Wireless turfing contractor Goodman Networks Inc. has agreed to pay $2 million to former construction managers who claimed the company stiffed them on overtime pay after misclassifying them as exempt employees, according to a settlement statement obtained by Wireless Estimator that was filed in Texas federal court on Sept. 6. The matter was litigated for two years, required numerous depositions …
FCC chief says the path to 5G has challenges and millions of antennas
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler looked at the past, yesterday at CTIA 21016, to give a vision of the future, while also asking, “What do we need to do seize the 5G opportunity?”. One key requirement, according to Wheeler, would be to get local officials in municipalities to agree to the installation of 5G equipment to support the higher speeds that …
Sprint’s small cell delays may be worse than the industry thinks
By Ken Schmidt Sprint and Mobilitie’s innovative plan to build mini-macros Back in June of this year, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) ran a story about Sprint’s use of “sidewalk utility poles” as a core element of their efforts to improve the Sprint network while reducing ongoing network operating expenditures. The article suggested that Sprint may have been delaying network …
In Agile agreement, Indiana throws in additional assets to meet tower leasing shortfalls
Agile Networks announced today, along with Indiana Governor Mike Pence, that negotiations have been finalized on an agreement that will license the state of Indiana’s communications infrastructure to Agile. The Indiana Finance Authority board approved the agreement this morning, pending review by the state’s legislative budget committee. The deal will have Ohio-based Agile put up $50 million immediately to Indiana …
As FCC auction goes into second stage Sept. 13, NAB questions ‘spectrum crisis’
The Federal Communications Commission is moving to a second stage of the 600 MHz spectrum auction, and with a lower clearing target, after the most recent bidding by wireless carriers fell far short of the first-stage target goal of $88.4 billion, raising just $22.4 billion. The next round will begin on September 13 with the FCC setting a to-be-determined lower …
Free lanyards aren’t going to solve safety on monopoles after Lad-Saf sleeve recall and shortages
When Capital Safety/3M introduced their new vertical safety cable sleeve last March, the Lad-Saf X3, industry rumors circulated amongst some safety professionals and distributors that the use of legacy Lad-Saf sleeves could have resulted in a few serious injuries and deaths, either through product defects or misuse. But those could have been easily dismissed as anecdotal. In June, a number …
Climbers with original Lad-Saf cable sleeves warned to immediately stop using them
Capital Safety/3M announced a Stop Use and Recall/Replacement notice today for their original Lad-Saf sleeve after a limited number of incidents occurred involving a serious injury or death in the U.S. while tower climbers were using the sleeve. Although Capital Safety/3M said their review didn’t reveal product hazard or risk scenarios that would arise in the ordinary and proper use of …
FCC chief throws in the towel as his agency accepts municipal broadband defeat
The Federal Communications Commission will not appeal a ruling by the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appelas striking down its move to prevent states from blocking the expansion of broadband service offered by local governments. “The FCC will not seek further review of the Sixth Circuit’s decision on municipal broadband after determining that doing so would not be the best …
New TIA-322 standard will improve safety in tower planning and construction
On the heels of ANSI’s approval of ANSI/ASSE A10.48, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high tech communications networks, announced this morning that it will release a new standard to facilitate improved communication between engineers and contractors in order to help ensure a safe work environment when planning and assessing tower construction. …
In unique deal, CTI picks up 10 towers from Connoisseur Media for $4.1 million
Connecticut-based Connoisseur Media has announced that it struck a $4.1 million deal to sell a “package” of towers to Massachusetts-based CTI Towers. What may be an unusual deal was announced in an unconventional way along with the possibility of creative financing. In place of providing a joint press release announcing the agreement, Connoisseur CEO Jeff Warshaw copied a short article …
NATE responds to the ‘game changing’ ANSI/ASSE A10.48 Standard
On Aug. 3, 2016, Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the A10.48 Standard, Criteria for Safety Practices with the Construction, Demolition, Modification and Maintenance of Communications Structures, the first voluntary national consensus standard strictly dedicated to protecting workers in the communications tower industry. Although the standard has yet to be published, National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) Executive Director Todd Schlekeway, said …
FiberLight required to pay $17M to company that brokered Verizon network deals
A California U.S. District Court judge has awarded Telecom Asset Management (TAM) $17 million in commissions after a three day bench trial that it said it was due after securing approximately $420 million worth of Verizon contracts for telecom network provider FiberLight. Judge Susan Illston awarded TAM the money after settlement discussions failed last month. TAM claimed that beginning in …
FCC refuses to halt spectrum bidding for trade show attendance as the auction yawns on
The FCC has informed two rural carrier organizations that it will not slow down or suspend the broadcast spectrum incentive auction in September due to a conflict in trade show scheduling. The Rural Wireless Association (RWA) and NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association had petitioned the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau to provide breaks in the auction for RWA’s Rural Wireless Summit …
Drones will put tower techs out of a job within five years! Nonsense!
Commentary – If you believe an executive from drone services provider ETAK Systems, 29,000 tower climbers in America should start training for another avocation – immediately. Safety training companies should shutter their doors. Bye, bye Exofit. OSHA, eighty-six any new regulations. And TIRAP, NWSA and NATE, it’s been nice knowing you. In a news article in RCR Wireless News, ETAK Systems …
Wives of murdered tower techs sue the Coast Guard for wrongful death
The wives of two Alaskan tower technicians who were gunned down by a co-worker filed a lawsuit against their husbands’ employer, the U.S. Coast Guard, stating that it should have been known that their spouses’ murderer, James Wells, “was a disgruntled and dangerous employee.” The August 5, 2016 complaint by Nicola Belisle and Deborah Hopkins, is seeking over $1 million …
Civil lawsuit filed against Verizon as the culprit for tower collapses
A Massachusetts tower owner says Verizon acted without due caution in adding equipment to their tower, causing it to collapse in 2014, and they are suing the carrier for $477,000. In reply to the complaint, Verizon said that the damages were caused by “an act of God, and were not in reason preventable by human foresight, strength or care.” North …
Hugely profitable state-wide tower deal most likely will never be bested
Hybrid fiber optic provider Agile Networks has a sweetheart deal with Ohio’s state officials that will make all tower companies blush with envy. The Department of Administrative Services authorized Agile to sublease space on up to 82 state-owned communication towers that form part of the state’s Multi-Agency Radio Communications System. And with just one tenant on them such as T-Mobile …
Court strips the FCC of its power to preempt state laws
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 …
