The FAA said it has deep concerns about the potential impact to aviation safety resulting from interference to radar altimeter performance from 5G network operations in the C-band. Radar altimeters are used on planes and helicopters for multiple critical safety functions, including landing when visibility is low, anti-collision warnings and systems that warn pilots when they inadvertently get too low. …
FCC is considering a DJI drone ban that would take a tool out of the contractor’s toolbox and not replace it
The Federal Communications Commission voted Tuesday to boot China Telecom Americas off of U.S. networks, finding that the service provider could not quash concerns that it’s beholden to surveillance requests from the Chinese government. The decision means China Telecom Americas must now discontinue U.S. services within 60 days, ending its authorization for the past 20 years to operate in the …
Biden finally nominates Rosenworcel as permanent FCC Chair and Sohn for a Commission seat
After 10 months of waiting, President Joe Biden today nominated Acting FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel to lead the agency permanently. He also nominated former FCC official Gigi Sohn, a longtime consumer advocate, to the open Democratic seat on the Commission. During the Obama years she was then-FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s counselor, a role in which she advocated for strong net …
Monica Vink to head Legacy Telecommunications’ marketing efforts to increase its brand strength
Legacy Telecommunications, based out of Gig Harbor, WA, has announced the growth of their team with the addition of Monica Vink as Marketing Director. Vink’s role will focus on strategic goals and objectives related to marketing, branding, digital footprint, and social influence. She has over 10 years of experience in wireless infrastructure and has held various positions supporting the broadband and …
Verizon appears to be requiring all contractors’ employees to be vaxxed by January 1, 2022
Beginning January 1, 2022, all persons entering any Verizon premises in the U.S. where Verizon employees are present must be either fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or approved by their employer for a legally-recognized accommodation. “This includes all supplier personnel (and applicable subcontractor personnel) who are accessing Verizon U.S. premises where Verizon employees are present. Verizon suppliers are required to confirm …
Dish’s new deployment software might benefit contractors
Dish Network Corporation has selected NEXSYS-ONE for end-to-end, cloud-based network deployment software solutions to manage Dish’s nationwide 5G network build. In a press release, Dish said “NEXSYS-ONE’s unique platform supports Dish’s network deployment with speed and agility, allowing for seamless integration of project, inventory and financial management.” Dish said the software has modules that support project management, procurement, asset management, …
Contractors rebelling against ‘take it or leave it’ matrix pricing that could easily endanger carriers’ 5G builds
In 1999 when The Matrix opened in theatres, carriers and towercos began utilizing matrix pricing to project CapEx budgets for macro sites, while still allowing acceptable margins and opportunities for contractors to continue to be successful. Fast forward 22 years. The Matrix Resurrections sequel will hit the big screens this December and it is expected to be hugely profitable, unlike …
Valmont Telecom’s turnkey small cell structures simplified in its expansive ‘SimpleCell’ catalog
Wherever people congregate, including downtown districts, university campuses, commercial properties, sports venues, and transportations hubs, it’s likely that they will be communicating with a Bourbon, Bristol, Clinton, Empire, Stanton or possibly a Fremont. No, they are not the newest offerings in smart phones, they are Valmont Telecom’s small cell structures that fit effortlessly into any community’s requirements for an esthetically …
India’s towercos in for a sharp tenancy decline if Vodafone Idea collapses leaving a duopoly
American Tower’s ATC Telecom and six other leading tower infrastructure companies could see their tenancies decrease overnight if Vodafone Idea (VI), the third-largest mobile carrier, goes bankrupt and leaves India with a duopoly telecom market. According to the Digital Communications Regulatory Authority of India (DCRAI) in a June report, VI lost its largest number of subscribers ever of 4.3 million …
Cell towers prove their resilience during Hurricane Ida’s onslaught
Yesterday evening’s Hurricane Ida FCC outage report saw a marked improvement of the number of cell tower outages in the affected areas in Louisiana, dropping to 8.7% from its peak on Aug. 30, 2021 of over 52%. Out of a total of 2,759 sites, only 241 remained out of service. Communications outages for the Category 4 Hurricane will be later …
