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 …
Firstnet’s progress lauded at APCO as Arizona and Kansas join the public safety network
UPDATE August 15, 2017: Kansas is also transforming public safety communications by opting in to FirstNet. This afternoon, Governor Sam Brownback announced his decision to accept the FirstNet and AT&T plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the state’s public safety community. This will make Kansas the 14th state or territory to bring advanced technologies that will help first responders save lives and protect communities. FirstNet Chairwoman Sue Swenson extolled …
CCA wants the FCC to deny Verizon’s $3.1 billion offer for Straight Path
In a Petition to Deny filed with the Federal Communications Commission, the Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) encouraged the Commission to deny the proposed transaction to transfer the control of Local Multipoint Distribution Service, 39 GHz, 3650-3700 MHz, and common carrier fixed point to point microwave licenses from Straight Path Communications Inc. to Verizon Communications Inc. If approved, CCA believes, the …
Shenandoah Tower Service is acquired by Site Resources
Site Resources LLC (SRI), owned by H&N Holdings LLC (H&N) has purchased Shenandoah Tower Service Ltd. (STS) out of Staunton, Va. in an asset purchase deal. STS’s CEO, Dave Anthony, a long-time safety advocate and active supporter of the National Association of Tower Erectors and the Telecommunicati6ons Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program said, “I have spent the last five years searching …
NATE’s WIN Great Plains September conference agenda and speakers unveiled
The National Association of Tower Erector’s (NATE) and Wireless Industry Network (WIN) unveiled the speaker line-up and agenda for the NATE WIN Great Plains Regional Conference on Wed., Sept. 27, 2017 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Bloomington, Minn. The conference will feature dynamic speakers and informative sessions on cutting-edge industry topics. The event will also offer tremendous networking …
Dougherty joins NATE’s Executive Committee as Secretary/Treasurer
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that Board of Directors member Kevin Dougherty has been elected to serve on the Association’s Executive Committee. NATE made the announcement at the organization’s 2017 Summer Conference in Kansas City, Mo. Dougherty, CEO of Millennia Contracting, Inc. in New Castle, Del., was elected to serve in the position of Secretary/Treasurer on …
Safe guy wire inspections explored in NATE’s newest Climber Connection video
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today unveiled a Guy Wire Anchor Inspection safety video as part of Volume 2 of the popular Climber Connection series. The video was released by NATE at the Association’s 2017 Summer Conference in Kansas City, Mo. The NATE Guy Wire Anchor Inspection video provides an overview of surface inspections and dig-to-block inspections, the two …
U.S. Virgin Islands becomes first territory to join FirstNet
The U.S. Virgin Islands is leading the way to modernize communications for its public safety community. Today, Governor Kenneth Mapp announced his decision to accept the FirstNet and AT&T plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the territory’s public safety community, helping first responders save lives and protect communities. This makes the U.S. Virgin Islands the first U.S. territory to “opt-in” to the FirstNet network. “The United States Virgin …
Sprint turns around with its first profit in three years
Sprint Corporation today reported operating results for the first quarter, including net income for the first time in three years at $206 million and the highest Adjusted EBITDA in nearly 10 years at $2.9 billion. The news saw its stock soar up over 10% in early morning traiding. The company also reported net operating revenues of $8.2 billion, its fourth …
Legend uses power of the plug to rectify a FM station’s lease dispute
A Wyoming tower owner cut off electric to Northwest College’s KNWT transmitter after Legend Towers, LLC said that the campus was not in compliance with its lease agreement. As part of budget reductions more than a year ago, NWC leaders cut the college’s radio/television program, but KNWT stayed on air, continuing to incur their tower lease expenses. But the college’s …
Sales execs Lien and Cooper to push B+T Group’s continued growth
B+T Group Inc. announced this week that Patrick Lien has joined the company as vice president of sales and business development, and Grant Cooper will be the Tulsa Okla.-based company’s National Account Director. The company is continuing its push to grow nationally, providing services to major telecommunications carriers, tower owners and asset managers with a wide variety of engineering, construction …
CTI Towers secures $20 million debt facility from CIT Group
CTI Towers, a fast-growing wireless tower company, recently procured a $20 million debt facility with CIT Group Inc. The facility allows CTI Towers to continue its growth through building and acquiring wireless tower assets. The facility also provides CTI Towers with the potential to tap into an additional $20M once the initial $20M is drawn. CTI Towers presently owns 208 towers …
NATE and WIN readying Great Plains regional conference on September 27
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) and the Wireless Industry Network (WIN) have announced that they will be hosting a Great Plains Regional Conference on Sept.27, 2017 at the Embassy Suites Hotel – Minneapolis Airport in Bloomington, Minn. The conference will focus on key industry safety initiatives and offer tremendous networking and professional development opportunities for attendees. “This event …
Virginia opts in for FirstNet followed by Wyoming’s okay for first responders network
Virginia was America’s first colony, and Virginia continued that leading tradition by becoming the first state to sign on to the national framework for FirstNet’s interoperable emergency communications network yesterday. “FirstNet will be able to put the technology citizens use every day — like smartphones and apps — into the hands of Virginia’s first responders, modernizing how they help save …
Tough charges and high bail set for cell site-related crimes
Two cell site-related incidents – trespassing and battery thefts – are becoming commonplace, but the anticipated charges in one case were reaching, and the bail for another was extraordinary. Wyoming, Minn. police arrested three men Sunday night after an officer noticed a vehicle in the parking lot of an AT&T Long Lines tower supporting cell service. While investigating, officers found the …
Centerline Solutions’ new CEO is ably positioned to lead the company’s growth
Centerline Solutions, a leading provider of wireless infrastructure services to the telecommunications industry headquartered in Golden, Colo., has named Tom Prestwood as the company’s new CEO. Prestwood brings over 30 years of experience in the wireless and broadband telecom industry, including a successful track record of scaling growing businesses and orchestrating collaborations among carriers, tower operators and infrastructure providers. He …
Tower painters forced to take a two hour break after their man lift malfunctions
Two painters were rescued from a cell tower near the old Belleville Police Station today in Belleville, Ill. The men were painting the tower and were using a rented lift. Officials said their bucket was more than 120 feet high when it got stuck. Emergency crews were called in and two firefighters used a separate lift for the rescue. The …
American Tower’s CEO says revenues to fly by its U.S. incomes
American Tower Corp. expects its international revenue to top its U.S. sales in three to seven years as the company expands into Asia and Europe through acquisitions, according to CEO James Taiclet. “We would like to deepen our position in the anchor markets and then enter the adjacent markets,” Taiclet said in an interview with Bloomberg. “We want to create …
NATE’s all-time high membership count is attributed to benefits
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that it had established a new all-time record of 828 member companies, a continuing increase in membership that the Association has seen for a number of years. NATE’s 828th member is Construction & Telecommunication Services, Inc. of Danvers, Mass. “NATE member companies encompass all layers of the wireless infrastructure chain and …
AT&T’s fixed wireless footprint expands to 70,000 rural locations
AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet for rural and underserved locations is now available in eight new states. These are in addition to the initial launch that took place in Georgia in April. More than 70,000 locations can now access Fixed Wireless Internet in underserved or unserved areas across these nine states. This is part of the FCC Connect America Fund commitment. …
