The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau has entered into a Consent Decree to resolve its investigation into whether Verizon Wireless constructed wireless sites without complying with the FCC’s environmental and historic preservation rules, including rules implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). As part of the decree, Verizon will have to pay $950,000 …
Wireless industry urges states to allow maximum flexibility in selecting broadband technologies
Today, leading organizations representing the wireless industry sent letters to broadband offices in all US states and territories, urging them to allow for maximum flexibility in choosing the right mix of broadband technologies to meet their policy goals with Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funds. Under the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), states and territories are required to …
Fighting Mother Nature for 44 years, two tall towers in South Dakota finally succumb
The massive winter storm that moved through the Plains Wednesday morning knocked down a 1,700-foot TV tower and an 800-foot broadcast tower in northeastern South Dakota just outside the boundaries of Garden City. The 1,700-foot guyed tower, constructed in 1978, is owned by Nextar and was the home for CBS affiliate KDLO-TV and KDLO-FM When the tower fell just before …
$19 million ‘disguised’ loan and breach of ageement by American Tower is alleged in $794 million lawsuit
Terra Towers Corporation (Terra), TBS Management, S.A. (Terra TBS), and DT Holdings, Inc. (DTH) filed a lawsuit against American Tower International (ATI) in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court on December 12, 2022, alleging ATI breached a $794 million acquisition and development deal in Latin America known as Project Codu, referring to “Center of da Universe” because of its size and shape. …
Senators and witnesses assail the inaccuracies they have found on the FCC’s new broadband maps
Senators and witnesses assailed the inaccuracies they found in the FCC’s new draft national broadband map during yesterday’s Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband hearing. Although last month when the maps were released, the FCC said that they expected inaccuracies. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said version one was “a beginning, not an endpoint.” At Tuesday’s hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Ben …
‘Amazing’ milestone of 10,000-plus trade certifications in a six-year time span achieved by NWSA
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced that the organization has officially surpassed 10,000 trade certifications issued to workers in the communications infrastructure industry. NWSA reached the 10,000 credentials mark in a six-year time span, having started offering trade certification programs to the industry in late 2016. “I would like to congratulate the National Wireless Safety Alliance on achieving this …
Stranded Alaskan snowmobiler’s rescue appears to be first reported use of Apple’s emergency satellite SOS app
In what might be the first reported use of Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite, a snowmobiler in Alaska was successfully rescued when he became stranded in an isolated area – a location that Apple wasn’t sure if they could provide connectivity to a satellite. Alaska State Troopers received an alert from the Apple Emergency Response Center early yesterday morning. The State …
Duke Energy heads back to court to reverse FCC’s slashing of rates for AT&T on utility poles
On November 17, 2022, in a unanimous vote, the FCC stood by its 2021 decision regarding utility pole attachment rates in a dispute between AT&T and Duke Energy Progress, denying Duke Energy’s bid to revisit a ruling that slashed the rates that AT&T pays to attach equipment to its utility. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel applauded the FCC’s resolution of the joint …
ExteNet inks an exclusive T-Mobile partnership for wireless infrastructure in nation’s largest venues
ExteNet Systems, a leading privately held owner of LTE/5G wireless and fiber neutral-host communications infrastructure, today announced it had entered an exclusive agreement with T-Mobile to deploy digital wireless infrastructure in large sports, entertainment, hospitality and transportation venues, as well as to rationalize and decommission T-Mobile’s overlapping network assets inherited from its merger with Sprint. The agreement, which expands ExteNet’s …
Light years ahead of previously cobbled data, FCC’s new broadband maps will still require severe scrutiny
The FCC has unveiled the pre-production draft of its new broadband maps. These maps provide the best picture of where broadband is unavailable across the country. The maps will only get better from here, according to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The FCC’s older maps collected data at the census block level, meaning that the whole block would show up as served on their …
