OSHA is temporarily suspending enforcement of the Biden administration’s private sector COVID-19 vaccine mandate that would have had companies with over 100 employees comply with the new vaccine mandate rule, although tower crews could be exempt. Yesterday’s announcement comes after the Fifth Circuit U.S. Courts of Appeals in New Orleans twice ordered implementation of the mandate halted, citing “grave” constitutional …
Tower crews in companies with over 100 employees could be exempt in OSHA’s new vaccine mandate rule
Update: November 6, 2021 – A federal appeals court in Louisiana has blocked President Biden’s latest COVID-19 vaccination mandate, giving the government until Monday afternoon to submit a response. An emergency stay, issued Saturday from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, prevents the White House from requiring all full and part-time workers at private-sector companies with …
Verizon appears to be requiring all contractors’ employees to be vaxxed by January 1, 2022
Beginning January 1, 2022, all persons entering any Verizon premises in the U.S. where Verizon employees are present must be either fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or approved by their employer for a legally-recognized accommodation. “This includes all supplier personnel (and applicable subcontractor personnel) who are accessing Verizon U.S. premises where Verizon employees are present. Verizon suppliers are required to confirm …
An unvaccinated worker’s OSHA fine will be $13,653, but an average fatality non-compliance fine is only $7,748
Newly proposed rules, which President Biden announced last Thursday, will require wireless industry companies with more than 100 workers to require vaccinations of all employees against the coronavirus or face weekly testing. Although the majority of businesses fall far short of more than 100 employees, there are many key companies that meet that plateau such as the major tower owners, …
NAB and CCA conferences will require showing proof of COVID vaccine to gain entry
The National Association of Broadcasters has released a letter concerning COVID protocols for their upcoming show, Oct. 9 through 1 in Las Vegas, NV. In the letter signed by NAB EVP & Managing Director, Global Connections and Events Chris Brown, he said “we will require all attendees and participants to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination.” He said, “We think this …
NATE requests COVID-19 vaccination priority status for industry’s technician workforce
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association has sent letters to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Governors Association to request that the telecom industry’s technicians be accorded priority status in the COVID-19 vaccination hierarchy the CDC has recommended and that states are now tasked with distributing. The NATE letters make …
All Quiet on the Western Wireless Front as the infrastructure industry enjoys a peaceful weekend
Concerns about the possibility of Saturday’s Global 5G Protest Day bringing out anarchists bent upon setting fire to cell tower sites or vandalizing them in other manners were well-founded but failed to materialize this weekend. Picked up by major news outlets, Wireless Estimator first reported on Thursday that companies were taking the threats seriously and asked wireless workers to be vigilant …
Access to critical infrastructure authorization expires, extension expected shortly
The National Communications Coordination Branch’s leadership is aware that their current access letter for critical communications infrastructure facilities issued March 16, 2020 is expiring today and they are working to finalize the details and distribution process of an updated access letter to support any recovery/restoration activities. However, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is …
Another Telus Communications cell tower is torched in Quebec
Another Quebec cell tower was the target of an arsonist on Monday. Firefighters were called to the scene on Carillon Street near Notre-Dame, in Montreal’s Sud-Ouest borough, at around 3:45 a.m., authorities said. The fire was brought under control, but firefighters found traces of an accelerant on the cell site compound and the investigation was transferred to the arson squad of …
Attorney’s lawsuit claims Verizon’s contractor put him at risk and a 5G pole cheapens his realty by $128K
An Atlanta attorney representing himself and 110 of his neighbors in a class action has filed a lawsuit against Verizon Wireless claiming that the carrier sent unmasked contractors to his City of Sandy Springs, Ga. home, in a “corporate invasion,” that put his family and neighbors at risk of contracting COVID-19 as well as diseases rumored to be linked to …
Feds warn of attacks against towers and techs that maintain them
The nation’s telecommunications companies are being warned by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that extremists, fueled by a conspiracy theory linking 5G cellular networks and the coronavirus, may escalate attacks against employees and infrastructure. “We assess conspiracy theories linking the spread of COVID-19 to the expansion of the 5G cellular network are inciting attacks against the communications infrastructure globally …
If found to be “essential” workers, tower techs would get a $13 hourly pay boost under HEROES Act
Yesterday, House Democrats unveiled their coronavirus assistance bill, which will include measures to keep families online through the duration of the pandemic and possibly provide a huge pay increase to telecom field workers. It will also provide a new direct cash stimulus check for $1,200. The 1,800-plus page HEROES Act with $3 trillion in funding, will have about $5.5 billion …
Lawsuit challenges FCC’s C-band reorganization, broadcasters want COVID-19 costs considered
Video programming provider PSSI Global Services LLC (PSSI) is taking the FCC to court over the agency’s controversial reorganization of the C-band spectrum, arguing that the agency is crippling an entire industry. In February, the FCC adopted new rules to auction and make available 280 Megahertz of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band available for 5G Services while relocating existing satellite operations …
Labeled as ‘suspicious’, two more cell towers set ablaze in Quebec
Police are investigating two more cell tower fires that occurred early this morning in towns near Montreal, Canada. Wireless Estimator reported on Friday that a multi-tenant Rogers Communications monopole was completely destroyed, possibly by anarchists protesting misguided beliefs that 5G transmissions are dangerous. This morning’s fires are also being viewed as “suspicious” by authorities. Firefighters were first called to a cell …
Officials unsure whether Canadian cell tower fire was the work of anarchists industry was looking for
Fire officials in Laval, a city north of Montreal, Canada, have not yet identified whether a multiple-tenant Rogers Communications monopole was purposely set on fire early Friday morning by anarchists protesting misguided beliefs that 5G transmissions are dangerous, although it has been rebutted throughout the world, especially in Canada where a private/public collaboration recently published an excellent report to dispel 5G …
American Tower expects accelerated T-Mobile work beginning in Q3, manages COVID-19
American Tower Corporation reported steady financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, emphasizing how the company is responding to the ever-changing coronavirus landscape. Tom Bartlett, American Tower’s Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we delivered a solid first quarter, including U.S. organic tenant billings growth of 5.6%, consistent international leasing activity and a 20% …
AT&T gains a network edge through its five-carrier aggregation: RootMetrics
With RootMetric testing efforts currently on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they thought it would be an ideal time to take a look at how the carriers have performed across the 55 markets they’ve tested so far in the first half of 2020. To kick off their reviews of publishing carrier-specific reports with overviews of performance for both 5G …
Twitter targets panicking tin hat conspiracy theories stating 5G causes coronavirus
Twitter has added conspiracy theories to their ever-increasing list of unverified coronavirus claims that are grounds for removal. “We have broadened our guidance on unverified claims that incite people to engage in harmful activity, could lead to the destruction or damage of critical 5G infrastructure, or could lead to widespread panic, social unrest, or large-scale disorder,” Twitter announced. Examples they …
AT&T acknowledges permitting and work force shortages as it builds out FirstNet, 5G
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, while discussing the carrier’s Q1 earnings with analysts yesterday said the company is still building FirstNet and enhancing their 5G network’s density, but he echoed the general concern of all carriers, their inability to get timely permitting for new projects. “These [projects] require permitting and government officials, and government officials are sheltered in place…so while we …
Kenwood Telecom remains open and ready to assist the wireless infrastructure industry
A leading wireless manufacturer and supplier, Kenwood Telecom, headquartered in Acworth, Georgia, continues to follow CDC guidelines while allowing its operations to run smoothly and service the communications infrastructure community. “Your team here at Kenwood Telecom continues to follow the coronavirus developments with deep care and concern. We take our civic responsibility to continue following the CDC’s suggested practices very …
