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The 10 biggest wireless infrastructure news stories of 2021 can be distilled down to one

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

In assessing Wireless Estimator’s Top 10 News stories in 2021, there were dozens to choose from pertaining to safety, fatalities, 5G infrastructure, COVID-19, workforce shortages, and Dish’s ambitious buildout. However, there was one story that dwarfed all others in readership and its ability to shape 2021 and beyond – NATE’s full-court press in exposing and championing its core contractor members’ concerns regarding …

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Dish’s new deployment software might benefit contractors

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Dish Network Corporation has selected NEXSYS-ONE for end-to-end, cloud-based network deployment software solutions to manage Dish’s nationwide 5G network build. In a press release, Dish said “NEXSYS-ONE’s unique platform supports Dish’s network deployment with speed and agility, allowing for seamless integration of project, inventory and financial management.” Dish said the software has modules that support project management, procurement, asset management, …

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It’s possible the infrastructure bill will require tower techs and other workers to receive huge pay increases

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Since the text of the infrastructure bill was released earlier this month, industry media have been surgically dissecting the limited details in the $1.2 trillion act that provides $65 billion for the nation’s broadband development. What is known is that $42.45 billion will be funneled to states to fund projects each state approves independently, if their telecommunications provider can offer speeds …

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SBA’s Stoops believes Q2 was the start of a multi-year increase in U.S. wireless carrier capex

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

SBA Communications Corp. on Monday reported its second quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations. The company’s shares have increased 21% since the beginning of the year. This morning SBAC was trading at $348.62, inching towards its 52-week high of $350.63. The Boca Raton, FL-based real estate investment trust said it had funds from operations of $293.5 million, or $2.64 …

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Dish wants contractors to ‘accept or reject’ unprofitable blue plate special colo pricing

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Dish Wireless’s urgency to build out their 5G mobile network has been long-seen by many wireless contractors as their sought after savior that would allow them to move a segment of their workforce to more profitable work than the depressed market pricing they are being offered by many carriers or their turfing vendors. However, the expected supply and demand shift …

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Dish ditches its T-Mobile relations with a parting shot of providing $5 Billion to AT&T for its MVNO

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Dish Network has arranged to pay AT&T approximately $5 billion over ten years for network access, making AT&T the primary network services partner for Dish Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) customers. Through the agreement, Dish will provide current and future customers of its retail wireless brands, including Boost Mobile, Ting Mobile and Republic Wireless, access to connectivity on AT&T’s wireless …

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American Tower is convinced Crown Castle’s early Dish builds is not a long-term concern

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

American Tower Corp. EVP, Treasurer and CFO Rod Smith said at Monday’s J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications conference call that he’s not concerned that a competitor is expected to get a larger than typical share of Dish Network colocations. Although J.P. Morgan Managing Director Phil Cusick did not mention Crown Castle as the competitor in his interview, he …

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T-Mobile and Dish are at odds over clearing the 12 GHz band for 5G services

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

On Friday, the 5G For 12GHz Coalition, comprised of Dish Network, the Rural Wireless Association and other associations and telecommunications firms, noted the May 7, 2021 deadline for informing the FCC whether spectrum-sharing among 5G terrestrial services, direct broadband satellite (DBS), and non-geostationary orbiting satellites (NGSOs), both existing and prospective is possible. The lobbying group’s co-chair, Joe Lockhart, a former …

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U.S. Cellular says it has a leg up on its competitors as it details Dish master lease agreement deal

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Dish Network has signed a master lease agreement (MLA) with U.S. Cellular for access to the regional wireless network operator’s 4,270 owned towers. The carrier, the fifth largest tower owner in the U.S., made the announcement in its Q1, 2021 earnings conference call on Friday. President and CEO Laurent Therivel said in the past the company would reserve a pretty …

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Dish enlists Amazon to help build its 5G network, to launch in Las Vegas

