On Sept. 7, 1971 in Shoreview, Minn., 32-year-old top tower hand Don Barnard’s supervisor asked him to handle some matters on the ground and he did not climb on that fateful day to assist his 20-year-old brother, Wayne, and five other members of the tall tower crew as they began to lift a section for the 1,280-foot tower’s candelabra platform. …
Drones helped Verizon’s network to stay afloat following Matthew
Verizon is using drones to help with cell site inspections from the air in North Carolina and South Carolina to survey areas impacted by severe flooding from Hurricane Matthew. The quadcopter used for the inspections is an unmanned aerial system (UAS) operated by Measure UAS Inc., to inspect cell sites in difficult to reach locations and share vital information on any damaged equipment. …
Arsonist identified who tried to blow up New Mexico towers
Authorities are closer to arresting a suspected arsonist, who attempted to knock out more than a dozen broadcast towers on Sandia Peak in Albuquerque, N.M. earlier this month with many gallon-sized Molotov cocktails. Numerous local and federal government agencies are co-located on the structures or maintain their own towers. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office has identified a suspect and has …
AT&T and Verizon lead nation in 2015 capex, but tightened it in 2016
According to recent data from the Progressive Policy Institute, AT&T and Verizon outspent every other non-financial company in the nation in domestic capital expenditures in 2015. AT&T totaled $18.7 billion versus Verizon’s $16.5 billion. Noticeably absent from the bottom of the top 25 list were T-Mobile and Sprint, with Freeport-McMoRan at $3.4 billion, just behind General Electric at $3.5 billion. …
Newest STAR Initiative contractor participants unveiled by NATE
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today announced the member companies who have been formally approved to participate in the STAR Initiative program for the 2016-2017 year. “Companies involved in the STAR Initiative program have demonstrated that they are the cream of the crop and this year’s participants certainly live up to the high standards NATE has established through …
STAC’s conference/expo registration discount expiring soon
The Structure, Tower and Antenna Council (STAC) has announced that it will host its 2nd annual conference on March 29-30, 2017 at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls, ON, Canada, and its early registration discount will expire on Nov. 18, 2016. Building off the overwhelming success of STAC’s inaugural conference last spring, the STAC 2017 Conference & Exhibition is …
New ANSI/SSE A10.48 standard now available for purchase from NATE
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) A10.48-2016 Standard is now available for purchase on the Association’s website. The A10.48 Standard – Criteria for Safety Practices with the Construction, Demolition, Modification and Maintenance of Communications Structures is a game changer for the industry as it has …
CommScope’s construction group reportedly sold to BlueStream
According to a number of knowledgeable sources, CommScope’s construction group is reportedly being sold to wireless turnkey solutions provider BlueStream, headquartered in Fairbuilt, Minn. The deal is expected to close by the end of the month. A key element of the agreement was reportedly getting a major CommScope client to accept the construction group’s acquisition. It is not known how …
Reports of Russia using its cell towers to stretch its defense system might be a stretch
In his rallies and presidential debates, Donald Trump said that he has a way of defeating ISIS and putting Russian President Vladimir Putin in his place. But the real estate mogul says he’s not releasing any further information because he wants to unleash his measures secretly. However, it appears that Russia, which normally keeps its defense system initiatives and actions close …
Carriers and their contractor teams carry on proudly following Hurricane Matthew
Although damages from Hurricane Matthew along the east coast are still being assessed, the report on how carriers managed wireless communications with hardened sites and cell site service by the nation’s wireless contractors is in – and they are getting high marks. While there were a sporadic reports of outages on downdetector.com, service has been generally excellent in the effected …
Verizon sets path forward for Airborne LTE Operations
The Internet of Things (IoT) is taking flight at Verizon. The company has announced its strategy to drive innovation and wide-spread adoption for in-flight wireless connectivity through its Airborne LTE Operations (ALO) initiative. Two years in the making, Verizon’s plan includes: The successful completion of technical trials in various locations across the country using a combination of unmanned and manned aircraft …
New pivoting and swivel RRU mounts provide ease of radio head installs and maintenance
Connect-It Wireless Components, a leading manufacturer and supplier of thousands of site hardware and component products, has introduced its newest industry offerings, pivoting and swivel RRU mounts to keep remote radio heads close to the antennas and allow for easy maintenance and simplified installations with the included mounting arms that swivel the radio heads to a single face. The mount, …
AT&T’s veiled tower lease ‘threats’ surface again with new onerous requirements
According to a number of news reports that republished information from an article by Fierce Wireless, AT&T is in a full-court press to force tower owners to take new restrictive terms or the carrier might relocate to an alternative site. The articles state that the push to lower rates dovetails with AT&T’s SVP of wireless network design Tom Keathley’s August …
Cop’s shooting of tower tech had none of the outrage being shown in Charlotte death
After a Charlotte, N.C. police officer ten years ago shot and killed an AFL Network Services tower technician, Anthony Wayne Furr, 41, while he was working in a Sprint equipment shelter, the officer said he was in fear of his life and was exonerated. Sadly, following Tuesday’s killing of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott by police, Furr’s children will revisit the memories …
AT&T plans to give towers and fiber competition with plastic antennas using the power grid
Towers and fiber may have a serious competitor if AT&T’s Project AirGig is successful in spreading internet service wirelessly through the country’s power grid, with the company believing, “where there are power lines, there can be broadband”. AT&T said its transformative technology from AT&T labs allows for affordable antenna units to be able to redistribute wireless and wireless signals around …
California appeals court upholds small cells ruling against Crown, T-Mobile and ExteNet
A California appeals court ruled against T-Mobile, Crown Castle and ExteNet Systems last week when it affirmed a lower court ruling allowing the city of San Francisco to enforce broad aesthetic control regarding where small cells are placed. San Francisco passed an ordinance in 2011 requiring wireless companies to obtain a wireless facility site-specific permit before installing or altering wireless …
Safety exec Kyle Fulton passes, but his legacy to the industry lives on
Update: September 19, 2016 – Services for Kyle Fulton who passed away Friday will be held on Oct. 1, 2016 at the Irvington Methodist Church, 30 N. Audubon, Indianapolis Ind. with visitation from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and a memorial service from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Kyle Fulton, 48, a well-respected and dedicated industry safety executive, passed away …
Wireless has curtailed real conversations about real subjects
By Andrew Seybold With today’s wireless networks, services, and devices we have instant access to all of our voice, text, data, and video information almost no matter where we are. Does that mean every call, text, or email we receive must be answered right then and there? I was one of the first to learn a lesson when it came …
ASSE and TIA launching their awareness campaign for new communication tower standards
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) are launching a joint effort to raise awareness of new standards that are important for all workers and companies that install, alter or maintain communication towers. The new American National Standard Institute (ANSI) approved standard, ANSI/TIA-322, Loading Criteria, Analysis, and Design Related to the Installation, Alteration …
Lone survivor to provide message of courage, honor and patriotism at NATE UNITE 2017
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that decorated Navy Seal and renowned author Marcus Luttrell will deliver the keynote address at the NATE UNITE 2017 Conference in Fort Worth, Tex. on March 1, 2017. On June 28, 2005, Luttrell and SEAL Team 10 were assigned to a mission to kill or capture Ahmad Shah, a high-ranking Taliban …
