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 …
Verizon answers NATE’s call: Turfing phased out, matrix pricing and other requirements will be overhauled
After NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association issued an urgent open letter warning that the contracting industry would implode without meaningful carrier reform, Verizon sprang into action, reaching out immediately to tackle contractors’ top concerns. Together, they forged a breakthrough contracting framework: the turfing model will be retired, and no contractor will be forced into unsustainable matrix pricing. This bold …
Verizon-Frontier deal gets FCC clearance in addition to Verizon’s matrix pricing overhaul and workforce protections
The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau today cleared Verizon’s $20 billion acquisition of Frontier, transferring all necessary licenses and authorizations—and making contractor stability a cornerstone of its approval. Chairman Brendan Carr framed the decision as a win for consumers, crews, and communities: “By approving this deal, the FCC ensures that Americans will benefit from billions of dollars in new …
NATE’s Washington fly-in takes on ‘fly-by-night’ contractors and carriers’ take-it-or-leave-it rates
Nearly 90 representatives from NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association member companies converged in Washington, D.C. last week to participate in the Association’s 2025 Member Congressional Fly-In event on Capitol Hill, where members demonstrated their grassroots prowess by participating in approximately 125 individual meetings with members of Congress and their respective policy staff. During the meetings, NATE members advocated for …
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 …
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 …
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 …
FCC Chair Carr threatens to block media mergers over DEI policies, raising industry alarm
The Federal Communications Commission is prepared to block mergers and acquisitions involving media and telecommunications companies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies deemed “invidious,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced Friday in an interview with Bloomberg News. Carr’s remarks sent shockwaves through the communications sector, as he directly referenced high-profile deals now under threat, including Paramount Global’s proposed merger …
Starks resigns from the FCC, paving the way for Republican control under Chairman Carr
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Geoffrey Starks has announced his intention to resign this Spring, cutting short his term that was set to expire in 2027. His departure could have significant implications for the balance of power within the FCC, potentially giving Chairman Brendan Carr a temporary Republican majority. In a letter to President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader …
Ajit Pai’s legacy: A win for CTIA’s wireless carriers as its new chief, but at what cost to contractors?
Ajit Pai, former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is set to take over as president and CEO of CTIA on April 1. His appointment marks a significant leadership shift for the wireless industry’s leading lobbying group as it navigates ongoing battles over spectrum allocation and regulatory policies. Pai will replace former FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker, who has …
Arielle Roth’s nomination to head NTIA signals probable shift away from fiber-centric BEAD program
President Donald Trump has nominated Arielle Roth, telecom director for Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, to lead the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). If confirmed, Roth would oversee federal broadband policy, including the $42.5 billion Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program—an initiative she has sharply criticized for its regulatory overreach and fiber favoritism. Roth outlined her concerns …
Tower technician setbacks serve as a cautionary tale for BEAD fiber training exceeding $350 million and climbing
As the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program begins construction in Louisiana, Delaware, and Nevada in Q2, significant concerns about workforce development initiatives funded through BEAD grants are emerging. A striking percentage of the $42.5 billion BEAD program is earmarked for broadband workforce training, totaling nearly $350 million today. Yet, the funding heavily favors fiber-optic training, leaving other broadband …
Soon to be FCC Chair Carr slams Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s eleventh-hour Salt Typhoon vote
In a pointed rebuke, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr criticized FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and the Biden administration for advancing a contentious vote on cybersecurity measures yesterday, just days before a new administration reins. Carr’s strong statement called out the timing and content of the decision, accusing the FCC leadership of abandoning precedent and bipartisan cooperation in favor of a rushed, …
From 5G to future G’s: WIA pushes for bold wireless reforms under Trump administration
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) has released “A Roadmap to Unlocking Connectivity Everywhere in the Next Administration,” a policy playbook to spark the wireless deployment and investment necessary to end the digital divide and ensure the U.S. continues to lead the world in growth and innovation. There are more than 558 million wireless connections in use in the U.S. every …
The elephant in the FCC: Carr signals end of DEI era but is tactfully advised to recharter the CEDC
President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Brendan Carr, the senior Republican commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to serve as the agency’s chairman in his forthcoming administration. Carr, who has been an FCC Commissioner since 2017, said the agency will end its promotion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) next year. Last month, he criticized the FCC’s budget for 2025, …
Déjà Vu at the FCC: Republicans demand a timeout as power swaps hands asking for ‘pencils down’
In a move that mirrors past transitions of power, Republican leaders are urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to temporarily hold any contentious regulatory initiatives until President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20. This “pencils down” approach, often invoked during transitional periods, aims to restrict the FCC’s agenda to non-controversial matters, ensuring a smooth handover of authority. It’s a …
Over 1,000 days later, BEAD broadband $42.5 billion program is still searching for a shovel
In a chess rating system, breaking 1,000 indicates that a player has moved beyond the beginner level and can recognize common tactical patterns and avoid simple blunders. However, today, the broadband equity, access, and deployment (BEAD) program rollout has broken 1,000 days since BEAD was enacted, and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr believes the opposite is true for the current administration—that …
FCC Commissioner Carr condemns $42 billion BEAD’s delays with construction possibly detained until 2026
In testimony before Tuesday’s House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr sharply criticized the Biden Administration’s handling of the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. Carr’s testimony highlighted significant delays and inefficiencies in the program, which aims to expand high-speed internet access across the United States.| Carr began by highlighting the program’s failure …
Musk and Carr tag team against the Biden administration’s inability to dish out BEAD funding until 2025
Elon Musk and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr have publicly criticized the Biden administration for its handling of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The $42.45 billion initiative, designed to provide high-speed internet to unserved and underserved areas, has yet to make significant progress in its implementation, leading to frustration and backlash from prominent figures and policymakers. An article …
