The Pennsylvania Wireless Assocociation Board of Directors named Phillip Burtner, P.E. as President of the Association. Burtner replaces Chris Pleibel who served in the position for the past ten years. “I would like to thank Chris for the vision, guidance and leadership he has provided to our organization over the past decade as board member and president,” Burtner said. “Our …
Cary lands Boston-based CTI Towers as they continue to expand
CTI Towers, one of the nation’s largest privately-held tower companies, announces it will be relocating its corporate headquarters to Cary, NC. CTI has been based in the Boston market since its inception in 2011. CTI will be moving to the Highwoods property at 5000 CentreGreen Way, and will commence operations at the location beginning in February, 2018. “With our continued …
NATE highlights really remote tower site access
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released a breathtaking video on the topic of operating snow tracked vehicles to access tower sites in remote locations. The video, the latest to make its debut as part of Volume 2 of the NATE Climber Connection series, is designed to emphasize the exciting opportunities available in the industry for those workers …
CTIA: Wireless networks should be communications platform for drones
CTIA, the wireless association, today called on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to recognize that commercial wireless networks offer the best communications platform to support America’s fast-growing drone market. CTIA and the wireless industry are working with policymakers to boost investment, innovation and jobs by creating a national framework for FAA management of U.S. drone airspace. CTIA’s call comes as …
T-Mobile and Sprint call off their oft-rumored marriage plans; towerco stocks love it
T-Mobile announced that it has ceased talks to merge with Sprint, as the companies were unable to find mutually agreeable terms. “The prospect of combining with Sprint has been compelling for a variety of reasons, including the potential to create significant benefits for consumers and value for shareholders. However, we have been clear all along that a deal with anyone …
Services set for tower technician Brachton Barber who died with two co-workers
Services have been set for tomorrow for Brachton Scott “Brach” Barber, 23, who died at the WPLG Channel 10 broadcasting tower site in Miami Gardens, Fla. on Sept. 27 in a workplace accident. Born Oct. 2, 1993 in Sioux Falls, S.D., he lived in Longwood, Fla. and worked at Tower King II as a tower climber technician who performed maintenance …
Tower Family Foundation highlights its incredible results
In an act of transparency, the Tower Family Foundation, a 501c-3 non-profit, today touted the organization’s strong financial management and stewardship track record in an industry-wide announcement. Independent certified public accounting firm Vilhauer, Raml & Snyder LP calculated that the Tower Family Foundation’s administrative expenses for the year ending December 31, 2016 as a percentage of total revenue was 3.36%. …
FCC gives Project Loon a kickstart to keep Puerto Ricans communicating
Google received approval to deploy an experimental balloon-based web service to restore cell reception to Puerto Ricans still struggling after Hurricane Maria devastated the island’s cell service. Today, 81 percent of Puerto Rico’s cell sites were out of service, almost no change from yesterday. The FCC said Saturday that it granted an “experimental license” for Alphabet Inc.’s (Google’s parent company) …
Joint agency team assesses Puerto Rico cell tower damage
A team from FEMA and Joint Force Land Component Command assessed damage to cellular and radio towers today caused by Hurricane Maria throughout the island of Puerto Rico According to Spc. Gabrielle Weaver, the team assessed several towers via helicopter in an effort to reestablish communication to the island. They are trying to make a list of which one is …
Grant will provide hundreds of workers with rigger awareness training through NATE
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Labor – OSHA to receive a $155,000 Susan Harwood Targeted Topic Training Grant for the 2017-2018 program year. The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program awards grants to nonprofit organizations on a competitive basis. Awards are issued annually based on Congressional appropriation. …
Rivada to testify at Pennsylvania Senate & House joint hearing on FirstNet
The Pennsylvania Senate and House Committees on Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness and the Senate Committee on Communications & Technology announced they will host a Joint Public Hearing at 9:00 a.m. on Oct. 19, 2017 in the North Office Building to review FirstNet in Pennsylvania. The hearing will focus on construction and interoperability of the Commonwealth Public Safety Broadband Network (CPSBN) through …
The world’s first all-wireless small cell just got its Sprint “wings”
Chief Operating Officer, Technology, Sprint, Günther Ottendorfer explains the new technology By Günther Ottendorfer Chief Operating Officer, Technology, Sprint There’s magic in the air for Sprint customers! Our newest technology innovation, Sprint Magic Box, has taken to the sky as the world’s first all-wireless aerial small cell. When we launched Sprint Magic Box in May, we hinted that this unique …
HetNet Expo will focus on connected realty, densification and smart cities
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) has announced highlights for its annual HetNet Expo, Oct. 10-11, 2017 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Fla. HetNet Expo brings together professionals from across the entire wireless ecosystem to share valuable information and opinions about the latest mobile communications technologies and the overall state of the wireless industry. HetNet …
Texas’ FirstNet agreement brings a total of 21 opt-ins to the network
Texas is making another major move to strengthen public safety and enhance emergency preparedness across the state. Governor Greg Abbott has announced his decision to partner with FirstNet and AT&T to deliver a wireless broadband network to the state’s public safety community. The FirstNet network will provide Texas with modernized devices, apps and tools for first responders to boost their communication abilities on …
New task force to address smart city infrastructure needed for 5G
The Wireless Infrastructure Association(WIA) and the Smart City Council (SCC) announced today the creation of the Smart Communities Infrastructure Task Force with a primary objective of educating and empowering communities and stakeholders as they work to deploy the wireless and wireline broadband networks that are essential to smart city applications. Key Focus Areas of the Smart Communities Infrastructure Task Force …
Charter advance allows SBA to break into the S&P 500 on Sept. 1
S&P Dow Jones Indices has announced that it will add Charter Communications Inc. to the S&P 100 Index on Sept. 1, providing the opportunity for Boca Raton, Fla.-based SBA Communications to become the newest S&P 500 company. Charter, which is part of the S&P 500, is replacing DuPont, which has been acquired by Dow Chemical Co., with the combined company …
Fox stations to begin broadcasting from World Trade Center next year
The Fox-owned New York stations, WNYW and WWOR, will move their transmitters to the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere next year, One World Trade Center. “We are pleased to welcome Fox’s WNYW and WWOR to One World Trade Center’s broadcast facility,” said John Lyons, assistant vice president and director of broadcast communications of The Durst Organization, which manages, operates …
American Tower manager Leifer to head Society of Broadcast Engineers
The Society of Broadcast Engineers, the association for broadcast and multimedia technology professionals, announced the results of the 2017 election for the national board of Directors. Jim Leifer, CPBE, was elected as the society’s president. Leifer is senior manager of broadcast operations at American Tower Corporation, Andover, Mass. Regarding the election, Leifer said, “I look forward to serving the Society …
Photos proved to be elusive for most tower techs, but not the eclipse’s enjoyment
Taking eclipse photos with their beloved broadband structures in the foreground proved to be a daunting task for tower climbers yesterday as they tried to capture the first coast-to-coast total eclipse of the sun in the past 99 years. And using NASA’s suggestion to take your ISO certified sunglasses and put them in front of your smart phone camera’s lens …
