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CTIA develops a new website to combat RF fear and fake news, but it can’t stop there

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Commentary — Recurring headlines purporting that 5G is untested and RF radiation from cell towers could cause cancer is the ammunition being used to close down or prevent the addition of cell sites on school campuses or on adjacent properties throughout the nation. To cool down the heated campaigns, towercos and carriers simply refer opponents to the FCC’s Wireless Devices and …

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Cell phones are probably not making us grow horns leads Fast-Forward Friday articles

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Article Media Cell phones are probably not making us grow horns Smithsonian Removing Chinese  telecommunications equipment from U.S. would cost more than $1 billion Broadban Breakfast Pai re-charters diversity advisory group, FCC seeking new members Inside Radio Researchers sent a fake, unblockable presidential alert to a 50,000-seat stadium Digital Trends Supreme Court leaves unanswered whether District Courts must defer to …

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NATE reaches an all-time high milestone of 900 members

In Associations News, Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that it has established a new all-time record for member companies, reaching the 900 member mark for the first time in the organization’s 24-year history. Broadcast Construction Solutions, a San Antonio, Texas based company, has the special distinction of becoming the 900th NATE member company. “NATE member companies encompass all layers …

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Billion dollar question: Will any entity pay $713,000 per site to the nation’s last carrier with towers?

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

In 2014, U.S. Cellular struck a deal with Vertical Bridge Holdings to sell 595 non-core towers for $159 million, approximately $267,000 per site. On June 17 in a note to investors, Morgan Stanley analyst Simon Flannery said if the regional carrier unloaded their strategic portfolio of 4,207 towers in 22 states the possible asking price might be $3 billion, averaging …

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Income and race seen holding back California’s broadband adoption rates

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

In California, income and race are key factors contributing to low broadband adoption rates, according to a study released this month by the California Public Utilities Commission. Their analysis found that income is the most critical factor affecting adoption where only 52.9% of households in census tracts where the median annual household income levels are less than $20,000 have in-home …

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Former FCC adviser and fiber CEO gets five years for $270 million investor scam

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Elizabeth Ann Pierce, the former chief executive officer of Quintillion, a telecommunications company in Alaska, and the former head of the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC), was sentenced last week in Manhattan federal court to 60 months in prison for defrauding investors in New …

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Wireless infrastructure workers are the ‘unsung heroes’: FCC Chairman Pai

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai gave a double-tip of the hardhat to America’s wireless infrastructure companies and their workers during his keynote speech before the New York State Wireless Association on Friday, citing them as the ‘unsung heroes of the digital revolution.’ “Without your work, there would be no app store; no Uber; no 24- hour health monitoring. You not only …

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Crown Castle Fiber says ComEd is pole dancing around regs with obscene pricing

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Crown Castle Fiber has accused Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) of breaking FCC rules by charging excessive pole attachment fees and denying the company access to hundreds of poles. In its complaints filed with the FCC, Crown Castle alleges that ComEd refuses to recognize that wireless attachments are subject to FCC rules, and as a result, the utility has charged …

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Favorable ruling upholds CommScope digital DAS patents leads Fast-Forward Friday articles

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Article Media Favorable ruling upholds CommScope digital DAS patents Business Wire T-Mobile prepares for a Boost auction if Dish Network talks fail CNBC Nokia seeks rule change for 5G backhaul Fierce Wireless Mobile data use nearly doubles, CTIA annual survey shows CTIA Plaintiffs in FirstNet privacy lawsuit appealoppose AT&T brief Mission Critical LMR will continue alongside LTE Radio Resource 5G …

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NRECA claims pole attachment rates not a barrier to rural broadband deployment

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Broadband deployment in rural America is not impeded by pole attachment rates, according to a report released by Brian O’Hara, regulatory director, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), in a white paper,  “Pole Attachment Policies and Issues.” O’Hara’s research indicates that most communications companies will not provide broadband to all of rural America even when the pole attachment rental rates are …

