The Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) announced that two new members will be adding their expertise to its Board of Directors. Jim Walker-Pontius, U.S. Cellular’s Director of Network Operations, will serve as Chairman of TIRAP’s Technology Committee. Art Pregler, AT&T’s Director of National Cell Site Programs, has been named Chairman of the Board’s Quality Committee. Retiring from the Board …
Expensive earthquake tower design law passes following industry indifference during hearings
PCIA – The Wireless Infrastructure Association came out against the City of Los Angeles’ newly passed ordinance requiring all new telecommunication towers to be designed as a Class lll Structure subject to an importance factor of 1.50 of the TIA-222 standard, a requirement that PCIA says could increase the cost of a tower between 30 to 200% and could stymie …
PCIA’s ‘view from the top’ shows a little bottoming out; tall tower crew shortage possible
A common thread throughout yesterday’s PCIA – The Wireless Infrastructure Association’s Hollywood, Fla. conference was that AT&T has pulled back on their builds, Sprint is almost in a holding pattern and T-Mobile is providing a number of opportunities. Verizon, however, is seen as a steady engine that is assisting a slower than expected build in the second quarter. “Verizon continues …
American Tower takes AT&T to court and wins a $132 million judgment
American Tower Corporation stood behind a New Jersey construction manager who used a creative approach to comply with an AT&T program manager’s directive on a new monopole cell site’s location, while suffering with hurt feelings, and was awarded $132 million by a Sloatsburg, Tex. jury today. In a statement issued by the Boston-based tower owner following the verdict, the company said, …
Goodman Networks lays off 340 as construction managers’ lawsuit advances
Following a layoff of workers in December, Goodman Networks, a family-owned end-to-end wireless network deployment firm, let go an additional 340 employees on March 10, 2015, according to information reviewed by Wireless Estimator. It is not known, however, whether the downsizing was necessary due to a cutback in AT&T’s capex since a company spokesperson said Monday that Goodman Networks will …
AT&T kayos its 40,000 small cell build-out in half
AT&T’s 40,000 small cell deployments projected to be completed by the end of 2015 took a sharp cut in the carrier’s network plans since its goal may now be 20,000, about half the original number. The company said its March 2014 acquisition of Leap Wireless required it to reconsider those plans. “Small cells remain a key part of our advanced …
AT&T construction and engineering chief reportedly taking Goodman Networks’ COO job
Update: December 5, 2014 – Goodman Networks has announced that Ernie Carey will take the helm of the design, engineering, construction and deployment firm’s operations as its chief operating officer. In a press release, Ron Hill, Goodman Networks’ CEO said, “Throughout his long telecommunications industry career, Carey has successfully managed a variety of vast and complex systems and networks, including responsibility for …
