In a recent FCC filing, AT&T Services, acting on behalf of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (AT&T Texas), requested permission from the FCC to permanently discontinue TDM‑based Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) to a single residential customer in the Forrest Lake area of Houston, Texas The outage began on May 25, 2025, when 872 feet of copper cable were stolen from …
Rural South Dakota 275-foot SBA Communications tower crumples under force of derecho-like storm
Winds exceeding 90 miles per hour swept through Lincoln County, South Dakota, on Monday night, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. The intense storm, described by emergency officials as containing straight-line winds potentially stronger than some tornadoes, uprooted trees, flattened barns, tore the roofs off buildings, and toppled a 275-foot cell tower located off of 29140 County Highway …
Brattle report: Big 3 carriers’ monopsony power squeezes U.S. wireless infrastructure sector’s contractors
A new economic report by The Brattle Group warns of “market failure” in the U.S. wireless infrastructure services industry, citing the outsized buying power of the nation’s three largest wireless carriers. Commissioned by NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, the report finds that Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile – which collectively control roughly 97% of the wireless market – wield monopsony …
Massachusetts cell tower objectors’ 80% chance turns 100% wrong as Greenfield monopole gets green light
After months of heated debate, the Greenfield, MA Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) has approved the construction of a 170-foot cell tower by Viridi Wireless on Fairview Street, acting on behalf of AT&T. The decision follows a prolonged review process involving multiple hearings, technical disputes, and community opposition. The approval grants two key requests from the applicant: A variance for …
Media spotlighted DEI rollback—but buried T-Mobile’s contractor rescue deal brokered by the FCC and NATE
As the FCC greenlit T-Mobile’s acquisitions of U.S. Cellular and Metronet on Friday, most headlines centered on T-Mobile’s abrupt halting of DEI programs—a move widely viewed as a strategic concession to win regulatory favor. However, buried beneath the coverage is a much more urgent issue: the survival of wireless contractors, who have been crippled by years of aggressive matrix pricing …
T-Mobile–NATE landmark agreement targets 1099 abuse, matrix pricing and subcontractor reform
A new agreement between NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and T-Mobile, signed on July 8, promises significant improvements for wireless contractors who have been struggling to maintain a semblance of profitability with current take-it-or-leave-it matrix pricing. Under the framework, T-Mobile will implement site-specific and regionally adjusted pricing, introduce a transparent “Scope to Quote” tool by September 1, and raise …
Network builder Tilson Technology hits Delaware court for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shield after revenue collapse
Tilson Technology Management, Inc. and its affiliates — Tilson Middle Street Holdings, LLC and Boundless Broadband, LLC — have voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The move comes on the heels of a sudden contract cancellation by the company’s largest client, Gigapower, which has left Tilson scrambling to restructure …
Starting July 1, no more rogue 1099 crews on Verizon sites—NATE reporting agreement takes effect
On July 1, 2025, a landmark agreement between Verizon and NATE, the Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, will provide contractors with an opportunity to report to Verizon those who may be performing construction services for the carrier without their knowledge and with improper 1099 status. This monitoring promises to reshape the field for many hundreds of subcontractors. After years of contractor complaints …
A huge win for contractors is seen in AT&T acquiring Lumen’s mass markets fiber business for $5.75 billion
When AT&T’s $5.75 billion deal to buy Lumen’s Mass Markets fiber business, announced yesterday, closes in the first half of 2026, it won’t just turbocharge AT&T’s network footprint—it will also give tower crews a powerful new lever. Because the FCC must sign off on the assignment of Lumen’s interstate service authorizations, AT&T is almost sure to face the same kind …
Wireless Estimator’s matrix pricing exposé shatters LinkedIn norms—Hits top 0.1% with 164K Impressions
This month, coverage of carrier matrix pricing, which has proven unsustainable for contractors, has achieved tens of thousands of views on Wireless Estimator and has exploded on LinkedIn, driven by three back-to-back industry articles that have garnered attention at every level, from C-suite executives to tower technicians, with one article alone having over 164,000 impressions. A viral article with these …
Animated outrage: NATE unmasks carriers’ unfair pricing and 1099 labor tactics in a whiteboard video
