Tower technicians are undeniably the indispensable linchpins that keep America’s communications networks operating. Without them, everything falls apart, and NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association has released a new, animated whiteboard video that details the truly prominent role they perform in building out and maintaining the country’s wireless networks – from 1G to 5G and beyond. The tribute to the …
Placing pipe bombs at AT&T and Verizon locations could result in a ‘life’ sentence for Michigan man
A Whittemore, Michigan man might spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty yesterday to two separate criminal cases related to the placement of explosive packages outside cellphone stores in Cheboygan and Sault Ste Marie and threatening to destroy cell sites. John Douglas Allen pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Thomas Ludington in Bay City, Michigan. …
South Carolina sheriffs arrest alleged cell site copper thief moments before his haul is recycled
A Sumter, SC man was arrested on July 11, 2022, during a traffic stop, Sumpter County Sherriff’s Office (SCSO) officials said in a statement this morning. Trent Martin was detained because the vehicle he was driving matched the description of a vehicle caught on camera in connection to a theft from a Farmers Telephone Company (FTC) cell site earlier in …
After dozens of FCC staffers provide the goods for a $116 million fine, robocaller will likely not pay a dime
Thomas Dorsher, the CEO of Fargo, ND DigiGames, a manufacturer and software developer of TV games for professionals and event planners that oftentimes used phones to play live trivia games at events, was most likely concerned about scathing reviews from Trustpilot and Yelp that castigated his products and services. However, he didn’t appear to be troubled about possible FCC action …
In an early morning fire, a Crown Castle tower gets ‘lit up like a Christmas tree’
A 162-foot self-supporting multi-tenant cell tower became engulfed in flames early this morning in Seattle, WA near the busy intersection of I-90 and I-5 south of downtown in the International District. According to Seattle Fire Department Chief Geoff Wall, the fire that was reported at 3:00 a.m. was in one place on the tower when firefighters arrived but then changed …
Majority interest in 40K of Deutsche Telekom’s towers acquired by DigitalBridge and Brookfield
DigitalBridge Group, Inc. announced this morning that together with Brookfield Infrastructure and its institutional partners the companies have reached an agreement to acquire a 51% ownership stake in Deutsche Telekom-owned GD Towers. The transaction values GD $17.5 billion, including the assumption of net debt. GD Towers is Germany’s largest tower company, owning and operating over 33,000 towers and communication sites in …
Monopole torched on Friday has California deputies arrest a suspect the following day
A 44-year-old California man with previous arrests for arson was jailed for allegedly setting fire to a cell tower on Friday, July 8, 2022. According to the Kings County, CA Sheriff’s Office, at 8:20 a.m. deputies were dispatched to Stratford Elementary School after it was reported the cell tower at this location was on fire. Kings County Fire Department was …
Florida and Iowa have just six days left to capture at least $100 million in broadband funding
Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that only two states have not signed on to participate in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All initiative, which will invest $45 billion to provide affordable, reliable high-speed internet for everyone in America by the end of the decade. Since NTIA announced the initiative, except for Florida …
Rogers’ embarrassing outage prompts industry minister to demand changes within 60 days
Canadian Industry Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Francois-Philippe Champagne yesterday said he has directed carriers to assist each other in emergencies and develop communication protocols to keep people better informed after Rogers Communications’ massive outage on Friday that affected millions of subscribes. “So, in essence, what I’ve demanded and expect the telecom companies in Canada is to enter to …
Stonepeak carves out a 29% interest in American Tower’s U.S. data center business for $2.5 billion
American Tower Corporation and Stonepeak, a leading alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure and real assets, today announced that Stonepeak, on behalf of certain affiliated investment vehicles, will acquire an ownership interest of approximately 29% in American Tower’s U.S. data center business as part of a new long-term strategic partnership. The partnership will be realized through an investment in common …
