Reflecting its unwavering championing of safety protocols, Black & Veatch proudly announces it has received the Michigan Voluntary Protection Program in Construction (MVPPC) STAR Award – the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (MIOSHA) highest honor involving workplace safety. The award, open to all Michigan employers, recognizes companies determined to be the “best of the best” in demonstrating exemplary safety …
World Tower facilities demolished by tornado as neighbor Drake Lighting is mostly spared
President Joe Biden visited Mayfield, KY today, a town that was rendered unrecognizable after tornadoes brought death and destruction to the area over the weekend. Residents affected by the tragic event called for funds for recovery. During a press conference Biden pledged that federal aid would continue to flow and said that the damage was the worst that he had …
Unless you are a tower tech, T-Mobile wants to ensure that no employee is left behind
Commentary – T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert received a round of thanks from his employees and future job applicants when he announced on Friday, “Every single employee at T-Mobile, even our newest team members just starting to build their skill base, should have a competitive wage. So, we have decided to implement a nationwide minimum pay at T-Mobile of at least …
RF signage placement row heads to NJ court after landlord refuses T-Mobile site access
After a 24-year contractual relationship with a Brunswick, NJ building owner, T-Mobile Northeast LLC says in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey that 390 George Street Associates refuses to allow the carrier to perform modifications that are allowed in their lease and is prohibiting T-Mobile access to their rooftop equipment. In their complaint, T-Mobile requests …
Senate confirms FCC Chair Rosenworcel to a new term, the first woman to lead the agency
The U.S. Senate yesterday confirmed Jessica Rosenworcel in a 68-31 vote as the first appointed female chairperson of the FCC. Rosenworcel had been acting chairperson since January. Tuesday’s action means the FCC narrowly avoided a Republican majority, which could have happened if Rosenworcel’s current term was allowed to expire at the end of the year. “It is a tremendous honor …
24-year-old Nevada tower tech passes after a 140-foot fall in Washington — 2nd fatality in 3 weeks
Wireless Estimator has confirmed that a 24-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada tower technician, whose goal was to excel in his new career, has passed away after falling from a communications tower in Arlington, WA on Saturday afternoon at about 1:30 p.m. Michael Vasquez was a Broken Arrow Communications (Bacom) crew member working on an installation on a Crown Castle monopole when …
Foolish draft petition has a carrier telling NATE to ‘Shut up!’ and the matrix pricing problems will be resolved
Commentary — One carrier’s well-thought-out solution to NATE’s concern regarding untenable contractor matrix pricing that is crippling the nation’s wireless workforce can be capsuled in two words: ‘Shut Up!’ There are no legitimate arguments that matrix or model pricing shouldn’t be used in wireless construction unless it’s a project that requires different disciplines or presents unique labor or material-intensive requirements outside of …
OSHA will be inspecting a dissolved air conditioning company when investigating a Texas tower tech’s death
OSHA has identified the contractor they are investigating following the death of a Texas tower technician, Steven Rankin, 53, after falling from a tower on November 17 in Garrison, TX, as reported yesterday by Wireless Estimator. The inspection information released this morning states that Weiman Air Condition & Electrical, Inc. was the contractor that was managing the Verizon installation project …
A 1099 crew’s 53-year-old tower technician falls to his death from a Verizon tower in Texas
UPDATE: December 2, 2021 — OSHA has released the contractor’s name that the agency will be investigating. Wireless Estimator has been able to confirm today the death of a 53-year-old tower technician in Garrison, TX on November 17. The fatality came to light when tower technician Chris Sanders posted on a Facebook group: Sad day on the tower today! He …
Appeals court provides a holiday present to contractors, telling OSHA to stand down on its COVID mandate
OSHA is temporarily suspending enforcement of the Biden administration’s private sector COVID-19 vaccine mandate that would have had companies with over 100 employees comply with the new vaccine mandate rule, although tower crews could be exempt. Yesterday’s announcement comes after the Fifth Circuit U.S. Courts of Appeals in New Orleans twice ordered implementation of the mandate halted, citing “grave” constitutional …
Actor, comedian, entertainer Rob Riggle to deliver comic relief at NATE UNITE 2022
