CLIMBING FOR A CAUSE – FCC Chairman Brendan Carr scaled to the top of a broadcast antenna on a 1,865-foot tower in Spanish Fort, Alabama, on Monday to learn more about America’s telecommunications structures and the professional commitment of the men and women who erect and maintain them. Unfortunately, the nation’s qualified workforce is shrinking as contractors are being forced to close their doors due to unsustainable carrier contracts.
With over 42 years of experience erecting and maintaining tall towers, Precision Communications lead foreman Mike Berry has tackled plenty of unique and challenging projects—some unforgettable, while others blur together, fading into the background like just another day on the job.
A planned two-week lighting system upgrade on WKRG News 5’s 1,865-foot structure in Spanish Fort, AL, seemed destined to be just another job, replacing an aging lighting system with a new Drakeway LED system. That is, until a visitor anxious to climb to the top of the broadcast antenna with a mission to bring attention to telecommunications contracting work arrived on site Monday—FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
Chairman Carr, known for his hands-on approach to understanding the highly technical work involved in maintaining America’s communications infrastructure, reached out to NATE member Precision Communications with an ambitious request—to climb to the top of a broadcast tower’s mast where their crew was servicing lamping. A feat achieved by fewer than 1% of the tens of thousands of tower climbers in the U.S., this climb was no ordinary undertaking.
Pictured at the broadcast site are: (from left) Precision Communications mechanic Adam Day, tower tech Hasani Hogan, tower tech Chase Goins, lead foreman Mike Berry, operators Bill Milford, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, tower tech Toby Cole, WKRG chief engineer Pat McCauley, Chairman Carr’s director of strategic communications Adam Jackman, and Precision Communications CEO Sean Wenger.
Precision Communications CEO Sean Wenger welcomed the request, but getting Carr in the air required significant groundwork. Before his arrival, the team had to secure approval from WKRG’s owner, Nexstar Media Group, and develop a meticulous safety plan to ensure everything was up to standards.
Despite his confidence in the safety of the climb, Wenger and his team took no chances. They consulted NATE’s Director of Safety and Education, Brian Bicknese, during a Friday Zoom call to review their plan and ensure every detail was in place.
Tower technician Hasani Hogan, who would assist Carr, was impressed by the Commissioner’s dedication. “What a guy. It shows his bravery, abilities, and commitment to the broadcast industry and our guys who do this. He’s done it before and is willing to do it again.”
Outfitted in PPE, Carr took a twenty-minute ride in a pan lift before transferring onto the tower, where the real climb began. Using step bolts, he ascended to the top of the antenna, where the strobe light is mounted—an experience few within the industry ever get to undertake.
Carr was back on solid ground after nearly an hour and a half.
“It is always a fun experience to get up in the air and hang with a tower crew,” he said during a WKRG interview.
Wenger, reflecting on the climb, informed Wireless Estimator that he was pleased with how the day unfolded. “The day went flawlessly,” he said. Still, he admitted that while he had no concerns about the safety of the climb itself, having the head of the FCC—who reports directly to the President—on-site was a bit unnerving. Based out of Grove, OK, Precision Communications was established in 1993.
As Carr climbs, the industry signs
While Chairman Carr was climbing, industry leaders and their employees were signing a petition addressed to Carr, rallying behind a bold new initiative unveiled at NATE UNITE 2025, calling for urgent reforms to protect the future of wireless infrastructure contracting.
![SALUTING SUCCESS – Army veteran-turned-tower technician Hasani Hogan played a key role in assisting FCC Chairman Brendan Carr during his successful climb. Meanwhile, wireless infrastructure contractors have been experiencing the opposite—a downward spiral in profitability, forcing many to shut down. In response, NATE has launched a petition urging Chairman Carr and the FCC to review the take-it-or-leave-it pricing structures that are driving the industry into a race to the bottom. The petition is available via the QR code above or can be viewed [here].](/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/FCC.Brendan.Carr_.jpg)
SALUTING SUCCESS – Army veteran-turned-tower technician Hasani Hogan and other techs assisted FCC Chairman Brendan Carr during his successful climb to the top of the mast. Meanwhile, wireless infrastructure contractors have been experiencing the opposite—a dangerous downward spiral in profitability, forcing many to shut down. In response, NATE has launched a petition urging Chairman Carr and the FCC to review the take-it-or-leave-it pricing structures driving the industry into a race to the bottom. The petition is available via the QR code above or can be viewed [here]. All information submitted is confidential and will only be provided to Chairman Carr’s office.
The movement was sparked by an anonymous letter published by Wireless Estimator, detailing how carriers’ rigid pricing models and reliance on turf vendors have driven contractors to the brink. The petition, strictly confidential and open to all industry stakeholders, is a powerful plea for regulatory intervention to ensure a sustainable, fair, and secure future for the sector.
In response to mounting concerns, NATE President & CEO Todd Schlekeway issued an open letter to the wireless industry outlining contractors’ systemic issues, from one-sided Master Service Agreements (MSAs) to delayed payments and uncompensated mandates.
The petition aims to alert the FCC to enforce fair pricing, provide fair payment terms, and distribute compliance costs more equitably.
With strong support from contractors, suppliers, and industry professionals, this initiative sends a clear message—the survival of America’s wireless infrastructure depends on immediate, meaningful change.
