The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania has dismissed the lawsuit filed by Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC and its subsidiaries against Everest Infrastructure Partners, Inc. The lawsuit, which included allegations of trade secret misappropriation, violations of the Lanham Act, and other claims, was dismissed without prejudice by Judge W. Scott Hardy. Vertical Bridge initially filed the …
Copper Clowns: Faux AT&T workers’ scheme fizzles out at Minnesota WISP’s tower site
Two men from Minnesota unsuccessfully posed as AT&T employees and burglarized a communications tower site outside Little Falls in pursuit of valuable copper wiring. Although the theft was carefully planned, the suspects failed to list on their arrest hazard analysis to be aware of any surveillance cameras. Charged with burglary, possessing burglary tools, and illicit drug possession in Morrison County …
With 5G at 50% completion, NTIA is jump-starting 6G deployment with questions on a range of issues
At last week’s Connect X in Atlanta, panelists in multiple sessions estimated that 5G had been rolled out across approximately 50% of America. However, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) wants to jump-start 6G deployment. It requests public comments to guide executive branch policies on the next generation of wireless communications technology development. As industry, governmental, academic, and civil …
Industry leaders at Connect X foresee massive growth for indoor 5G networks
The wireless industry is abuzz with anticipation for the potential of bringing 5G technology indoors. This technology promises faster and more reliable connections, lower latency, and the ability to connect a massive number of devices simultaneously. During the Wireless Infrastructure Association’s (WIA) View From the Top session on Thursday at Connect X, moderated by Patrick Halley, President and CEO of …
Analyst Craig Moffett predicts Dish Network could face bankruptcy within six months
Craig Moffett, a senior managing director at MoffettNathanson, has issued a stark forecast for Dish Network, predicting potential bankruptcy within the next four to six months. This marks his first specific timeline following three years of warnings about the company’s financial health. The prediction followed EchoStar’s first-quarter earnings announcement on May 8, where the financial strain on Dish Network, despite …
Rexel and Talley: A merger poised to accelerate wireless and datacom innovations across America
Talley Inc., established in 1983 by John R. and Elizabeth J. Talley, has grown from a small, family-operated business in Santa Fe Springs, California, into a dominant force in the U.S. wireless infrastructure industry. Talley Inc. is set to be acquired by Rexel as a testament to its success, marking a significant milestone in its history. This acquisition highlights Talley’s prominence as …
Forget the filters: In earnings call Viavi CEO Khaykin delivers a dose of harsh reality about infrastructure builds
In a refreshing twist from the typical earnings call script, Viavi Solutions Inc.’s President and CEO, Oleg Khaykin, left analysts and investors buzzing with straightforward commentary during Thursday’s Q3 FY24 earnings discussion. Departing from the usually reserved tone of such calls, Khaykin’s blunt assertion, “Money talks and bullshit walks,” underscored his frustration with the prevailing cautious spending behaviors among Tier …
FCC targets AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon for illegal data sharing, fining them $200 million
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has imposed fines totaling nearly $200 million on leading U.S. wireless carriers AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon for unlawfully sharing customer location data without proper consent and adequately protecting this sensitive information. The fines stem from the carriers’ practices of selling access to this data to aggregators, who subsequently resold it to third-party service providers, …
Industry influencers Adelstein and Borghei make strategic moves to new company leadership roles
Two seasoned leaders, Jonathan Adelstein and Bernard Borghei, have announced new positions within the digital infrastructure industry. Adelstein has joined TWN Communications as the new Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer. He was previously a managing director at DigitalBridge. Borghei will now be Symphony Wireless’s Chief Executive Officer. He formerly served as the Chief Revenue Officer of Tower …
Tillman Infrastructure lands $1 billion in funding to drive its growth
Tillman Infrastructure, LLC, a leading provider of wireless communication infrastructure, announced this morning the completion of a financing package totaling $1 billion. The proceeds will refinance existing loans and provide additional growth capital to support the infrastructure needs of its wireless carrier and wireless infrastructure service provider (WISP) customers. “The Tillman Infrastructure team continues to deliver industry-leading solutions for our customers,” said …
NYC Comptroller Lander leverages pension fund clout for tower worker safety reporting, but is it necessary?
