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A Dish carrier network could set the table for higher contractor margins

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Dish Network might play the pivotal role in the Department of Justice’s approval of the proposed T-Mobile/Sprint merger after The Wall Street Journal reported that Dish is the lead bidder on the spectrum T-Mobile and Sprint are divesting in their bid of winning regulatory approval for their merger valued at $26.5 billion. Charlie Ergen, who controls Dish, has approximately $10 …

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Friday’s ham radio climber’s death is a stark reminder of dangers present this weekend during Field Day

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Field Day is ham radio operators’ open house as approximately 40,000 amateur radio operators throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places this weekend to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill, and service to the nation’s communities. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills. It also can be deadly. In 2009, while installing an …

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5G’s future could literally be full of hot air…and drones leads Fast Forward Friday articles

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Article Media 5G’s Future Could Literally Be Full of Hot Air… And Drones LightReading Verizon competing with telecom company to replace Chico water tower Enterprise-Record New network for first responders raises concern among media The Washington Post FCC Chairman cautions India, says 5G can impact national security Inc42 Senators debut bill to boost broadband map accuracy MeriTalk Maine bill to …

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Tower Infrastructure Deployment bill introduced by Representatives Walberg and Clarke

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Update: June 14, 2019 –  Commenting on the bill he co-sponsored with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke to establish a Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council, Congressman Tim Walberg said in a statement today, “As the telecom industry deploys next generation technologies, there are tens of thousands of good-paying, highly-skilled jobs but nobody to fill them. Developing a skilled workforce needs to be …

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Dems don’t want T-Mobile/Sprint merger, 10 States Attorney Generals state in lawsuit

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Late last month Moffett Nathanson Research analysts set the odds of the T-Mobile/Sprint merger going through at 50/50. Today, it’s likely that the smart money is on the $26.5 billion mega deal failing after a lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan by a group of state attorneys general seeking to block the marriage of the third and …

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TIRAP elects new leadership with American Tower’s Paul Roberts at the helm

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) announced that Paul Roberts, Vice President, Compliance, American Tower Corporation, was elected to serve as Chairperson of WIA’s Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) Executive Board. A new slate of officers was also elected. Other newly elected officers include: Vice Chairperson, Beau Aero, President and Founder, GME Supply Co.; Chairperson Emeritus, David Sams, Vice President …

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New inductees profiled in ‘Tower Climbers Hall of Shame’

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Facebook pages provide an uncensored opportunity for stupidity June 5, 2019 – For over a dozen years Wireless Estimator has highlighted some of the most egregious tower climber safety infractions in its Tower Climbers Hall of Shame. Almost daily you could view violations on Facebook. Thankfully, most Facebook group moderators took the high road and now delete troubling photos. But …

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Bureaucracy is hindering implementation of TIRAP program, Tilson chief tells legislators

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

In a hearing before the House subcommittee on Innovation and Workforce Development Tuesday, one of the nation’s largest telecommunications contractor’s CEO informed its members that the advancement of the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) was burdened by state and federal conflicts and that 5G’s deployment is going to be delayed by a number of years due to the shortage …

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FCC names winners who spent $2.7 billion in millimeter wave auctions

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The FCC has released the names of companies (see full list of Auction 101 and Auction 102 below) that won licenses in the recently completed auction of spectrum suitable for 5G deployments in the 24 GHz and 28 GHz millimeter wave bands. In the $2.7 billion raised, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Windstream, Starry and U.S. Cellular were the big winners. Each …

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Callous disregard for tower lighting regs could result in a $25K-plus fine

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

A Long Island, NY tower owner is expected to face several fines for violations observed by an FCC investigator of Merdarler Enterprises’ Lake Butler, Fla. tower. The FCC issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) on May 20, 2019 for an obstruction lighting violation claiming that on May 7, 2019 the FCC’s Miami enforcement bureau received information indicating that none of …

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Tornadoes kayo at least three cell towers in the past weeks

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

After an almost two-week streak of tornadoes and record flooding, where individuals lost their homes and businesses, it’s almost a non-story that a few cell towers collapsed, considering that there were no injuries and the structures will be quickly rebuilt by well-funded carriers and towercos. Displaced homeowners and proprietors will not be accorded that benefit. There were multiple self-supporting structures …

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InSite’s Weisman elected WIA Chairman; new slate of officers named to WIA Board of Directors

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA)  has announced that David Weisman, President and Chief Executive Officer, InSite Wireless Group, LLC, was elected to serve as Chairman of WIA’s Board of Directors. A new slate of officers was also elected. Additional officers are: Vice Chairman: Jeffrey A. Stoops; President and Chief Executive Officer; SBA Communications Corporation; Secretary: Jay A. Brown, President and Chief Executive …

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May’s total: two toppled broadcast towers due to clipped guy wires

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

ELK-AM in Elko, Nevada is off the air after its tower collapsed into a parking lot of a restaurant damaging several cars last night. No one was injured. The 198-foot tower, located behind the station, fell after a semi-truck hit a supporting guy wire. It could be several days before the station is back on the air. No injuries were reported. …

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American Tower picks up 5,500 African market towers for $1.85 billion

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American Tower Corporation today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Eaton Towers Holding Limited, which owns and operates approximately 5,500 communications sites across five African markets. As a result of the transaction, the company also expects to accelerate new build activity across the region due to expanded relationships with multiple key tenants. The total consideration …

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Commissioner Starks disses broadband report as ‘fundamentally at odds with reality”

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

After the FCC revealed its 2019 broadband deployment report yesterday, identifying a healthy accounting that the digital divide has closed by more than 18% from the end of 2016 through 2017, Commissioner Geoffrey Starks called the report “fundamentally at odds with reality,” citing an embarrassing error in the development of the report itself. Starks said the fundamental disconnect between the report …

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Sprint lights up mobile 5G in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Kansas City

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Some of Sprint’s customers today are among the first in the world to experience the power and performance of true mobile 5G with the largest initial 5G coverage footprint in the U.S. The next generation of wireless service is now here, delivering blazing-fast download speeds in areas of Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Kansas City. In the coming weeks, Sprint also expects …

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Services set for tall tower technician Kevin Wright of Indiana who passed away last week

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Services have been announced for Kevin D. Wright of Evansville, Indiana, who passed away on May 22, 2019 after falling from a tower in Polk County, Iowa while performing restoration services for KDSM FOX as an employee of Precision Communications, Inc. of Grove, Oklahoma. Kevin was born in Randolph County, Indiana on October 23, 1971, to David H. and Sandra (Arnold) …

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‘Catastrophic’ repair ends in death for tower tech who fell 1,000 feet

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

A 47-year-old tall tower technician died this morning after falling approximately 1,000 feet from the KDSM FOX tower near Alleman in Polk County, Iowa. The worker was employed by Precision Communications, Inc. of Grove, Oklahoma. Wireless Estimator will release the tech’s name after family members have been notified. According to Lt. Heath Osberg of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, two …

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Tower Family Foundation appoints Willie Goldman to its Endowment Committee

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The Tower Family Foundation announced today that Willie Goldman, Southeastern Regional Business Development Manager for Drake Lighting, LLC, has been appointed to serve on the Foundation’s Endowment Committee. The Tower Family Foundation made the announcement at the Connect (X) 2019 Conference that is taking place this week in Orlando, Fla. “The Tower Family Foundation is excited to continue to expand our …