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) has announced that DISH Network Corporation (DISH)  selected AWS as its preferred cloud provider and will construct its 5G network on AWS, part of a strategic collaboration agreement under which both companies will work to transform how organizations and customers, including AWS and Amazon, order and consume 5G services or create their own private 5G networks. DISH is deploying …

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T-Mobile disses Dish’s 3G CDMA ‘misinformation campaign’ regarding its 9 million Boost customers

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

T-Mobile USA Inc. is sparring  with Dish Network Corp. over Dish’s claim that it’s trying to “prematurely” kick Boost Mobile subscribers off Sprint’s 3G CDMA Network. In an FCC filing Sunday to Acting Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel, T-Mobile said that the real problem is that Dish hasn’t done adequate preparation to transition existing customers to the newer T-Mobile networks under a …

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Colocations unknown as a sealed deal with American Tower provides DISH with it final site selections

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

American Tower Corporation and DISH Network Corporation announced today that they have entered into a master lease agreement through which DISH may lease space on up to 20,000 American Tower communications sites. Through the agreement, DISH will secure access to American Tower’s extensive U.S. portfolio of communications sites as it deploys its new nationwide 5G network, and American Tower will …

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SBA inks a master lease agreement with DISH for its 5G network

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

DISH and SBA Communications Corporation today announced a new long-term master lease agreement providing DISH access to SBA’s extensive nationwide portfolio of wireless communication sites. The announcement builds upon DISH’s continued progress in acquiring access to the essential infrastructure needed to deploy its greenfield 5G network coast to coast. As part of the agreement, DISH will lease towers from SBA, …

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Seven new tower agreements signed by DISH as ATC and SBA await word on their offers

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

As DISH constructs the nation’s first cloud-native, Open RAN-based 5G wireless network, the company announced today it has signed seven new tower agreements. These agreements, with Harmoni Towers, Mobilite, Parallel Infrastructure, Phoenix Tower International (PTI), Tillman Infrastructure, Tower Ventures and Vogue Towers, provide DISH access to more than 4,000 towers and wireless infrastructure assets coast to coast. The vendors will also …

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‘Painless’ process results in a Dish/Vertical Bridge access deal

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Dish Network Corporation and Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC announced a long-term agreement granting Dish immediate access to Vertical Bridge’s extensive portfolio of towers, rooftops, utility transmission structures, billboards, convenience stores and other sites used for wireless infrastructure deployment. Vertical Bridge is the nation’s largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure with a portfolio of over 300,000 sites spread across all 50 …

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American Tower is undaunted by Dish’s 20,000 tower deal with Crown, they’ll wait for their turn

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

When questioned as to whether Crown Castle will become the main beneficiary of Dish Network’s entry into the carrier space during a UBS Global TMT conference call earlier this month, American Tower CFO and Treasurer Rod Smith said that history might be the best prophet to identify if his company will profit. Smith said he thought it was “great” that …

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DISH’s first massive tower deal has Crown Castle providing access to 20,000 towers

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

DISH Wireless and Crown Castle today announced a long-term agreement through which Crown Castle will lease DISH space on up to 20,000 communication towers. As part of the agreement, DISH will receive certain fiber transport services and also have the option to utilize Crown Castle for pre-construction services. The agreement encompasses leases on towers located nationwide, helping DISH facilitate its …

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One down, 14,999 Dish cell sites to go starting in Q2

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Dish Network’s buildout finally kicked off last week, with a soft launch that was a test site near the company’s Littleton, Colorado headquarters. Executive Vice President – Network Deployment, Dave Mayo last week provided a sneak preview of Dish’s first 5G trial site on his LinkedIn page. Mayo joined Dish last June and will be responsible for the carrier’s wireless …

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Dish gets green light for more time to build out its licenses, but must stay in 5G lane

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) officially gave the green light to Dish Network to reset the clock to June 14, 2023 to meet build-out requirements for its AWS and lower 700 MHz spectrum holdings. The WTB has also changed the license terms so that Dish has waived its rights to use their licenses under the Commission’s flexible-use policies. Each …