Alabama tower collapse ends a tower tech’s life, leaving behind his wife and five children
A 36-year-old tower technician and father of five who worked for the Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) died Wednesday afternoon in a “tragic accident,” the agency said yesterday. Communications technician Brett Savage with the AFC and a resident of Deatsville, in Elmore County, was killed instantly when the communications tower he was helping a crew remove collapsed in Washington County, the …
With hundreds in head count, VIKOR expands company with acquisition of Pathwave’s construction division
Over the past few years, South Dakota-based VIKOR has expanded its geographic footprint to nine offices in the U.S. and offers services to more than half of the United States. With the acquisition of the construction division from Pathwave, Inc. announced this week, VIKOR’s team has increased to more than 235 employees. In addition to construction, Pathwave, Inc. provides a …
A reverse stock split is oftentimes cautionary, but DigitalBridge Group says it’s all part of the grand plan
A reverse stock split oftentimes signals that a company is trying to stay listed on major exchanges, such as the New York Stock Exchange, where a company’s shares are required to not trade below $1 for 30 consecutive days. NYSE-traded DigitalBridge Group announced yesterday that within the next three months the company expects to have a reverse stock split in …
NATE’s UAS expo has its first successful flight over Valmont’s corporate headquarters in Nebraska
As a result of years in the making, the inaugural NATE UAS Expo hosted by Valmont in Valley, Nebraska, last week took to the air. It was a huge success, according to almost 200 people who attended the event. “At the NATE UAS Committee and TIA Drones Ad Hoc meetings, we’ve been talking about the accuracy, safety, and future use …
Tentative deal has AT&T’s union workers getting a 15% wage increase and CPI adjustments with new contract
After six months of negotiations, wireless workers at AT&T have reached a tentative contract agreement that raises base wages, includes adjustments for inflation, limits mandatory overtime, curtails the outsourcing of jobs to third-party authorized retailers, and adds privacy protections for call center representatives who are working from home. The proposed new four-year contract covers technicians, call center customer support workers, …
Tower painter runs afoul of Maryland residents and businesses being showered with lead paint chips
For almost three weeks, a Nebraska painting contractor was prepping a 997-foot guyed tower in Woodberry, MD, to be repainted by either pressure washing or grinding off existing layers of paint on the structure, according to residents. In the process, paint chips, some as large as a palm of a hand, have rained down from the candelabra structure on residential …
New New York broadband map sports a high 78% coverage
The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) has released a first-of-its-kind, interactive broadband map to provide the most detailed depiction of broadband infrastructure in New York to date. The map, available here, along with an accompanying report, is the result of months of field assessments conducted by the Commission in the state’s most remote areas, covering more than 80,000 …
D.C. Circuit will not reverse FCC’s ruling that Dish controlled AWS-3 spectrum bidders
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has ruled in favor of the FCC that two companies aligned with Dish Network were ineligible to receive $3.3 billion in bidding credits available to small businesses in the 2014 AWS-3 spectrum auction. Northstar Wireless and SNR Wireless were established by Dish as designated entities (DEs) which entitled them to $3.4 …
Towerco stocks tank as Communication Services Sector declines 33% and REIT Index shaves 23%
Towerco stocks notched a slight increase on Friday, but they’re still way off their 52-week highs. All four of the publicly traded companies saw significant declines beginning in December 2021, with considerable losses last week. DigitalBridge Group is down a reeling 45%, while Crown Castle Int. Corp. declined 26%, and SBA Communications Corp. saw a 25% drop. American Tower Corp. …
After decades of leadership, SBA’s Bagwell and Hunt are retiring, Cane and Koenig to succeed them
SBA Communications Corporation (SBA) today announced that Kurt L. Bagwell, Executive Vice President and President – International, and Thomas P. Hunt, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, will retire from their current titles and roles effective January 1, 2023. Succeeding Bagwell and Hunt will be two long-time SBA officers and industry veterans. Richard Cane, currently Senior Vice …
