NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today unveiled two resource documents designed to assist its member companies in navigating the myriad of complex Commercial Driver License (CDL) and Motor Carrier Safety regulations in the United States. The two resource documents were developed by representatives from TransSafe Consulting, LLC, which serves as the official consulting firm for NATE on motor carrier …
Wireless infrastructure pioneer Van Thompson passes away
Van Thompson, a cell tower development pioneer, passed away quietly at his home in Annapolis, Maryland on January 5. He was 66. Thompson was known as a founding force in managing, developing and implementing wireless infrastructure in the mid-Atlantic region. He began his career in telecom in 1987 as a consultant purchasing right of way for fiber optics in Texas. …
CTI Towers announces the appointment of CFO Tammy Wolfe
CTI Towers is one of the largest private tower companies in the US, and has been a portfolio company of Melody Investment Advisors LP (“Melody”), an alternative asset manager focused on telecommunications infrastructure investments, since 2020. CTI Towers owns and manages approximately 1,150 towers in 47 states. Lessors of CTI Towers assets include top wireless carriers AT&T, DISH, T-Mobile and …
Close to 100 contracting companies join the NATE-OSHA-FCC Strategic Partnership
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association congratulates the inaugural year participating companies in the NATE-OSHA-FCC Strategic Partnership for 2021-2022. The NATE-OSHA-FCC Partnership provides participants the opportunity to work cooperatively with OSHA, FCC and other contractors, to identify the most serious workplace hazards, develop workplace-appropriate safety and health management systems, share resources, and find effective ways to reduce work injuries, illness, …
Congressman Dan Crenshaw and FCC Commissioner Brendan Car visit tower site in Texas
U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr recently conducted a site visit to a communications tower located in Huffman, Texas. The tour was facilitated by representatives from NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and Enertech Holdings Company. Congressman Crenshaw is a member of the influential House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he has championed important communications and …
DigitalBridge creates first scaled, independent tower company in Iceland through two acquisitions
Boca Raton, FL-based DigitalBridge Group, Inc. announced that funds affiliated with DigitalBridge Investment Management, the firm’s investment management platform, have completed the acquisition of the telecom tower portfolios of Sýn hf. (Sýn) and Nova hf. (“Nova”), two leading Icelandic mobile network operators (“MNOs”), creating ÍslandsTurnar. ÍslandsTurnar is the first independent tower company of scale in Iceland with national coverage to …
IFC will invest an additional $25 million in infrastructure assets managed by DigitalBridge
DigitalBridge Group, Inc. today announced that the International Finance Corporation (“IFC”) will be investing $100 million in digital infrastructure assets managed by DigitalBridge in Brazil, Indonesia and Malaysia to expand digital access and connectivity. IFC’s $100 million investment includes $75 million already committed in three of DigitalBridge’s portfolio companies: Scala Data Centers (“Scala”), a leading scaled hyperscale data center operator …
NWSA successfully completes the ANSI National Accreditation Board Accreditation Surveillance Process
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that the organization has successfully completed the required ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) year-1 surveillance review process. ANAB’s audit of NWSA occurs annually as a requirement of its accreditation, with an on-site inspection by ANAB auditors every other year. ANAB requires specific data be submitted on an annual basis and it only …
Monica Vink to head Legacy Telecommunications’ marketing efforts to increase its brand strength
Legacy Telecommunications, based out of Gig Harbor, WA, has announced the growth of their team with the addition of Monica Vink as Marketing Director. Vink’s role will focus on strategic goals and objectives related to marketing, branding, digital footprint, and social influence. She has over 10 years of experience in wireless infrastructure and has held various positions supporting the broadband and …
Cases of slippage with Zigzag / Zigzag Plus / Zillion reported by Petzl
Petzl said it has received reports of users experiencing rope slippage while using the ZIGZAG, ZIGZAG PLUS and ZILLON. Following these reports, they have identified two defects causing the slippage. They’re asking you to do a manual inspection and a function test of your product, to detect any possible slippage. In case your product slips, they are providing details on their after-sales …