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, representing the five New York City pension funds, has successfully secured agreements with leading telecommunications infrastructure firms—SBA Communications Corporation (SBA), American Tower Corporation (American Tower), and Crown Castle—to improve their reporting on worker safety at communication tower sites. Lander emphasized the difficult conditions faced by tower workers, noting, “From dizzying heights to challenging …
Crown Castle’s $325 million cabinet door opening lease lawsuit against Dish is closed by a Denver jury’s verdict
A jury last Thursday found Crown Castle USA Inc. failed to prove Dish Wireless Inc. violated the parties’ 30-year master lease agreement (MLA) by taking up three extra feet of space on cell tower sites without paying an additional rent of approximately $8 million per year. Crown Castle said Dish owed $200 more monthly rent for approximately 3,339 sites. With …
Senator Cruz leads opposition to FCC’s plan to fund Wi-Fi on school buses, citing legal overreach and safety concerns
In a significant legal challenge, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz, along with several Republican senators, has filed an amicus brief in the Fifth Circuit, opposing the Biden administration’s move to extend the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) E-Rate program to include funding for Wi-Fi on school buses. The lawsuit, titled Molak v. FCC, has been instigated by parents …
Crown Castle snags Steven Moskowitz as its CEO, the second former American Tower executive onboarded for growth
Crown Castle Inc., a leading communications tower company, announced a significant leadership change that is effective today. Steven J. Moskowitz will take on the roles of President and Chief Executive Officer and join the company’s Board of Directors. This appointment concludes an extensive search led by the CEO Search Committee and the Board and facilitated by global executive search firm …
Everest’s defense in Vertical Bridge’s trade secrets theft lawsuit is they weren’t even close to trade secrets
In an April 3, 2024, Western District of Pennsylvania court filing, Everest Infrastructure Partners moved to dismiss an amended complaint filed by Vertical Bridge, arguing that the trade secrets Everest is accused of stealing and benefitting from were not secrets. Vertical Bridge filed a lawsuit against competitor Everest last June, alleging that it ran an unfair “multi-million dollar scheme to …
FCC proposes opening 5GHz spectrum for drones to enhance emergency and commercial uses
The FCC is proposing to open a specific segment of the 5 GHz spectrum to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, aiming to enhance their usability in critical applications like emergency response and commercial services. This regulatory initiative seeks to designate the 5030-5091 MHz band exclusively for drones, improving communications during wildfires, disaster recovery, and for first responders. Traditionally, most drones …
Over 3 feet, Dish and Crown Castle’s MLA marriage is on the rocks and a Denver trial will decide its fate
When Dish Wireless announced its infrastructure partnership with Crown Castle to lease space on up to 20,000 towers in 2020, it was an engagement arranged by Dish’s EVP of network development, Dave Mayo, that married the two companies to a 30-year commitment. However, marriage vows aren’t always everlasting, and Crown Castle has decided to move on – into a Denver …
Alabama contractor’s tower crews to share in an expected $120 million windfall from an unexpected fine art find
All 22 employees of a four-crew wireless contracting firm in Bessemer, Alabama, are about to get a financial windfall so huge that they wake up each morning rereading a letter from Sotheby’s to ensure it’s not a dream. Each is on the verge of claiming at least $5.45 million, thanks to the auction of an Edvard Munch masterpiece, “The Scream.” …
Tillman Fiber will light up Florida with cutting-edge broadband internet access
Tillman FiberCo, LLC, a leader in fiber optic broadband infrastructure, announced the expansion of its 100% Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) network in Florida. Tillman Fiber’s network will serve the Tampa Bay, Panhandle, South and South West, regional areas, including the cities of St. Petersburg, Fort Myers, Naples, Pensacola, Miami, Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Kissimmee. In collaboration with a tier-one U.S. mobile operator, Tillman Fiber will deliver symmetrical gigabit broadband internet access …
WTB grants exemption to Vertical Bridge and Drake Services for quarterly inspection requirements
The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday granted Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC, and Drake Services, Inc., an exemption from the mandatory quarterly inspections of antenna structure lighting systems stipulated under existing regulations (see below). The exemption specifically pertains to the requirements under 47 CFR § 17.47(b), which mandates owners of antenna structures to conduct …