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association announced today that famed actor/comedian/writer/producer/director Rob Riggle will deliver the keynote address at the NATE UNITE 2022 Conference in Las Vegas. NATE UNITE 2022 will take place February 21-24, 2022 at Caesars Forum. NATE UNITE is widely regarded as the premier and most comprehensive education event in the communications infrastructure industry. Riggle is scheduled …
Ohio Lt. Governor Husted announces that NATE-developed TTT-I curriculum to be offered at three schools
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association participated today in a Telecommunications Tower Technician I (TTT-I) program launch announcement event at North Central State College in Mansfield, Ohio. The workforce event, hosted by Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, included a celebrated announcement that TTT-I pilot programs will be established at three Ohio schools: Hocking College …
American Tower makes mammoth $10.1 billion deal to buy data giant CoreSite Realty
American Tower Corporation and CoreSite Realty Corporation today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement through which American Tower will acquire CoreSite for $170.00 per share in cash. The total consideration for the transaction, including the assumption and/or repayment of CoreSite’s existing debt at closing, is approximately $10.1 billion. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the boards …
Four trailblazing pioneers inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame
A trailblazing class of pioneers was inducted into the prestigious Wireless Hall of Fame Thursday night. The event, hosted by the Wireless History Foundation (WHF), a nonprofit organization that has honored the hall of fame members for the past decade, celebrated Pat Riordan, Mark Crosby, Jim Tracy and Ari Fitzgerald. “We were so happy to highlight the accomplishments of the Hall of …
Lindsey Graham is leading the charge to remove Gigi Sohn’s FCC nomination for Commissioner
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee is holding a nomination hearing to examine the nomination of FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel (D), but it appears that Republicans have been initially successful in blocking President Joe Biden’s other FCC Commissioner nominee, Gigi Sohn (D), who will not appear with Rosenworcel, according to the committee’s agenda. GOP committee members, Sen. Roger Wicker …
Inflation delivers another gut punch to wireless contractors as it reaches a 31-year high
Consumer prices surged at the fastest pace in more than three decades in October as fuel costs accelerated, supply chains remained under pressure and construction materials and steel prices moved higher — bad news for economic policymakers at the Federal Reserve and for the Biden White House. Even worse news for wireless contractors who are locked into Tier 1 companies’ …
Another great way to support Veterans every day is to reach out and hire one
Veterans Day every November 11th honors all Americans who have served our country in war or peace. It is a day set aside to thank the living veterans for their service and sacrifice made to a grateful nation. It is a day of remembrance with parades, services, ceremonies, and most of all to honor all those who have served our …
It was anticipated, but now there’s proof that NWSA Certification dramatically reduces safety incidents
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that due to the collaboration of all sectors of the telecommunications industry, there has been a dramatic three-to-one decrease in tower crew-related safety issues and accidents when NWSA trade certified technicians are present on jobsites. This major safety improvement is the result of countless hours donated by volunteers representing the broadest-ever consortium …
Pelosi’s on again, off again historic infrastructure bill passes with NATE and WIA applauding broadband funding
After months of frustrating attempts to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, Speaker Nancy Pelosi finally achieved success with the support of 13 Republican House members on Friday night. The bill, which received 19 GOP votes in the Senate, was dissociated from the broader social spending package known as Build Back Better “Tonight, we took a monumental step forward as a …
Tower crews in companies with over 100 employees could be exempt in OSHA’s new vaccine mandate rule
Update: November 6, 2021 – A federal appeals court in Louisiana has blocked President Biden’s latest COVID-19 vaccination mandate, giving the government until Monday afternoon to submit a response. An emergency stay, issued Saturday from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, prevents the White House from requiring all full and part-time workers at private-sector companies with …