ProPublica’s ‘recycled nonsense’ is likely to reinforce the conviction of some residents that 5G causes illnesses
Award-winning investigative journalists at ProPublica have spotlighted wrongdoing since 2008, such as Ryan Knutson and Liz Day’s extensive piece in 2012 about the men and women who climb cell towers who “pay with their lives” in a joint investigation with Frontline. They broke new ground since no other major media dared to expose the high industry death count and how, …
VIKOR expands geographic footprint to the East with acquisition of Noash Construction
South Dakotah-based VIKOR has announced its acquisition of Noash Construction, Inc., a tower construction company based out of Sebree, KY. In a statement, the company said the objective is to strengthen VIKOR’s reach and ability to impact the lives of its people, customers, and industry by adding the mutual strength and quality of Noash’s years of experience in the industry. …
FCC to release long-awaited new broadband maps on November 18
The Federal Communications Commission today announced that it will unveil a pre-production draft of new broadband maps on November 18, 2022. This version is the first release of the map required by the Broadband DATA Act and will begin an ongoing, iterative process that will improve the data submitted by providers by incorporating challenges from individuals and other stakeholders. Broadband …
WIA Receives DOL approval for Broadband Technician registered apprenticeship
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) today announced that the U.S Department of Labor (DOL) approved the Broadband Technician as the 15th Registered Apprenticeship Program WIA can offer through its Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP). Through TIRAP, WIA provides companies with the resources, guidance, and support to improve and formalize their training programs, expediting employer adoption of Registered Apprenticeship Programs …
‘Blue collar’ NEC acquires Eastern Communications to provide a serious industry presence
Pfingsten Partners portfolio company, NEC, has acquired Eastern Communications, LLC (“Eastern”). Headquartered in Bloomfield, CT, Eastern is a vertically integrated provider of maintenance, repair, and upgrade services to critical telecommunications infrastructure across the New England region. The company was founded in 1996. The transaction closed on October 31, 2022. NEC previously established its industry presence by combining three of the …
Crown Castle’s Reudink will help strengthen SCF’s support for multi-operator shared infrastructure
SCF (Small Cell Forum), the global organization supporting the evolution and adoption of low-cost, agile mobile infrastructure, announced its new Chair, Mark Reudink, Head of Technology Strategy at Crown Castle. Reudink is a highly regarded industry veteran who, prior to Crown Castle, worked at several of the world’s largest MNOs. He replaces Lockhead Martin’s Prabhakar Chitrapu, who steps into the …
New York’s Governor issues a state challenge to the FCC’s broadband data
The FCC is expected to unveil the first draft of its long-awaited broadband map sometime in November. However, concerns from those who’ve seen the data in progress suggest the public should lower its expectations for an accurate first version. Although the FCC knew that there would be concerns as to the version’s accuracy and would adjust after ISPs and local …
With powered ascenders more prevalent in the industry, NATE unveils its 2022 white paper guide
NATE: The communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today officially released the 2022 Guide for Powered Ascender Use on Antenna Supporting Structures White Paper. This 10-page document is intended to address the use of Powered Ascenders in conjunction with a fixed synthetic rope for personnel ascending, descending and work positioning on telecommunications structures. There is not a recognized standard in the United …
From Davie to DC, Vertical Freedom premieres rev up excitement for its long-awaited November 1 release
With two premieres in a week, Vertical Freedom, an epic, feature-length documentary film highlighting the professional and personal lives of six communications infrastructure workers to be released on November 1 on 18 video platforms, gave attendees a first-hand look at their compelling stories. Last evening, coupled with a workforce development panel that included NATE President and CEO Todd Schlekeway, NATE …
Gogo goes live with 150 towers to complete its nationwide aviation-targeted 5G network
Overcoming many challenges, Gogo Business Aviation announced this week that it has finished construction of its nationwide Gogo 5G network in record time Gogo’s team has deployed their 150th Gogo 5G tower, thus completing the Gogo 5G network with 100% coverage across the Continental United States, creating an exciting time for business aviation with their revolutionary inflight Wi-Fi experience — …