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Reward offered for vandals who cut guy wires and collapsed 150-foot Oregon tower

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The Coos County Oregon Sheriff’s Office is offering a reward for the identification and conviction of the parties responsible for cutting the guy wires and collapsing a 150-foot guyed tower on Coos Mountain off BLM 26-1027 1 Road, according to a press release from the department. The damage was discovered Monday morning when a deputy responded to a call of …

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T-Mobile tried tower siting twice in Wichita, now it will be tried in court

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

T-Mobile and APC Towers have filed a lawsuit against City of Wichita over a denied conditional use application to construct an 80-foot wireless communication facility near 18th and Woodland. T-Mobile says it suffers from a significant gap in its ability to provide service in the North Riverside neighborhood, driven primarily by inadequate network capacity to serve consumer demand. The carrier …

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AT&T to cut 1,800 wireline jobs as CWA cites an already ‘crumbling infrastructure’

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

AT&T will be cutting 1,800 positions, according to the Communications Workers of America (CWA), union jobs in their wireline business, which the company claims has fewer customers after losing 1.9 million wireline customers between 2016 and 2018. “Due to changes as our business and industry continue to evolve, we are making some staff reductions involving technicians who install and repair …

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SBA Communications’ 20-year record-high stock price celebrated on Wall Street

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Jeffrey Stoops, President and Chief Executive Officer of SBA Communications Corporation, presided over the opening bell ceremony on June 17 at the NASDAQ stock exchange in recognition of the company’s 20th year of being listed. SBA was also featured on the exchange’s multi-story marketing sign fronting Times Square. The company’s stock set a record high yesterday at $228.73, closing at …

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A Dish carrier network could set the table for higher contractor margins

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Dish Network might play the pivotal role in the Department of Justice’s approval of the proposed T-Mobile/Sprint merger after The Wall Street Journal reported that Dish is the lead bidder on the spectrum T-Mobile and Sprint are divesting in their bid of winning regulatory approval for their merger valued at $26.5 billion. Charlie Ergen, who controls Dish, has approximately $10 …

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Friday’s ham radio climber’s death is a stark reminder of dangers present this weekend during Field Day

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Field Day is ham radio operators’ open house as approximately 40,000 amateur radio operators throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places this weekend to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill, and service to the nation’s communities. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills. It also can be deadly. In 2009, while installing an …

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5G’s future could literally be full of hot air…and drones leads Fast Forward Friday articles

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Article Media 5G’s Future Could Literally Be Full of Hot Air… And Drones LightReading Verizon competing with telecom company to replace Chico water tower Enterprise-Record New network for first responders raises concern among media The Washington Post FCC Chairman cautions India, says 5G can impact national security Inc42 Senators debut bill to boost broadband map accuracy MeriTalk Maine bill to …

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Tower Infrastructure Deployment bill introduced by Representatives Walberg and Clarke

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Update: June 14, 2019 –  Commenting on the bill he co-sponsored with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke to establish a Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council, Congressman Tim Walberg said in a statement today, “As the telecom industry deploys next generation technologies, there are tens of thousands of good-paying, highly-skilled jobs but nobody to fill them. Developing a skilled workforce needs to be …

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Michael Sandifer elected President of Alabama Wireless Association

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

Michael Sandifer has been elected by the Board of Directors of the Alabama Wireless Association (AWA) to serve as the organization’s next president. Sandifer, who has served as the co-vice president of the AWA for more than ten years, will assume the role in June 2019. He has served in various leadership roles spanning more than 25 years in wireless, and …

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Small cell deployment highlighted in NATE’s newest Climber Connection video

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released a video entitled “Small Cells: Here, There and Everywhere” designed to showcase the prominent role next generation technologies and the Association’s member companies are playing to densify networks on the road to 5G. The fast-paced video was unveiled at the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Safety 2019 Conference in New Orleans, …