-foot structure in Marion, Iowa
 At approximately 12:30 p.m. on Friday, October 10, the Marion, Iowa, Fire Department was dispatched to a reported tower accident at 3602 N. 10th Street in Marion, where an individual had fallen from a communications tower and was found unconscious and bleeding. Wireless Estimator was able to identify today that the deceased was lead tower tech Dane Eugene Picknell, age 38, of Cambridge, … Read more
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Multiple contractors allege they’re being pressured to accept deep discounts on completed work for DISH
 Wireless Estimator has been contacted by multiple sources representing wireless-construction firms who allege that EchoStar/DISH is pressuring vendors to accept steep “after-the-fact” discounts on already-approved and completed projects—some exceeding 50 percent off previously agreed-upon payment amounts. Although each source requested anonymity due to ongoing contract relationships and fear of retaliation, the accounts provided to Wireless Estimator were consistent in describing … Read more
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Communications infrastructure theft and vandalism are more severe than presented in trade groups’ report
 Two new reports, “Protecting Critical Communications Infrastructure” and “The Real Costs of Communications Outages Due to Infrastructure Theft or Vandalism,” released at the Third Telecom Industry Summit last week, reveal alarming data on the surge in attacks on telecom infrastructure. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the reports document 15,540 incidents, disrupting service for more than 9.5 million customers nationwide. The … Read more
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Wireless Estimator’s Blue Book reinvents how the industry connects to contractors, services and suppliers
 For more than 15 years, the Wireless Estimator Blue Book™ Buyer’s Guide has been the telecom industry’s go-to resource for connecting carriers, general contractors, and site owners with the right vendors and crews. Now, it’s not just keeping pace with change — it’s redefining what a directory can do. With 1.27 million ad clicks and counting, the Blue Book continues … Read more
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Verizon acquires Starry to bolster fixed wireless in multi-dwelling units, taking it off of life support
 Verizon Communications has agreed to acquire Starry, the Boston-based fixed wireless broadband provider that serves apartments and businesses from rooftop antennas. The deal, which is expected to close in early 2026, did not require an SEC filing, signaling it’s financially modest but strategically important. A Bargain from Bankruptcy Starry’s assets came cheaply after its 2023 Chapter 11 bankruptcy, when it … Read more
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Dan Schulman takes Verizon’s helm, but will he commit to tackling untenable wireless contractor pricing?
 Commentary Verizon has named Dan Schulman, former PayPal chief and longtime Verizon board member, as CEO, succeeding Hans Vestberg. Vestberg will remain as a special adviser through 2026 to assist with the transition and integration of Frontier. In his first statement as CEO, Schulman said Verizon is “at a critical juncture,” pledging to “maximize our value propositions, reduce our cost … Read more
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From the Hill to harness: SBA, NATE & Banner give DC staffers a hands-on view of wireless rollout challenges
 NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and member companies SBA Communications, an independent provider of critical wireless infrastructure, and contractor firm Banner Enterprise LLC, recently hosted a unique cell tower climbing experience and legislative advocacy event at an SBA tower site in Ashburn, Virginia. The event welcomed Capitol Hill staffers, government agency representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration, as … Read more
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Cellular coup stopped: What 300,000 rogue SIM cards could do to New York City and other U.S. cities
 What was first described last week as a cache of roughly 100,000 SIM cards seized in New York City has now been reassessed as possibly 300,000 after follow-on leads developed since the initial discovery. That escalation isn’t cosmetic; it materially changes the scale of the risk scenario—and the urgency of hardening the city’s and the nation’s mobile networks. How the … Read more
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NATE and CCA cheer FCC’s push to speed America’s broadband builds and cut red tape
 Two key industry groups, NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and the Competitive Carriers Association (CCA), applauded the Federal Communications Commission for advancing an item from its September Open Meeting yesterday, aimed at expediting broadband buildouts and removing unlawful state and local barriers that slow infrastructure deployment. Both actions align with Chairman Brendan Carr’s “Build America” agenda, unveiled in July at … Read more
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Alaska’s BEAD sticker shock: $113,578 per location is 181% higher than New Mexico’s high $40,433 benchmark
 Alaska’s preliminary BEAD award slate landed last week with a six-figure outlier that dwarfs even the pricey builds called out elsewhere. When New Mexico’s $40,433-per-location fiber proposal drew scrutiny in August, it became a national reference point for “too high” costs. Alaska’s tentative award to Quintillion Subsea Ops. clocks in at $113,578 per location—about 181% higher than New Mexico’s benchmark. … Read more
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