SpaceX’s ambitious plan to offer cellular service in partnership with T-Mobile through its Starlink satellite system faces significant opposition from major telecom giants AT&T and Verizon. The two companies have submitted filings to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging regulators to reject SpaceX’s crucial waiver request. They claim that the satellite system could interfere with and degrade the quality of …
CWA workers at AT&T Southeast strike over alleged unfair labor practices amid critical negotiations
UPDATE: The Communications Workers of America strike against AT&T Southeast continues into its sixth day, with reports of service outages and delays mounting across the Southeast. In Eads, Tennessee, a striking worker was injured on the picket line by a vehicle driven by a contractor. “We were afraid something like this would happen,” said CWA District 3 Vice President Richard …
Celebrate the unsung heroes: Shine a spotlight on the Sky High Heroes of the telecom industry
Wireless Estimator is proud to announce the industry-supported Sky High Heroes Awards, which will spotlight the unsung heroes throughout the year who elevate the telecommunications infrastructure industry to new heights who will be selected by their peers and industry stakeholders. These are the tower crews who brave the elements to keep our nation connected, the program managers who navigate complex …
NWSA stresses importance of compliance with exam environment rules for online certification testing
As part of its ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards of fairness and reliability in online certification testing, the National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) is reinforcing the importance of adhering to exam environment and location requirements. In alignment with ISO/IEC 17024 and ANSI accreditation standards, NWSA conducts regular audits to ensure the integrity of its examination process. With the …
DigitalBridge to expand Japan’s telecom sector with the acquisition of JTower for $631 million
In a landmark deal, DigitalBridge Group, Inc. has announced its acquisition of Japan-based JTower Corporation. The acquisition, executed through a tender offer, is a significant step in DigitalBridge’s strategy to expand its global footprint and enhance its presence in the rapidly evolving Japanese telecommunications market. DigitalBridge, through its subsidiary DB Pyramid Holdings, will acquire JTower’s common stock and stock acquisition …
It’s your last chance to attend a complimentary in-person or remote training course on PPE for telecom workers
NATE The Infrastructure Contractors Association understands that staying ahead in today’s fast-paced environment requires continuous learning and growth. That is why they are extending a special invitation to those who may have missed their previous free training course on PPE for Telecom Workers: Hazard ID, Selection and Use. The last complimentary course will be held in Tampa, Florida on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. …
Texas State Wireless Association takes on lead sponsorship role of Tower Family Foundation golf event
The Tower Family Foundation has announced that the Texas State Wireless Association (TXWA) will once again be the premier sponsor for the upcoming golf event to be held at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh, North Carolina on February 20, 2025, as part of the highly anticipated series of events hosted in conjunction with the NATE UNITE 2025 Conference and …
Over 1,000 days later, BEAD broadband $42.5 billion program is still searching for a shovel
In a chess rating system, breaking 1,000 indicates that a player has moved beyond the beginner level and can recognize common tactical patterns and avoid simple blunders. However, today, the broadband equity, access, and deployment (BEAD) program rollout has broken 1,000 days since BEAD was enacted, and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr believes the opposite is true for the current administration—that …
Throwing Verizon under the bus, CWA union cheers for AT&T in 4.9 GHz spectrum battle
AT&T CEO John Stankey has entered the fray over allocating the valuable 4.9 GHz spectrum band, advocating for its exclusive use by FirstNet, the nationwide first responder network operated by AT&T. Stankey defended the proposal amid opposition from other major wireless carriers in a series of meetings last week with top Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officials. Stankey met with FCC …
Trustee alleges complex fraud scheme in Goodman Networks bankruptcy case
Scott M. Seidel, Trustee of the Goodman Networks, Inc. bankruptcy estate, has filed a detailed and compelling complaint in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, against Symbiont Ventures, LLC, formerly known as Goodman Investment Holdings, LLC. The complaint, filed on July 29, 2024, before Judge Michelle V. Larson, alleges a complex scheme of …
NATE doubles down on safety with the addition of Brian Bicknese to assist its member companies
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association announced today that it has hired Brian Bicknese as the Director of Safety and Education, a new staff position established by the Association. Brian officially begins his duties with NATE on August 1. Bicknese, a long-time industry subject matter expert whose background includes field and management experience as a tower technician, foreman, project manager, …
Urgent call from NATE, WIA and other stakeholders for FAA to finalize BVLOS drone operations rules
Spearheaded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a coalition of industry organizations, including NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and the Wireless Infrastructure Association have formally requested that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) swiftly issue rules to enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones. In a letter addressed to Secretary …
NATE cautions: First aid supplies on the tower job site should include more than your standard ANSI medical kit
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association unveiled a video covering first aid at communication tower sites. The video is the fifth to debut in Volume 7 of the Association’s popular #ClimberConnection Series. The video includes an informative, back-and-forth dialogue between narrator Sean Gilhooley and Brandon Foster, Director of Safety and Field Operations of NATE member company VIKOR. During their conversation, …
Court says workers’ compensation law provides SAC with immunity from tower site electrocution lawsuit
The Eleventh Circuit, a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, on Wednesday, declined to renew a lawsuit against SAC Wireless LLC by a crane oiler who was electrocuted and seriously injured while helping remove a crane from an American Tower site in Georgia. The court ruled that the worker was an employee …
Senators sound alarm on T-Mobile’s plan to acquire US Cellular, predict higher prices, loss of jobs
In a concerted effort to protect competition and consumers in the wireless market, a coalition of US Senators, including Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), has written a letter to Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ), and Jessica …
Louisiana tower tech gets up to 20 years for killing a crew leader at a Nebraska work site shooting
David Phillips Jr., a 22-year-old tower technician from Kenner, Louisiana, was sentenced Monday by Nebraska Judge Bryan Meismer in Cedar County District Court to two to 20 years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of his coworker, crew leader Israel Matos-Colon, of Puerto Rico, on March 1, 2023. With the days already credited to his sentence, he will be eligible …
FCC proposes 60-day deadline for carriers to unlock mobile phones
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is making it significantly easier for consumers to unlock their mobile phones from their carriers. The agency has proposed new rules requiring all devices to be unlocked just 60 days after purchase, a move that could have wide-ranging impacts on current phone plans and buying trends. Mobile phones purchased from carriers are typically locked to …
Verizon said to be readying a sale of up to 6,000 of its cell towers
New York-based Verizon is reportedly exploring options to sell thousands of its mobile network towers in the US, reported Bloomberg today. According to sources familiar with the matter, the telecom giant has hired advisers to gauge interest from potential buyers for a package of roughly 5,000 to 6,000 towers. This move could potentially bring in more than $3 billion; though …
FCC Commissioner Carr condemns $42 billion BEAD’s delays with construction possibly detained until 2026
In testimony before Tuesday’s House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr sharply criticized the Biden Administration’s handling of the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. Carr’s testimony highlighted significant delays and inefficiencies in the program, which aims to expand high-speed internet access across the United States.| Carr began by highlighting the program’s failure …
D.C. Circuit upholds FCC decision on SpaceX satellite system Starlink over Dark-Sky and Dish’s challenges
The D.C. Circuit panel upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) decision to license a new SpaceX satellite system, rejecting challenges from Dish Network and the International Dark-Sky Association. The decision released today, made by U.S. Circuit Judges Neomi Rao, Michelle Childs, and Senior U.S. Circuit Judge Douglas Ginsburg, found that the FCC had adequately considered potential risks and conducted the …