AT&T claims an above average restoration percentage as carriers bring sites back up in Louisiana
Through the dedicated resources of the men and women on the front lines providing logistics and services, cell site outages in Hurricane Ida-affected parishes in Louisiana have been reduced to 28.5%, from Tuesday’s 38.1%, according to the FCC’s September 1, 2021 daily communications report. Within a day, hard-hit Assumption Parish went from an outage of 94.7% to 42.1%, with Terrebonne …
LBA Group’s new CTO, Juan Macias, will advance the company’s 5G RF safety and compliance programs
LBA Group welcomes Juan Macias as its Chief Technical Officer (CTO). Macias brings over 20 years of experience in the Radio Frequency field, with an iNARTE Certification as a Telecommunications Senior Engineer and as an IEEE Senior Member. Before joining LBA, Macias held Lead Senior RF engineering positions with American Tower Company; Senior Broadcast consultant for the FCC Repack and Lead …
Pittsburgh announces $10 million agreement with Crown Castle for fiber network for 131 city facilities
Mayor William Peduto has announced an agreement with Crown Castle to provide the first unified fiber connectivity network for city facilities as part of the NetPGH initiative. Crown Castle will help connect all 131 city facilities on a single network, including EMS stations, fire stations, recreation and healthy active living centers, and critical public safety infrastructure. Connecting all city facilities to …
VIKOR is victorious for the fourth straight year in capturing Inc. 5000
South Dakota-based VIKOR Teleconstruction is proud to announce that they have once again been listed on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America. This is VIKOR’s fourth consecutive year being recognized on the list. Only a small portion of U.S. companies make the Inc. 5000 list each year. Those who do have witnessed significant growth …
Congruex adds Oregon-based A&M Communications to its portfolio of companies
Congruex, a national end-to-end provider of design, engineering, construction, and maintenance services to broadband providers, today announced the acquisition of A&M Communications. The acquisition further cements Congruex’s leading position as one of the nation’s largest telecom engineering and construction firms. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Headquartered in Boring, Oregon, A&M Communications is an end-to-end provider of wireless …
Court ruling requires FCC to go back to the drawing board for a better explanation of its RF guidelines
Last Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said the FCC’s decision in 2019 that its 1996 radio frequency emission guidelines adequately protect the public was arbitrary and capricious and not evidence based, in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act. In response to a petition by health groups led by the Environmental Health Trust that was argued on …
New York dings Frontier and RG&E $5 million each for noncompliance with pole attachment safety rules
The NYS Public Service Commission (PSC) has reached two joint settlement agreements valued at $10 million that resolve penalty amounts for alleged violations against Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. (RG&E) and Frontier Telephone of Rochester, Inc. (Frontier). The settlements reached on August 12, 2021, come after a PSC investigation found that Frontier and RG&E allowed non-conforming pole attachments to remain …
QualTek’s BACOM acquisition adds 200 new employees for its 5G build to complement its 5,000-plus workforce
QualTek, LLC, a leading turnkey provider of infrastructure services to the North American 5G wireless, telecom, and renewable energy sectors, announced that it has acquired Broken Arrow Communications Inc. (BACOM). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico with more than 200 employees and serving customers in 11 states in the Western U.S., BACOM provides a …
Murphy Tower Service rolls into the Dakotas with the acquisition of East River Tower
Murphy Tower Service, a leading provider of wireless and wireline infrastructure services based in Carlisle, IA, has acquired East River Tower of Gary, SD, allowing the company to broaden its service region into the Dakotas and western Nebraska regions. Murphy Tower has additional locations in Cedar Rapids, IA; Omaha, NE; the Twin Cities, MN; and Springfield, MO. “We’re very excited …
FCC fines an ISP $50K for an auction-originated Facebook post, another one get $30K for an email
A troubling Facebook post and an email last year cost two broadband service providers a total of $80,000 in separate actions yesterday for violating the FCC’s rules by engaging in prohibited communications of its bidding and bidding strategies to other participants in Auction 105 involving the auction of 22,631 county-based Priority Access Licenses (PALs) in the 3550-3650 MHz portion of the …
