AT&T has reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in a 2014 lawsuit that alleged the wireless carrier of deceiving its unlimited-data subscribers when it slowed their connection speeds, according to a court filing Friday. The parties requested a 90-day stay so the FTC could finalize the proposed settlement, the value of which wasn’t disclosed. The FTC sued …
2019 WIA awards to honor AT&T’s Susan Johnson with Distinguished Service Award
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) announced that it plans to recognize Susan Johnson, Executive Vice President of Global Connections & Supply Chain, AT&T, with its Distinguished Service Award. The WIA Foundation will present the honor at the 2019 WIA Awards on Oct. 1 in Washington, D.C. “Susan’s accomplishments represent the very embodiment of this year’s WIA Awards theme – wireless …
Sixth 2019 tower tech death was kept quiet for over six weeks
After six weeks of investigating leads, Wireless Estimator has confirmed that an 18-year-old tower technician working on an AT&T installation project fell from a New Jersey monopole and died upon impact. The New York resident’s death had not been reported in local, social or industry media and most likely would have been kept private by the worker’s company and the …
DOJ greenlights T-Mobile-Sprint merger, requiring them to give up 20,000 cell sites
The Department of Justice today approved the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, allowing the $26 billion deal to move forward after years of exploration by the nation’s third and fourth-largest wireless companies. The merger required the approval of the DOJ which enforces antitrust law, and the FCC which directs the telecommunications industry. In May, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai broadcast his …
AT&T’s remaining US towers and those in Mexico are on the chopping block
In its second quarter earnings conference call today, AT&T Chief Financial Officer John Stephens confirmed that the carrier is looking to sell its remaining cell towers in the U.S as well as those in Mexico. In discussing asset sales, Stephens said, “I think that it’s public knowledge that we’re out there selling our collections of about 1,300 U.S. cell towers that …
Momentum builds around wireless installations at military facilities leads Fast-Forward-Friday
Article Media Momentum builds around wireless installations at military facilities WIA Palm Beach and AT&T at odds over spotty service Palm Beach Post Virginia Beach leaders have concerns about 5G antennas Government Technology Crown Castle crushed its second-quarter earnings guidance The Motley Fool Brookfield inks $3.7 billion deal to invest in Reliance’s tower assets VC Circle With Ripon tower gone …
Cell phones are probably not making us grow horns leads Fast-Forward Friday articles
Article Media Cell phones are probably not making us grow horns Smithsonian Removing Chinese telecommunications equipment from U.S. would cost more than $1 billion Broadban Breakfast Pai re-charters diversity advisory group, FCC seeking new members Inside Radio Researchers sent a fake, unblockable presidential alert to a 50,000-seat stadium Digital Trends Supreme Court leaves unanswered whether District Courts must defer to …
Crown Castle Fiber says ComEd is pole dancing around regs with obscene pricing
Crown Castle Fiber has accused Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) of breaking FCC rules by charging excessive pole attachment fees and denying the company access to hundreds of poles. In its complaints filed with the FCC, Crown Castle alleges that ComEd refuses to recognize that wireless attachments are subject to FCC rules, and as a result, the utility has charged …
AT&T to cut 1,800 wireline jobs as CWA cites an already ‘crumbling infrastructure’
AT&T will be cutting 1,800 positions, according to the Communications Workers of America (CWA), union jobs in their wireline business, which the company claims has fewer customers after losing 1.9 million wireline customers between 2016 and 2018. “Due to changes as our business and industry continue to evolve, we are making some staff reductions involving technicians who install and repair …
5G’s future could literally be full of hot air…and drones leads Fast Forward Friday articles
Article Media 5G’s Future Could Literally Be Full of Hot Air… And Drones LightReading Verizon competing with telecom company to replace Chico water tower Enterprise-Record New network for first responders raises concern among media The Washington Post FCC Chairman cautions India, says 5G can impact national security Inc42 Senators debut bill to boost broadband map accuracy MeriTalk Maine bill to …