Congressman’s tower tour highlights positive impact traditional infrastructure funding has on West Virginia
U.S. Congressman David McKinley, P.E. (WV-I) today conducted a site visit to a communications tower located in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The tour was facilitated by representatives from NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and SBA Communications. The site visit was held at a SBA-owned self-support cell tower site that is located in Congressman McKinley’s Congressional District. Congressman McKinley is a …
LBA Group’s new CTO, Juan Macias, will advance the company’s 5G RF safety and compliance programs
LBA Group welcomes Juan Macias as its Chief Technical Officer (CTO). Macias brings over 20 years of experience in the Radio Frequency field, with an iNARTE Certification as a Telecommunications Senior Engineer and as an IEEE Senior Member. Before joining LBA, Macias held Lead Senior RF engineering positions with American Tower Company; Senior Broadcast consultant for the FCC Repack and Lead …
VIKOR is victorious for the fourth straight year in capturing Inc. 5000
South Dakota-based VIKOR Teleconstruction is proud to announce that they have once again been listed on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America. This is VIKOR’s fourth consecutive year being recognized on the list. Only a small portion of U.S. companies make the Inc. 5000 list each year. Those who do have witnessed significant growth …
Congruex adds Oregon-based A&M Communications to its portfolio of companies
Congruex, a national end-to-end provider of design, engineering, construction, and maintenance services to broadband providers, today announced the acquisition of A&M Communications. The acquisition further cements Congruex’s leading position as one of the nation’s largest telecom engineering and construction firms. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Headquartered in Boring, Oregon, A&M Communications is an end-to-end provider of wireless …
Murphy Tower Service rolls into the Dakotas with the acquisition of East River Tower
Murphy Tower Service, a leading provider of wireless and wireline infrastructure services based in Carlisle, IA, has acquired East River Tower of Gary, SD, allowing the company to broaden its service region into the Dakotas and western Nebraska regions. Murphy Tower has additional locations in Cedar Rapids, IA; Omaha, NE; the Twin Cities, MN; and Springfield, MO. “We’re very excited …
TIRAP tower technician apprentices to earn college credits thanks to national partnership with ACE
Apprentices participating in WIA’s Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship program (TIRAP) will have a chance to earn college credits, thanks to recommendations by the American Council on Education (ACE). ACE is officially recommending that apprentices completing the Telecommunications Tower Technician (TTT) program earn 14 or more credits at community colleges nationwide. That’s almost a quarter of the way toward an associate …
Vertical Freedom trailer provides a quick insight about an upcoming tower tech feature length movie
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, in collaboration with STORYBUILT Media, released the debut movie trailer last night at the South Wireless Summit in Nashville, TN for Vertical Freedom, an epic, feature length documentary film highlighting the professional and personal lives of six communications infrastructure workers in the United States who possess diverse backgrounds and compelling stories, on and off …
America still in second place with 5G service in a worldwide tally of 1,662 cites: VIAVI
Viavi Solutions Inc. today released new research demonstrating the accelerating pace at which 5G is growing, with coverage extending to an additional four countries and 301 cities worldwide since the beginning of this year. The new total — 1,662 cities across 65 countries — represents an increase of more than 20 percent during 2021 to date, according to the latest edition …
IOA’s Stephanie Brewer pick as its new safety director ensures them a leg up in the insurance industry
When Insurance Office of America (IOA) realized the distinct client benefits that could be offered by having a telecommunications safety and compliance director on board to assist in their ever-growing telecom sector, they had a choice of many candidates, but one stood out with credentials that would make most safety professionals blush with envy – Stephanie Brewer – an individual …
Industry will be well-represented with Bryan McKernan on unmanned aerial systems rulemaking committee
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association announced today that UAS Committee Chairman Bryan McKernan, Chief Revenue Officer at Consortiq in Annapolis, Maryland, has been selected to represent the Association on the Federal Aviation Administration Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). Through his participation in the ARC, Bryan, a Marine Corps Veteran, will play a …
