South Carolina technician, 44, is 10th industry worker to die this year
UPDATE: Authorities have identified the tower technician who fell approximately 100 feet from a cell tower in Greeneville, Tenn. yesterday as 44-year-old Allen Lee Cotton of Sumter, S.C. Two of his co-workers from Central USA Wireless did not see him fall, according to Greeneville Police Officer Shawn Hinkle’s report which provided information regarding the 12:25 p.m. incident. “Mr. Cotton was …
Technician succumbs following a 100-foot fall in Greeneville, Tennessee
A tower technician fell to his death this afternoon in Greeneville, Tenn., according to Greene County EMS Director Robert Sayne, who said he was at approximately the 100-foot level when the incident occurred. Sayne did not have any additional information. An individual familiar with the worker’s death, said the tech was working on an Ericsson project for Sprint on a 197-foot …
Falling fuel prices providing early holiday gifts, especially to American Tower
Contractors and other infrastructure companies have seen free-falling fuel prices prop up their bottom line as gasoline continues to drop across the nation to its lowest prices since 2009. Although diesel fuel’s drop hasn’t been as dramatic, it too is showing a steady decline. Even though Spectrum Antenna Service and 23 other Missouri-based contractors can get gas today for as little as …
Corroded anchor may have contributed to a South Dakota tower’s collapse
A guyed tower in Mitchell, SD collapsed on Monday on West Havens Ave. due to severe winter weather conditions, but a corroded anchor rod may have contributed to the structure’s failure. The anchor shaft on one of the tower’s outer foundations separated from its deadman foundation due to severe corrosion, according to an individual knowledgeable about the collapse. Following the anchor …
Report: 5G growth won’t be introduced as quickly as 4G networks
If you’re looking to cash in on increased contractor opportunities that will become available as America moves towards a still undefined 5G network, seen as the mobile interface on which the network of the 2020’s and 2030’s will be based, you might have to reevaluate your business plan, according to a new market data forecast released by ABI Research. Research …
After two years of sparring, KSMQ settles tower collapse claim
When KSMQ-TV’s tower collapsed on Sept. 5, 2012 in Austin, Minn. during a severe wind and rain storm, the public television station turned to their insurance carrier to assist them in covering their anticipated cost of $620,000 to replace their 444-foot tall guyed tower. Then The Hanover Insurance Group threw them a curve ball, stating that they weren’t going to …
New year will usher in eased FAA lighting failure reporting requirements
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), through coordination with the FCC and other federal stakeholders, expects by mid-January 2015 to streamline the online process for submitting Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) to alert pilots to tower lighting outages. The FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau issued an advisory earlier this week announcing the FAA’s new process which will permit tower owners to individually select …
Wind speed tower ruling in Oklahoma sets new lighting standards
The Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission (OAC) has adopted emergency rules designed to protect low-flying aircraft from towers over 50’ in height used to measure and record wind speed. The new lamping law requires companies who erect wind speed measurement towers to mark them according to the Commission’s rules. It is presumed that it would also include all of the State’s meteorological …
Analyst accuses American Tower of possible fraud as Wall Street falls in love with SBA
Update: July 18, 2013 – American Tower Corporation President and CEO James Taiclet, Jr. told CNBC Mad Money’s Jim Cramer last night that he wanted to set the record straight, stating that the Muddy Waters report writer didn’t fully understand the way in which the company funded its Brazilian transaction and they filed a report with the SEC identifying that the …
