In 1972, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta began as the highlight of 770 KOB Radio’s 50th anniversary. It broadcast the 13-balloon event’s activities from its two-tower array. The annual event now features 1,000 balloons in the sky, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators who gather at landing sites all over the city. KOB, a 50,000-watt station, continued to benefit from …
NATE advocates for industry-specific adjustments to OSHA’s heat safety proposal
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it will accept public comments through Dec. 30, 2024, on its proposed rule issuing a heat injury and illness prevention standard for outdoor and indoor workplaces. According to NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, the rule would require employers to develop a heat injury and illness prevention plan and provide water, rest breaks, …
Better data, better quality: How drones are revolutionizing UScellular’s tower maintenance
By J. Sharpe Smith, Contributing Editor According to a speaker at a recent NATE conference, data provided by drones is helping carriers increase their quality control, and tower maintenance companies are getting a report card judging their work on the tower. “I’m a data person. I like to measure things, and we’ve had an amazing experience with drones,” said Brandi …
UScellular pleads its case before the FCC, stating if T-Mobile doesn’t acquire it, the future looks bleak
In a pivotal step toward finalizing T-Mobile’s acquisition of U.S. Cellular Corporation’s (UScellular) wireless assets, key representatives, including UScellular CEO Laurent C. Therivel, met with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officials last week in meetings to discuss the transaction’s implications and anticipated benefits. The discussions, aimed at securing FCC consent for the transfer of control of licenses and authorizations, were held …
Massachusetts cell site contractor faces prison for failing to pay over $1M in payroll taxes
Kenneth Marston, 67, a business owner from Kingston, Massachusetts, has pleaded guilty to willfully failing to collect, account for, and pay over payroll taxes owed by his companies, Bowmar Steel Industries Inc. and Teleconstructors Inc., located in Hanson. This plea comes after a multi-year investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation unit, following allegations that Marston deliberately withheld payroll tax payments …
Country’s second deadliest hurricane still has catastrophic cell service failures as Musk lends a hand
According to yesterday’s FCC outage reporting, large areas impacted by Hurricane Helene, particularly in Western North Carolina, remain without cell phone service. In counties like Buncombe, where Asheville is located, approximately 56% of cell sites are still down, mainly due to transport issues and power outages. The situation is even worse in neighboring counties such as Mitchell, where 90% of …
Southeast is still reeling from Helene’s impact: Lives lost, cell networks down
When Hurricane Helene swept through and inundated communities across the Southeast with flooding and destruction, many towns were in crisis mode, struggling to recover without one of the most critical lifelines: cell phone service. According to the FCC, over 2,500 cell sites were still out of service yesterday. Although this marked improvement from the September 28, 2024, outage report of …
Hurricane Helene wreaks havoc with broadcasters, forcing them off the air
As of yesterday, Hurricane Helene has damaged broadcast stations in a five-state area hit by the devastating Category 4 hurricane at landfall that has killed 128 people across six states. In Georgia, there are 2 TV stations out of service. FM radio stations are also off the air, including 1 in Florida. Georgia had an unheard-of number of storm management …
Vertical Bridge and Verizon seal a $3.3B deal for 6,339 towers, the largest buy in almost a decade
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and Vertical Bridge today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Vertical Bridge to obtain the exclusive rights to lease, operate and manage 6,339 wireless communications towers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. from subsidiaries of Verizon for approximately $3.3 billion, including certain commercial benefits. The transaction is structured as a …
Unprecedented outage: No hurricane has knocked out more cell sites than Category 4 Helene
Hurricane Helene has severely disrupted cell phone communications across the affected regions, particularly in Western North Carolina. The storm caused widespread power outages, flooding, and infrastructure damage, which led to the shutdown of numerous cell towers and fiber optic lines. As a result, large portions of the region were left without any cell service, cutting off communication for many residents. …
