A circuit court of appeals dealt a severe blow to the Federal Communications Commission when it ruled today that the agency could not preempt state laws that restrict the growth of municipal broadband networks. In February 2015, the FCC voted to block laws in North Carolina and Tennessee that prevent municipal broadband providers from expanding outside their service areas. Chairman Tom …
Amended colocation agreement lessens historic preservation reviews and speeds up 5G
The Federal Communications Commission took another significant step to facilitate the deployment of infrastructure critical to ensuring American leadership on next-generation wireless service, or 5G. Building on previous infrastructure reforms, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau signed an agreement to eliminate historic preservation review for small facility deployments across the U.S. that do not adversely impact historic sites and locations. The agreement …
Tower tech who was shot by his co-worker passes away in San Antonio
Update: August 11, 2016 – A memorial service for Brandon Cartwright will be held on Tuesday, August 16 at 10:30 a.m. at Northeastern Junior College, Sterling, CO. An altercation between two tower tech co-workers on July 28 in San Antonio, Tex. sent one of the men to University Hospital after he was shot in the chest and the other to jail where he’s …
A long overdue game-changing tower safety standard is finalized
The long-awaited game-changing ANSI standard, A10.48-2016 – heralded as being the first comprehensive standard encompassing the entire wireless construction, service and maintenance industry, and clearly living up to its expectations – has been finalized, according to the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) and other individuals knowledgeable of its completion. The 107-page standard, although currently not available for purchase, is …
One ‘tower treasure’ found by a landowner is worth at least a quarter million dollars
Tower techs frequently talk about ‘tower treasures’ that they find at a cell site left by previous crews, from hand tools to rigging blocks, and a host of other equipment. But it’s rare for a homeowner to discover that someone had built a multi-tenant tower designed for someone else and left it installed on his property, while another property owner benefited …
Safety alliance continues efforts to launch tower tech certification programs in December
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) convened its 28-member Board of Governors today in Pittsburgh, Pa. to discuss key action items and activities related to the organization’s worker certification program development process. The NWSA Board of Governors consists of representatives from a broad cross-section of the industry and are tasked with developing policy and overseeing the activities of the various …
Alaska’s contractors could feel the pinch of GCI’s capex belt tightening
Alaska’s General Communication, Inc. (GCI) announced yesterday that its deal to sell approximately 275 urban wireless towers and rooftop sites to Florida-based towerco Vertical Bridge closed Monday, providing the company with approximately $90 million in the transaction that was announced in May. The largest Alaska-based and operated, integrated telecommunications provider, however, also announced some unsettling news to its vendors and …
A large chunk of capital will help InSite expand its national presence
InSite Wireless Group, LLC (InSite) today announced that Macquarie Infrastructure Partners III (“MIP III”)—as part of an initial investment of approximately $280 million—has acquired a 42.5% equity interest in the company from Catalyst Investors II, L.P. and other minority investors. MIP III has also committed to additional future investments to promote InSite’s continued growth. InSite owns, operates, and manages wireless …
American Tower’s chief says pressures to lower their tenant rates aren’t working
During American Tower Corporation’s second quarter earnings analysts’ call yesterday, President and CEO James Taiclet fielded questions regarding whether the company might need to reduce its carriers’ tenancy rates. Taiclet said, no. Answering Barclays analyst Amir Rozwadowski’s question regarding concerns about future lease escalator rates, with some carriers expressing “some consternation about how the compounding growth outlook of that cost …
Successful 300-foot heat exhaustion rescue performed by tower tech’s co-worker
Update: July 27, 2016 – According to crew leader Harold Finley, the tower tech that was rescued this afternoon, about 2:30 p.m., was 24-year-old tower climber Terry Thompson who had a number of years of experience in the industry. His rescuer was Bernard Holly. In a news report, Finley said, “All the Glory goes to God.” According to the FCC’s database, the …
The sky doesn’t appear to be ready to fall upon tower company stocks anytime soon
Almost four months ago, a well-respected telecom financial analyst downgraded the public tower companies, later citing that she believed that a couple of the major carriers may be trying to bypass the major towercos – or at least presenting that posture so that they could control rising rent escalators. In a March 4 statement, Wells Fargo senior analyst Jennifer Fritzsche …
Tower tech is rescued after a fall from a Georgia monopole
Update: July 26, 2016 – According to crew lead Moses Wright, in a Facebook post this morning, his co-worker on a three-man crew is “alive and well”. Wright said, “It was a 20-30 foot drop and he was stopped by landing on top of our co-worker. We are not sure at this time why his safety grab didn’t grab. We …
New FAA rules will require some 50-to-200-foot towers to be marked
Last December, the FAA established new obstruction lighting and marking rules, and Wireless Estimator developed a handy industry reference tool that breaks down and easily explains the 90-page document’s changes from the previous advisory circular. However, the most current regulations will likely be changed again by the FAA within the next year when certain towers, in the 50-to-200-foot in height …
Trump took a special interest in a contractor’s rooftop telecom mounting frame lift
When Donald Trump’s older daughter, Ivanka, introduced him at the Republican National Convention last night, she highlighted that his success in developing properties partly came from his deep-seated desire to receive worker feedback. “Billionaire executives don’t usually ask the people doing the work for their opinions of the work,” said Ivanka. “And typically money moguls don’t take an interest in …
New York county fire official is killed while at tower site doing maintenance
The top fire official in Tioga County, N.Y was killed yesterday when a county pickup truck struck him while backing up, according to the county’s sheriff’s department. Tioga County Fire Coordinator John Scott, 71, of Campville, was one of several employees who were performing maintenance at a county radio tower on Carmichael Rd. in the Town of Owego when he …
TIRAP encourages ongoing safety training with new video on standards for tower work
Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) Board Chairman Scott Kisting today announced the availability of a new video aimed at raising awareness of the critical role standards play in the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure throughout the United States. Because the responsibility for understanding and following task-specific standards is the responsibility of the companies and the professionals doing the work, it …
Tower owner Digital Bridge spreads its wings with a major data center acquisition
Digital Bridge Holdings announced today the acquisition of DataBank, Ltd., a leading North American provider of enterprise-class data center solutions including colocation, managed services, as well as cloud and network services. Digital Bridge has partnered with Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America, Allstate Investments and The Edgewater Funds in the acquisition. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. …
Trade groups and carriers are overwhelmingly pleased with the FCC’s Spectrum Frontiers
A glut of press statements were released this afternoon from carriers and trade groups, heartily endorsing the FCC’s adoption of new rules for wireless broadband operations in frequencies above 24 GHz, setting the U.S. as the first country in the world to make this spectrum available for next generation wireless services. Applauding the 5G Spectrum Frontiers vote were: National Association of …
FCC’s new sweeping Spectrum Frontier rules will open up 11 GHz of spectrum
The FCC today adopted new rules for wireless broadband operations in frequencies above 24 GHz, making the United States the first country in the world to make this spectrum available for next generation wireless services. Building on the successful, flexible approach to spectrum policy that enabled the explosion of 4G (LTE), these rules set a strong foundation for the rapid …
As AT&T experiments with flying COWs they’re currently inspecting towers with drones
By John Donovan Chief Strategy Officer and Group President – AT&T Technology and Operations Imagine you’re at a concert watching your favorite band, and out of the corner of your eye you notice a tethered drone hovering nearby. But this drone isn’t taking photos or videos of the band. It’s temporarily providing enhanced LTE wireless coverage at the packed venue …
