COMMENTARY – The wireless infrastructure industry is in a state of emergency. For decades, tower contractors have been the backbone of the wireless network, building, upgrading, and maintaining the towers that connect the nation. But today, that backbone is buckling under the weight of unsustainable pricing, increasing compliance costs, and exploitative practices. Large and small contractors are bleeding out, and …
CapEx climbs at big 3 carriers, offering the industry niche opportunities
By J. Sharpe Smith, Contributing Editor The major carriers appear to be healthy, generating strong cash flows, paying down debt and buying back stock. But will tower construction and maintenance companies be healthier in the coming year? That might depend on which services each company provides. Opportunities for growth in fiber, fixed wireless access, C-Band (and other spectrum), and private …
CWA Unions see uneven wage hikes in AT&T agreements: West vs. Southeast which gets a BEAD perk
AT&T workers, including technicians, customer service representatives, and others who install, maintain, and support AT&T’s network, will receive wage increases of at least 15% throughout the new four-year collective bargaining agreement in the West and over 19% during the new five-year agreement in the Southeast. In the contract that covers the Southeast, Wire Technicians and Utility Operations professionals, who will …
AT&T to reel in 107,000 pounds of lead cables from Lake Tahoe
AT&T has agreed to remove approximately 107,000 pounds of lead cables that have been submerged in Lake Tahoe for decades as part of a settlement announced last week. The decision follows a lawsuit filed by the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) in 2021, which claimed that the cables were leaching toxic lead into the lake, posing risks to the environment …
Beyond Telecom: Goodman Networks’ defrocked Frinzi reinvents himself in the arms trade
James Frinzi’s journey through the business world, from lobbying for the defense minister of Indonesia and officials in Qatar, has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows, marked by his rapid ascent as CEO of Goodman Networks, allegations of fraud, embezzlement, and corporate misconduct, and a dramatic downfall that stripped him of his ill-gained assets and pushed him to explore …
AT&T workers end strike, but work-life balance concerns remain unresolved for field technicians
AT&T wireline workers across the Southeast have long expressed dissatisfaction with harsh working conditions and unfair pay. Concerns over heavy workloads, long hours, and insufficient compensation drove thousands of Communications Workers of America (CWA) union members to strike, bringing the company’s operations to a standstill for nearly a month. The strike, which ended yesterday, highlighted significant worker grievances, particularly among …
Verizon’s nearly $2 billion severance charge sparks speculation of tower sale as financial pressures mount
According to a regulatory filing, Verizon expects to incur a severance charge between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion in the third quarter of 2024. This is part of a voluntary separation program the company announced in June, targeting select U.S.-based management staff. As a result of the program, approximately 4,800 eligible employees are expected to leave Verizon by the end …
Atlas shrugs off industry downturn after acquiring QualTek as it signals for other contractor acquisitions
QualTek Services, formerly one of the wireless infrastructure industry’s largest turnkey contractors that scaled down during post-Covid years and after emerging from bankruptcy, has been acquired by Atlas Holdings, a company that owns and operates 28 companies in various sectors. However, this is Atlas’s first acquisition in the telecom space, and they’re hoping to leverage their proprietary technology-driven platforms and …
Kept in the dark: Contractors left guessing as Black & Veatch’s wireless sale to Dycom is revealed
Infrastructure company Black & Veatch announced this morning that it has sold its wireless telecommunications infrastructure business, a subsidiary of Overland Contracting, to Ansco & Associates, a wholly owned subsidiary of telecom engineering and construction services company Dycom Industries. Dycom also put out a brief one-paragraph release announcing the acquisition, alerting media to the news that was already well-known by Overland’s …
SpaceX’s cellular service plans face strong opposition from AT&T and Verizon over interference concerns
SpaceX’s ambitious plan to offer cellular service in partnership with T-Mobile through its Starlink satellite system faces significant opposition from major telecom giants AT&T and Verizon. The two companies have submitted filings to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging regulators to reject SpaceX’s crucial waiver request. They claim that the satellite system could interfere with and degrade the quality of …
CWA workers at AT&T Southeast strike over alleged unfair labor practices amid critical negotiations
UPDATE: The Communications Workers of America strike against AT&T Southeast continues into its sixth day, with reports of service outages and delays mounting across the Southeast. In Eads, Tennessee, a striking worker was injured on the picket line by a vehicle driven by a contractor. “We were afraid something like this would happen,” said CWA District 3 Vice President Richard …
Throwing Verizon under the bus, CWA union cheers for AT&T in 4.9 GHz spectrum battle
AT&T CEO John Stankey has entered the fray over allocating the valuable 4.9 GHz spectrum band, advocating for its exclusive use by FirstNet, the nationwide first responder network operated by AT&T. Stankey defended the proposal amid opposition from other major wireless carriers in a series of meetings last week with top Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officials. Stankey met with FCC …
Hackers stole records of almost all of AT&T’s customers’ calls
In a significant cybersecurity incident, telecommunications giant AT&T announced on Friday that a cyberattack exposed data from “nearly all” of its customers. The compromised data was downloaded to a third-party cloud platform, marking a severe breach for the company. “We have taken steps to close off the illegal access point,” AT&T said in a statement. The company confirmed it is …
T-Mobile may be first in line to take advantage of SCOTUS’s Chevron decision to vacate an $80 million FCC fine
On February 27, unaware that the following day, the US Supreme Court would decide to limit the broad regulatory authority of federal agencies such as the FCC, T-Mobile USA, Inc. filed a petition for review in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, contesting a substantial forfeiture order issued by the agency. The outcome of …
California denies AT&T’s request to reduce OpEx by ripping out landline service to almost 600,000 households
Despite AT&T’s request to discontinue this less profitable service, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has made a significant ruling mandating that the carrier continue providing landline services in California. This decision will undoubtedly shape the company’s future operations in the state. The CPUC’s decision ensures that AT&T remains a Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) in areas where it is …
Verizon takes gloves off in battle against AT&T’s FirstNet over $14 billion 4.9 GHz band management gift
Verizon is no longer letting proxies speak for it in the ongoing debate over AT&T’s FirstNet proposal to become the national manager of the 4.9 GHz public safety band. In a recent filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Verizon has made its stance clear: the proposal would disrupt the public safety spectrum marketplace and undermine local public safety control. …
Old Wires, New Wealth: How telecom companies are turning copper into cash
In the evolving telecommunications landscape, a new gold rush is emerging—not for the precious yellow metal, but for an equally valuable commodity: recycled copper. AT&T Inc., BT Group Plc, Orange SA, and their global peers are gearing up to tap into a lucrative new revenue stream by harvesting their old copper wiring. This initiative is more complex than unearthing and …
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 …
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 …
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 …
