For 13 years, Wireless Estimator has been compiling data on industry-related fatalities, and presented that information last month to a dozen public and private safety professionals for analysis to see if there are any common threads that could be explored to reduce tower climber deaths. The only commonality, however, was that although there were 116 fatality incidents since 2003, assigning any significance based upon …
Confounding clearing cost of $86,433,558,704 reached in spectrum auction
An unexpectedly high clearing cost of $86,422,558,704 was reached in the first reverse stage of the TV spectrum incentive auction that has concluded, according to the Federal Communications Commission’s Incentive Auction Dashboard. Analysts were expecting between $35 billion to $60 billion. The next stage is the forward auction that will be for the wireless industry bidders to cover that amount, …
Thousands of dropped calls couldn’t compete with 1976’s GOP fiasco
All of the major carriers are boosting their networks ahead of the Republican national convention to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, July 18-21, and the Democratic convention in Philadelphia, Pa. July 25-28 with increased DAS systems, better backhaul, additional Cells on Wheels and other measures to ensure coverage for the events. But no matter how spotty the coverage is in …
Tower workers compensated for heights and dangers while building the CN Tower
Canada celebrated Toronto’s iconic 1,815-foot CN Tower’s 40th birthday yesterday as many of the iron workers who built it, lots of them now in their seventies and eighties, possibly celebrated that they weren’t killed during construction due to what appeared to be limited use of personal fall protection. But many of them photographed without any harness on didn’t appear to …
After foundations rush in, Georgia tower tech will be finally laid to rest
Services will be held tomorrow, Friday, June 24, 2016, for Kenton Seales at 12:20 p.m. at the Life Church Christian Center at 1300 Old Covington Rd., Conyers, Ga. Seales, 36, passed away on June 11 when the company vehicle he was a passenger in crashed into another vehicle that was towing a semi-trailer on I-10 in Hudspeth County, Tex. After …
Some question whether wireless infrastructure will benefit from joint GSMA and CTIA show
Trade groups GSMA and CTIA are teaming up to bring a global event to San Francisco next year that will not rival the highest attended wireless ecosystem trade show in the world, Mobile World Congress, but will surely be a key event for North America. The new conference announcement is triggering conversation as to whether wireless infrastructure exhibitors and attendees …
TIRAP releases new job safety video exploring standards for tower work
Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) Board Chairman Scott Kisting today encouraged members of the wireless infrastructure industry to watch a new online video that focusses on the ANSI/TIA 1019-A standard for telecommunications towers. The ANSI/TIA 1019-A standard provides construction considerations and loading requirements for telecommunications structures under construction related to antenna supporting structures and antennas. The standard addresses the …
New drone regulations need clarification as the industry scratches its head
The Federal Aviation Administration made it a lot easier today for a lot of wireless infrastructure companies to operate drones for mapping, safety and other purposes by easing restrictions on commercial drone use with its long-awaited Part 107 ruling. However, because the tower infrastructure industry is unique with its structures going as high as 2,000 feet, the regulations need clarification …
Vertical Bridge uses 1,500 tower sites to close on $321 million in funding
Vertical Bridge, the largest private owner and manager of wireless communication infrastructure in the U.S., today announced it has closed on a $321 million asset-backed securities offering led by Deutsche Bank Securities and Barclays. The issuance, which is secured by more than 1,500 Vertical Bridge tower sites across the U.S., gives the company additional flexibility to continue its real estate …
FCC chief wants to quit studying 5G and roll it out now with spectrum trifecta
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced today his proposal for the FCC to free up a huge swath of airwaves for a new generation of faster wireless systems that could support remote surgery, guide cars, and control electricity grids. “And that’s damn important,” said Wheeler in his speech before the National Press Club which is available below, “because it …
How wireless development practices can be faster, smarter, better and more agile
By Guest Columnist Charlie Kennamer The wireless industry is experiencing a pace of change that is unprecedented in its history. These changes are putting increasing pressure on network providers to deliver wireless infrastructure that does not simply keep pace with customer demand, but provides a competitive advantage. The pressures on wireless providers are no secret: more and more devices that …
US Cellular gets a wrist slap for violating FCC environmental rules
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) notified United States Cellular Corporation (USCC) last Thursday that it had failed to comply with the Commission’s regulations regarding the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and other federal statutes when it constructed a tower in Harvey, Ill., and New Buffalo, Mich, in 2007 and 2008. The agency said the carrier did not file …
“Simply trying to make a living,” couple is arrested for cell site copper thefts
Bossier Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested a Texas couple in early April for stealing copper from cell phone tower sites in Bossier Parish, La., but the case continues as charges are pending from neighboring parishes, and detectives are working with five other counties in Okla. regarding the same crimes involving this duo. According to a department press release, Charles Krupnik, 51, …
A deceased Alabama tower technician’s family is struggling to bring him home
An Alabama tower technician was killed Saturday when the company vehicle he was a passenger in crashed into another vehicle that was towing a semi-trailer on I-10 in Hudspeth County, Tex. Adding to the tragedy, his family doesn’t have the funds to bring him home. Department of Public Safety officials said that 37-year-old Kenny Roach was driving on I-10 West …
Veteran tower climber, helping ham radio operators, succumbs after a fall in Arizona
Update: June 12, 2016 – Andrew Milton ‘Milt’ Jensen, 73, who died when he fell from a tower located on Mount Lemmon in Pima County, Ariz. on Thursday while volunteering his services to an amateur radio club, had been climbing professionally for a number of years and had safety training, according to a family member who announced services today that …
Safety and engineering icon Ernie Jones receives TIA’s first CEO Award
On Tuesday evening during the Telecommunications Industry Association’s VIP Dinner in Dallas, Tex., TIA CEO Scott Belcher presented the organization’s first TIA CEO Award to an industry leader who wasn’t in attendance, but was in the indelible and kind memories as well as the hearts of an overflow group of friends and associates who gave a long standing ovation to …
Sprint’s small cell deployment snags seen related to permitting difficulties
Sprint’s plans to deploy up to 70,000 small cells throughout the country have hit a number of permitting roadblocks, according to an article by Ryan Knutson of The Wall Street Journal published Tuesday that indicates that the Overland Park, Kan.-company is struggling to roll out its small cell densification network project. Sprint’s primary contractor for the turnkey installations is Mobilitie …
Dycom picks up Goodman Networks assets for $107.5 million
Dycom Industries, Inc. and Goodman Networks Incorporated have announced that they have entered into an agreement that will have Dycom acquiring certain assets from Goodman used in their current wireless network deployment and wireline businesses for approximately $107.5 million in cash. Both companies informed Wireless Estimator that they would not be identifying what those assets are, other than that the acquired …
Rescued tech is in a two-week coma as his employer and OSHA wait to see if it is work-related
UPDATE: June 2, 2016 – OSHA said today that they have thoroughly reviewed the incident that resulted in a 38-year-old Tennessee tower technician lapsing into a prolonged coma after being rescued two weeks ago off of a cell tower in Bethany, Mo., and have closed their investigation after finding that the incident was not work-related. OSHA Kansas City, Mo. Area …
The Glass Half Full: Rats live longer with cell phone RF radiation
After the preliminary findings of a $25 million National Toxicology Program (NTP) cell phone radiofrequency radiation study on rats were released last Thursday, conversationalists at Memorial Day picnics, whose endless knowledge base is fragilely built on headlines, most likely had their fellow guests wondering if they should hold their phone at arm’s length while texting their children at the other …