FCC names winners who spent $2.7 billion in millimeter wave auctions
The FCC has released the names of companies (see full list of Auction 101 and Auction 102 below) that won licenses in the recently completed auction of spectrum suitable for 5G deployments in the 24 GHz and 28 GHz millimeter wave bands. In the $2.7 billion raised, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Windstream, Starry and U.S. Cellular were the big winners. Each …
Sprint’s 5G ‘E’ lawsuit against AT&T settled, ending what was considered a PR ploy
According to a court document obtained by Wireless Estimator, Sprint’s lawsuit against AT&T for deceptively marketing its upgraded 4G service as “5G Evolution,” has been settled. U.S. District Court Judge Vernon Broderick for the Southern District of New York said that both parties informed him during a status conference yesterday that they had reached a settlement. They’re required by tomorrow …
The 5G status quo is clearly not good enough: T-Mobile’s Neville Ray, who slams Millimeter-wave
Editor’s note: Instead of paraphrasing T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray’s comments in his blog today, we’ve published it in its entirety. Of interest, he doesn’t comment about any of Sprint’s 5G comments that could be seen as embellishments. 5G is at the height of the hype curve right now. There’s a lot of buzz and froth about this vital, important …
Missouri counties’ property ‘expert’ taken over the coals in successful AT&T $1.69 million reduction
Living up to the state’s sobriquet, “Show Me,” senior Missouri State Tax Commission (STC) hearing officer Amy S. Westermann asked the counsel for five county property assessors – Caldwell, Daviess, Harrison, Henry and Mercer – to identify how they assessed AT&T Mobility’s 23 cell towers following AT&T’s STC complaint to have them reviewed and reassessed. Attorney Patricia Hughes complied, providing …
AT&T seeks to kayo Sprint’s ‘fake’ 5G Evolution lawsuit since consumers don’t understand 5G standards
AT&T has asked a New York federal court to dismiss a false advertising lawsuit filed by Sprint on Feb. 7, 2019 that alleges AT&T is deceptively marketing its upgraded 4G service as “5G Evolution,” arguing that Sprint can’t prove that their 5G Evolution ads make an express claim and “by attaching ‘Evolution’ to the term ‘5G’ the ads invoke the …
Ugly cell sites can be rejected leads 20 Fast-Forward Friday news stories
Article Media San Francision can reject 5G equipment it views as too ugly Bloomberg SC school district’s cell phone tower program draws scrutiny FITSNews WIA’s Adelstein: 5G deployment faces a skills gap RCR Wireless News How a Trump admin ruling could hurt effort to improve data coverage in Syracuse’s poor areas Syracuse.com Deadline to adopt and publish small cell facility …
Services set for New Jersey tower tech who died after falling from Georgia monopole
UPDATE: March 27, 2019 – Services have been set for Devon James Collins who passed away on March 21, 2019 in an industry accident. He attended Pinelands Regional H.S., and graduated from Oakcrest H.S. in Mays Landing, NJ. Devon not only loved climbing cell towers, but he loved and cherished the tower family he gained and grew into nationwide over the …
Free Press: FCC broadband gains overstated leads Fast Forward Friday news
Article Media Free Press: FCC broadband gains overstated B+C Huawei sues U.S. as ‘last resort’ to fight government ban UPI Was a cell tower illegally built in an Atlanta neighborhood AJC South Korea delays commercial 5G service over phone and carrier issues VB AT&T expects to hit second FirstNet buildout Milestone by year-end Missiona Critical Interoperability debate dominates carrier-selection panel …
FCC admits to and fixes ASR flaw that allowed 40-plus illegal tower ownership changes
The FCC will enact a new procedure for reporting tower ownership changes in their Antenna Structure Registration System (ASR) on Feb. 14, 2019 to reduce the risk of unauthorized changes being made. The new process was propelled after the FCC found, as reported exclusively by Wireless Estimator, that in early 2016, a Wisconsin wireless contractor discovered a flaw in the ASR …
Contractor survey uncovers some startling financial statistics that could trigger a 5G train wreck
In their drive to lower capex as they roll out 5G, carriers have created a troubling national Achille’s heel – a contractor base that has many companies swimming in debt with serious cash flow problems, according to results of an extensive nationwide survey taken by Wireless Estimator. The wireless contractor survey that was completed last quarter by 263 vetted companies, clearly indicates that …