] During their May 6–7 Congressional Fly-In event in Washington, D.C., NATE members will showcase a whiteboard animation presented today, highlighting the critical issues that are forcing many contractors out of business. They will personally deliver a petition for Fairness and Sustainability in Wireless Infrastructure Contracting to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. [enlarge image] NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today unveiled …
No Profit at $60 an hour: Telecom contractors exit as plumbers earn nearly double
In recent weeks, three mid-sized wireless infrastructure contractors have informed Wireless Estimator of their decision to exit the industry, citing an inability to turn a profit over the past two years. These closures underscore a growing crisis within the sector, where contractors are facing mounting financial pressures due to declining or non-existent profit margins and rising operational costs. Another contractor …
White paper sounds alarm on collapse of tower services industry: “We’re ready to be your partners again”
A searing and thoroughly sourced white paper from an anonymous industry insider warns that the nation’s tower and wireless infrastructure sectors are on the verge of collapse, hollowed out by unchecked consolidation, one-sided contracting practices, and the commoditization of a skilled workforce – a strategy that is fast becoming a tragedy for the men and women that build and maintain …
Golden State, gilded rates: Fixed high cell tower property lease outlays challenge industry norms
The City of Fullerton, California, has signed a significant lease agreement with Phoenix Tower International to construct a monopine cellular tower at 2470 West Pioneer Avenue. The deal, valued at approximately $893,000 over the initial ten-year period, will generate an annual revenue of $74,450.98 for the city’s general fund, with a four percent escalation rate applied yearly. The city is …
Senator Kennedy says wireless giants are running a ‘Goat Rodeo of Greed’ at contractors’ expense; investigations by DOJ and FCC urged
WASHINGTON — At a tense hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship yesterday, CEOs of the nation’s top wireless carriers faced sharp criticism over alleged collusion and the use of fixed matrix pricing—practices that lawmakers say are driving contractors, suppliers, and key players in the telecom supply chain into financial ruin, with many forced to shut …
“This map proves absolutely nothing”: Attorney gives Greenfield residents 80% chance of blocking AT&T 170-foot monopole
The ongoing debate over a proposed 170-foot cell tower near 112 Newton St. in Greenfield, MA, took a new turn late last month, as the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) extended the hearing following a contentious two-hour presentation by Viridi Wireless and AT&T representatives. At the heart of the dispute are the coverage maps presented by the applicants, which have …
AT&T partners with NWSA to fund foreman certification exams at no cost to technicians to foster emerging leaders
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) is teaming up with AT&T to support the development and growth of new and emerging leaders in the wireless industry through a new initiative aimed at increasing the number of NWSA-certified Foremen. AT&T has generously donated $75,000 to cover the one-time cost of the Foreman Certification exam. All TTT-2 certified technicians interested in taking …
Chinese hackers escalate attacks on U.S. telecom networks through Cisco
Chinese state-sponsored hacking group Salt Typhoon has launched a new wave of cyberattacks targeting U.S. telecommunications providers by exploiting vulnerabilities in unpatched Cisco IOS XE network devices. These breaches, affecting major firms such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, have raised serious national security concerns as hackers gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, including call logs and text messages. Massive Cyber …
Contracting industry will collapse without reform in carrier practices, warns NATE CEO Schlekeway
Today, NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association released an open letter addressing critical challenges facing the wireless contracting industry. As the association celebrates its 30th anniversary, it simultaneously confronts one of its most turbulent eras. While benefiting from the tireless efforts of contractors and small businesses to build and maintain the nation’s communications infrastructure, the wireless industry, primarily directed by …
Industry leaders applaud Olivia Trusty’s FCC nomination, citing extensive policy experience
Republican Senate aide Olivia Trusty has been appointed commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), securing a Republican majority within the agency. Trusty is a professional staff member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Before that, she was policy director for the Senate Commerce Committee, where “she has fought tirelessly to grow the Economy, empower Innovation, and reignite the American …
