Although the nation’s major tower owners present a public face of spirited friendly competition and collective initiatives to ensure worker safety, when it comes to protecting their interests it can be a no holds barred battle between them to keep their most valuable assets, their long-term leases. One clash got so nasty that the counter-complainant wanted a leasehold aggregator’s executives …
TSC Tower Specialists launches new EF&I division
TSC Tower Specialists has announced the expansion of their service offerings to include a new engineer, furnish and install division to complement their turnkey wireless services. TSC, founded in 2006, can now offer their clients quicker closeouts, ease of budgets, purchase and change orders and superior quality. With a team of over 40 cross-trained, certified engineers, the team can eliminate additional …
Founding members, exhibitors honored at NATE UNITE 2015
At the National Association of Tower Erectors’ annual convention in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. last week the organization recognized its 20-year founding members and exhibitors during the event’s most successful show which saw a record crowd of almost 1,700 attendees. Pictured at right, NATE Chairwoman Pat Cipov recognizes the trade group’s first single sheet newsletter, being held by Paul Light, …
Sarah Palin’s topics ran from ‘wimps’ to net neutrality at NATE confab
Former Governor of Alaska and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s keynote speech at NATE UNITE 2015 on Wednesday in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. provided a folksy and entertaining 36-minute reprieve from industry-related discussions that have highlighted what is being identified as the organization’s largest and most energized conference in the trade group’s 20-year history. As expected, Palin lampooned President Obama …
Oil painting brings in $10,000 for Tower Family Foundation at NATE auction
An original oil painting by award-winning artist Joanne Shellan from Seattle, WA, was auctioned off last night in spirited bidding that topped out at $10,000 at the Tower Family Foundation auction at NATE UNITE 2015 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The painting, entitled “Almost Home,” depicts a silhouetted tower climber descending the last section of a tower as the sun sets …
Doty, Reski honored at NATE’s largest conference in 20 years
The National Association of Tower Erectors today honored Don Doty, Vice President of Operations at Velocitel, Inc. in Cedar Hill, Tex. and Kevin Reski, President of Great Plains Towers in West Fargo, N.D., during the Founding Member Luncheon at NATE UNITE 2015 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The conference, which began yesterday, has topped attendance records for the premiere event …
NWSA is final component for issuance of national training certifications
Although it might be eight to 12 months or more before tower techs or foremen will be able to proudly show their training and skill-set certification card, an announcement today by the leadership of the Wireless Industry Safety Task Force identified that certification in the future will be a reality and will enhance tower safety, reduce workplace risk, improve quality, …
Former Verizon executive Mitrovich named PCIA Vice President
Jonathan Adelstein, President and CEO of PCIA – The Wireless Infrastructure Association announced that former Verizon executive Marissa Mitrovich will join the association as Vice President of Program Development. In this newly-created role, Mitrovich will lead PCIA’s new business activities and project initiatives, including training and education. “We are so fortunate to land an executive of Marissa’s caliber to direct …
Safety climb system failure seriously injures tower tech in 50-foot fall
A Kentucky tower climber who had been in an induced coma for the past 10 days had additional surgery yesterday, and this morning for the first time was able to talk, but he is unable to remember his traumatic fall off of an Ohio tower that required him to be airlifted to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown to be treated for …
Velocitel picks up FDH to expand its national footprint
Velocitel, Inc., a wireless network services company, has acquired the assets of FDH, an engineering and construction company. “This acquisition expands the footprint of Velocitel into new areas that are part of our growth strategy. FDH is one of the most respected engineering companies in the field, with a deep breadth of knowledge in civil and water, geotechnical, and structural …
Over 29,000 tower climbers identified in extensive wireless workforce survey
According to a comprehensive study released today by WirelessEstimator.com identifying how many wireless technicians routinely work on elevated structures in the course of their employment, the number of tower climbers has dramatically increased to over 29,000 workers, almost triple from the last available analysis undertaken in 2006 by Wireless Estimator which put the total of tower technicians at approximately 9,800. …
Crown is exploring sale of its Australian towers and settling in the US
Crown Castle International Corp. announced today that it plans to explore the potential sale of its Australian subsidiary (CCAL). “In light of recent unsolicited offers we have received for our interest in CCAL, we have determined that fully exploring the options available to us will ensure the best long-term results for our shareholders,” stated W. Ben Moreland, Crown Castle’s President …
Sarah Palin will certainly not liken climbers to caribou at NATE keynote
When former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks before trade groups she typically tailors part of her presentation to industry-specific concerns, and most likely will touch upon tower climber safety when she talks at the industry’s largest wireless infrastructure conference for contractors and suppliers on Feb. 25, 2015 at NATE UNITE 2015 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. There is also a possibility …
February 13 is the last day to register online for NATE UNITE 2015
Online registration for the National Association of Tower Erectors conference, NATE UNITE 2015, ends tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 13, 2015. But if you can’t register today and suffer from Paraskevidekatriaphobics – those afflicted with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th – don’t be alarmed, you can register on site for what could very well be the largest attended conference in …
ATC leads slightly over Crown with their $5 billion 11,324 Verizon tower deal
American Tower Corporation today announced that it has been the successful suitor in acquiring the rights to approximately 11,324 wireless communications towers and purchase approximately 165 additional towers from Verizon Communications, Inc. for $5.056 billion. Under the agreement, American Tower will have the exclusive right to lease and operate the Verizon towers for a weighted average term of approximately 28 …
“Mercedes” harness hits the market with Connect-It Wireless as its provider
Unless you’ve hung in a harness for hours, you’ll never appreciate how the key component of a personal fall arrest system can add discomfort to an already challenging job. However, FallTech believes that you deserve the most comfort while working aloft without compromising on versatility and rugged strength, and has introduced its FlowTech Tower Climber®, which is quickly being tagged by …
Pilot is killed after his aircraft crashes into a Lubbock, Tex. TV tower
A Texas physician is dead after he piloted his small aircraft into a TV tower’s guy wires as he approached an airport in West Texas, causing the 814-foot guyed tower to collapse in Lubbock, Tex. last night at about 7:25 p.m., according to authorities. Dr. Kenneth M. Rice was killed after his single-engine Piper PA-46 crashed into Raycom Media’s KCBD …
Terrible Mississippi tower marking amendment is killed in committee
Mississippi Speaker of the House Philip Gunn took the ice bucket challenge late last year, but it didn’t shake loose any logical reasons why he introduced legislation last month to require all communications towers in his state to be marked for aviation safety purposes if they were 50 feet high or taller, and were located outside of municipality boundaries. As …
Deadline to assist families of industry workers is January 31, 2015
The Tower Family Foundation announced today that the deadline for Foundation contributions to be designated and promoted as Founding Donor Status donations is a little less than 48 hours away. “The Tower Family Foundation is encouraging all companies and individuals to make a Founding Donor distinguished level donation prior to the Jan. 31, 2015 deadline,” stated Foundation President Jim Tracy from …
NIOSH issues report on tower collapses that killed two techs and a fire fighter
In a detailed summary by the National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH), the federal agency investigated the collapse that killed two tower technicians last year in West Virginia in addition to a volunteer fire fighter who died after two towers collapsed at the SBA Communications site. Although the focus of the report was to ensure that fire departments should …