A Phoenix Rising: Catherine Piche soars back to Crown Castle in previous COO role as Kavanaugh retires
Crown Castle Inc. has announced the upcoming retirement of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer–Towers, Michael J. Kavanagh, effective October 28, 2024. Kavanagh, who has held various leadership roles during his 14-year tenure, will remain in an advisory capacity through the end of the year. Catherine Piche will take over as EVP and COO–Towers. Piche, who previously served as …
Lawsuit alleges Crown Castle tower skirts historic site rules, delays Las Vegas Huntridge Theater restoration
A lawsuit filed on September 20, 2024, in the Eighth Judicial District Court of Clark County, Nevada, by Brass Monkey, LLC, the owner of the 80-year-old Huntridge Theater, against Crown Castle Inc. and AT&T Wireless Services threatens to delay the long-anticipated renovation of the historic landmark in downtown Las Vegas. The lawsuit alleges that a cell tower at the back …
Cell tower evidence is convincing factor in denying bail for Ryan Routh in attempted Trump assassination
Ryan Routh, the would-be assassin who targeted former President Donald Trump, was tracked by authorities using cell tower data. This information revealed that Routh was surveilling the area and plotting the assassination, according to a document in support of detaining Routh until his trial. It convinced a federal judge today that Routh should be held without bail pending trial. The …
AT&T to reel in 107,000 pounds of lead cables from Lake Tahoe
AT&T has agreed to remove approximately 107,000 pounds of lead cables that have been submerged in Lake Tahoe for decades as part of a settlement announced last week. The decision follows a lawsuit filed by the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) in 2021, which claimed that the cables were leaching toxic lead into the lake, posing risks to the environment …
Dish Network pushes for an extended deadline on its 5G rollout
In a formal request submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), DISH Network’s Executive Vice President of External and Legislative Affairs, Jeffrey H. Blum, has sought an extension of the company’s deadline to complete its 5G wireless network buildout. This request follows a similar filing by EchoStar Corporation on September 17, approved today, which addresses the need for more time …
Beyond Telecom: Goodman Networks’ defrocked Frinzi reinvents himself in the arms trade
James Frinzi’s journey through the business world, from lobbying for the defense minister of Indonesia and officials in Qatar, has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows, marked by his rapid ascent as CEO of Goodman Networks, allegations of fraud, embezzlement, and corporate misconduct, and a dramatic downfall that stripped him of his ill-gained assets and pushed him to explore …
Tower Family Foundation appoints Pete Hagstrom and Steve Ouzts to its endowment committee
The Tower Family Foundation announced today that Pete Hagstrom, Vice President of Procurement at Viking Maintenance, Inc., and Steve Ouzts, founder and principal broker at Tower Advisors, LLC, have been appointed to serve on the Foundation’s Endowment Committee. The Tower Family Foundation made the announcement at the 2024 Kentucky Wireless Association Golf Tournament hosted today in Louisville, Kentucky. “The Tower …
Luxury lifestyles, no bars: America’s wealthiest town in Texas blocks cell tower, Vertical Bridge lawsuit alleges
If you reside in Westlake, Texas, you’re part of the wealthiest community in the state, where the average home sells for nearly $5 million, and the mean household income soars to $508,000. In this exclusive enclave, dandelions dare not blemish the meticulously manicured lawns; luxury is the norm. However, even in a town that Forbes once named the most affluent …
T-Mobile’s overtime calculation practices challenged in class action lawsuit initiated by Florida technician
T-Mobile USA, Inc., is facing a collective action lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleging Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) violations. The lawsuit, initiated by plaintiff Olvin Gomez from Palm Beach County, Florida, represents himself and similarly situated employees and claims that T-Mobile failed to calculate and pay the correct overtime rates …
In mixed ruling, Ninth Circuit invalidates FCC’s concealment provision, citing procedural missteps
On Friday, the United States Court of Appeals three-judge panel for the Ninth Circuit issued a mixed ruling in a case brought by several California cities and organizations against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding its 2020 Ruling that clarified regulations for modifying wireless communication facilities.” The ruling is a response to a 2020 FCC clarification of its existing rules …
