The nation’s wireless carriers are ready for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20 in Washington D. C. with increased network capacity with AT&T providing what might be the best coverage in the District – or at least it appears that way as the nation’s second largest carrier promotes its innovative and largest temporary network it has ever provided. Two …
NATE elects three incumbents and new board member Randel Scott
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released the official results of the 2017 Board of Directors election, announcing that candidates Jim Tracy, CEO of Legacy Telecommunications, Inc. in Burley, Wash.; Jim Miller, President of EasTex Tower, LLC in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Ben Little, CEO of Centerline Solutions, LLC in Boulder, Colo. were re-elected and will retain their …
Michigan okays two licenses to Mobilitie, but disavows DAS
The State of Michigan Public Service Commission has approved Mobilitie Management LLC’s application to provide facilities-based basic local exchange service throughout the state, but the Commission’s approval doesn’t provide the California-based company freedom to provide distributed antenna systems (DAS) or provide installations without obtaining required building permits. In its approval, the Commission noted that based upon the concerns expressed by …
Point-to-point super flyway broadband network may not have enough planes
California-based Airborne Wireless Network (AWN) believes, like Facebook envisions, that it has the answer for being able to assist in providing broadband throughout the world by using aircraft. Whereas Facebook is attempting to use unmanned drones, with its first attempt ending in a return-trip crash, AWN want to use the world’s existing commercial aircraft to create a meshed carrier network. The company …
Wind gusts found Aquila’s Achilles heel in “cell site” solar plane crash
On June 28, 2016, Facebook Connectivity Lab launched its solar powered Aquila aircraft to set the company’s ability to provide broadband coverage to a 60-mile-wide area on the ground in underconnected regions. Three weeks later, Facebook acknowledged that the operation was successful, but the patient died – or was severely injured — when their airplane had a structural wing failure …
Corrupt owner dipped into $27 million of FCC broadband funds to support his lavish lifestyle
While the FCC announced Tuesday that it is freeing up an additional $51 million annually in subsidies for 35 companies to build out broadband infrastructure in rural areas, it was also anxious to see if Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc., (SIC) of Hawaii had paid its $50 million fine due by Jan. 4, 2017 for receiving $250 million in funding with “substantial amounts of that …
Canadian investment group agrees to pony up $1.6 billion for 43,000 towers in India
India’s Reliance Communications (RCOM) has sold its tower business to Canadian private investment firm Brookfield Infrastructure Partners for $1.6 billion. The deal was announced in October. RCOM and Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of Reliance Industries Ltd, will continue as major long-term tenants of the new tower company, along with other existing carriers on the 43,000 towers. In addition to …
FPS says oui to American Tower’s $726 million offer for 2,400 towers
American Tower Corporation and Dutch pension fund manager PGGM today announced their entry into a definitive agreement to acquire FPS Towers, which owns and operates approximately 2,400 wireless tower sites across France, through their previously announced joint venture, ATC Europe. The price was set at approximately $726 million. FPS, founded in 2012 when it acquired the towers of Bouygues Telecom, …
Black & Veatch’s Benjamin Afton appointed to safety alliance’s board of governors
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that Benjamin Afton, Safety & Health Manager for the Telecom Business Line with Black & Veatch in Overland Park, Kan., has joined the organization’s Board of Governors. Afton was appointed to fill one of the seats reserved for the Large General Contractor sector of the industry. “The wireless construction industry is …
Wheeler to step down as FCC chief when Donald Trump is sworn in
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler has announced that he will leave the agency on Jan. 20, 2017 when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn-in. The change will give President Trump an immediate 2-1 majority on the Commission. “Serving as F.C.C. Chairman during this period of historic technological change has been the greatest honor of my professional life,” Wheeler said in …
NATE: Commercial vehicles are now exempt from hours of service/log book requirements
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) gave an early industry-wide Christmas present to the nation’s contractors this morning with its announcement that its discussions with federal transportation officials has resulted in an important clarification of existing regulations that will provide critical relief related to companies’ commercial vehicles operations. NATE recently worked with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier …
Deceased tech was not near work area when he fell
UPDATE: December 13, 2016 – According to a representative of Motive Energy Telecommunications Group, Inc. (METG), their tower technician who fell from a roof and died in Chula Vista, Calif. on Nov. 23, 2016, was not near the telecom worksite area when the accident occurred. In a statement to Wireless Estimator, he wrote, “METG is informed that Matthew Vukasovich fell …
A deep dive into enhancing property values with in-building wireless
By Vince Varga Property managers, owners, and builders are missing an opportunity to increase profits through attracting modern, mobility-favoring tenants. The easiest way for a property to miss out on revenue is to lose tenants to turnover, or worse, not to get them in the first place. To get them in the door, your property must be well-maintained in your …
NATE UNITE 2017 is offering a number of optional courses
The National Association of Tower erectors is suggesting that you maximize your time during the NATE UNITE 2017 event February 27- March 2 in Fort Worth, Texas by receiving additional training all in one location. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a first-time attendee, these courses offer additional training at a reasonable cost. At this year’s NATE event, the …
FCC cell tower Ponzi scheme ensnares a Puerto Rico mayor charged with extortion
The mayor of Gurabo, Puerto Rico was arrested yesterday on charges of extortion and soliciting a bribe for allegedly using his municipality’s money to invest in a $15 million Ponzi scheme that was structured around investors being able to reap handsome profits from their investments in FCC cell tower administration contracts. According to the indictment, on or about October 2012, the …
American Tower CFO: T-Mobile, Sprint merger would strengthen the tower industry
If the big four carriers morphed into three majors through an acquisition, American Tower EVP/CFO Tom Bartlett believes that no matter how it all shakes out, “it’s all good for the tower industry and our business, in particular, here in the United States.” Bartlett was interviewed by Batya Levi yesterday at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in Manhattan, …
Limitless Mobile’s bankruptcy hits contractors, towercos and suppliers
At the end of November, Limitless Mobile’s subscribers in central Pennsylvania knew something was amiss when their cell service was cut off, and if they went to the Susquehanna Valley Mall in Selinsgrove this past weekend they would have been greeted with an empty store with a note on the security gate that said the store had been closed and …
AT&T believes it’s a shoo-in for the multi-billion dollar FirstNet award
AT&T stretched the use of an 8K Securities and Exchange Commission filing as they shook their hips in the FirstNet win zone Friday, stating that it appears that they were the only compliant bidder – to their knowledge. According to AT&T, bidders pdvWireless Inc. and Rivada Mercury, LLC have both been eliminated from the RFP review. AT&T said that it …
Tech’s life is thankfully spared after his lift comes in contact with 115,000 volts
A tower tech is lucky to be alive after his bucket lift equipment came in contact with a 115,000 volt transmission line in Fresno, Calif. on Thursday at about 9:15 a.m. when he was servicing a carrier’s equipment on a monopole. The man was rescued by Pacific Gas and Electric employees who had to wait two hours until the power …
As Goodman Networks collapses, key execs bolt out the door
Frisco, Tex.-based Goodman Networks’ Chairman and CEO Ron Hill gave notice on Nov. 21, 2016 that he would be resigning and his last day on the job would be Dec. 21, 2016, stating that he had “good reason” to quit as defined in his employment agreement that had been frequently updated since he served as the company’s Vice President of Professional …
