Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has announced the final rules associated with the new $20.4 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. The rules, are slated to be voted on by FCC Commissioners at the agency’s January 30 Open Meeting. NATE today released the following statement on the FCC’s announcement related to the fund. “In April 2019, NATE representatives participated in a …
T-Mobile axing its projects led a baker’s dozen top news stories during 2019
The top stories in 2019, according to Wireless Estimator readership analytics, followed previous years’ subject matter favorites based upon the site’s in depth and exclusive articles as well as its comprehensive coverage of industry fatalities. T-Mobile’s unexpected new build cancellations in August came in first with 41,362 views. However, a Crosby product recall in November for certain 7/8” shackles surprised …
Four NATE Directors re-elected as Cobb joins Board for the first time
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released the results of their 2020 Board of Directors election. The Association announced that Jimmy Miller, President of MillerCo, Inc. in Gulfport, Mississippi; John Paul Jones, President of Tower & Turbine Technologies LLC in Austin, Texas; Kevin Dougherty, President of Millennia Contracting, Inc in New Castle, Delaware; and Bryan Lee, President of …
FCC scraps 4G subsidy program and plans to dole out $9 billion for 5G in rural areas
The FCC said yesterday that it plans to scrap a $4.5 billion subsidy program for 4G LTE in rural areas and in its place launch a $9 billion fund to bring 5G wireless to hard to reach parts of the country. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the new fund will help carriers pay for 5G deployments in sparsely populated, hard-to-reach …
NATE member Petrilla to serve on Department of State’s International Telecommunications Advisory Committee
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that Jesse Petrilla has been selected to serve on the U.S. Department of State’s International Telecommunications Advisory Committee (ITAC). The purpose of the ITAC is to advise the Department of State with respect to telecommunications and information policy matters related to United States participation in the work of the International Telecommunication …
Afraid of having its contractors fail or bolt, Sprint introduces its ‘Same Day Pay’ financing program
Stating that it was concerned that it might not be able to maintain 5G construction crews, Sprint has unveiled its all-new ‘Same Day Pay’ financing program, providing day-of compensation to its 5G network builders and suppliers by shortening administrative overhead and collapsing the overpayment process as far as it can go. The Sprint ‘Same Day Pay’ program is a part of the …
Oklahoma Congressman Mullin’s American Tower site visit captured in NATE video
NATE today released a video highlighting U.S. Congressman Markwayne Mullin’s (R-OK) recent site visit to an American Tower-owned communications tower located in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Congressman Mullin represents Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District and is a member of the influential House Energy and Commerce Committee where he has championed important communications and workforce development legislation. The video shines a spotlight on the …
‘Pay to play’ Avetta has industry’s contractors concerned about it becoming a monopoly
Concerns about the time, expense and frustration of contractors that are forced to use client onboarding companies such as BROWZ and Avetta surfaced on January 30, 2019, when Wireless Estimator released the survey results of financial and administrative roadblocks set up by carriers and towercos that could derail America’s race to 5G. Two weeks later on February 14, 2019, Avetta announced the …
160 NATE STAR Initiative companies accorded the safety ‘Gold Standard’ clients are seeking
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today announced the member companies who have been formally approved to participate in the STAR Initiative program for the 2019-2020 year. NATE has proudly accepted 160 participating companies in this year’s STAR Initiative which represents a record number of companies since the inception of the program. The STAR Initiative will be entering its …
Safety advocate, mentor to many, William “Bill” Vance passes at 72
Active in the wireless construction industry for many years and a strong safety advocate, William Leon “Bill” Vance, 72, of Taylor, MO passed away on Oct. 6, 2019. Vance had been selling pagers and entered the industry when he joined Rhodes Tower Services. Vance retired from Midwest Underground Technology Inc., where he served as Vice President of Operations. He was …
Rooftop safety complacency and best practices highlighted in NATE’s newest video
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released a video entitled “Rooftop Safety: Don’t be Complacent” in order to shine a spotlight on the specific hazards, guidelines and best practices associated with wireless rooftop deployment activities. NATE has taken an active industry role in ensuring that workers are safe in any environment and has tackled the often overlooked complexities and …
Swarztrauber, FCC Chairman Pai’s new policy advisor, is well-versed on towers and wireless infrastructure
UPDATE: September 30, 2019 – In the FCC’s official statement announcing that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has appointed Evan Swarztrauber as his policy advisor, Pai said, “I’m pleased to have Evan join our team. Having served in Commissioner Carr’s office, he brings a wealth of experience on telecom issues and is well positioned to advance our policy agenda.” Commissioner Brendan Carr …
NATE receives DOL grant for nationwide wireless rooftop deployment training
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Labor – OSHA to receive a $160,000 Susan Harwood Targeted Topic Training Grant for the 2019-2020 program year. The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program awards grants to nonprofit organizations on a competitive basis. Awards are issued annually based on Congressional appropriation. …
NATE co-founder and former Chairman Snyder testifies at U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing
NATE Co-Founder and Former Chairman Craig Snyder, CEO at Vikor Teleconstruction, provided expert witness testimony at today’s U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet hearing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The hearing, “Transforming Rural America: A New Era of Innovation”, was convened by U.S. Senator John Thune, R-SD, who serves as chairman of the Subcommittee. During …
In America’s most barren broadband district, Congressman Mullin tours an ATC tower site
On Monday, U.S. Congressman Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) conducted a site visit to a communications tower located in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The tour was facilitated by representatives from the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE), the Association’s Wireless Industry Network (WIN) and American Tower Corporation. The site visit was held at an American Tower-owned self-supporting cell tower site that is located in …
Tower techs and families are major benefactors of T-Mobile’s 6th annual golf tournament
T-Mobile hosted its 6th Annual Invitational Golf Tournament on Wednesday, July 24 in Newcastle, Washington. At the event, T-Mobile and the event’s 41 industry sponsors continued their generous track record by presenting $235,000 directly to the Tower Family Foundation (TFF). Funds totaling upward of $1 million have now been distributed to TFF and Warriors4Wireless through the tournament’s five years of …
Easy app is a first line of defense in reducing injuries and saving lives
Over 1,100 tower site hazards were identified and corrected last year. They weren’t found by accident, but were discovered through the active participation of 138 companies taking advantage of the National Association of Tower Erectors STAR Initiative program that uses a free app that easily assists workers in identifying site safety hazards. To highlight this app, NATE has released a video entitled …
Key carrier contractor Centerline Solutions throws in the towel with its bankruptcy filing
Citing, delayed payments from carriers, slim margins and competition that doesn’t have high corporate expenses, Colorado-based Centerline Solutions, one of the nation’s larger contractors, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Friday Centerline said in its filing that it has assets of $10.21 million and owes creditors $7.63 million. It’s a who’s who list of creditors The creditors are well-known (pages 74 through …
Pedophile may have inadvertently put OSHA tower safety rule on permanent hold
President Donald Trump said Friday that embattled Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta is resigning because Acosta doesn’t want his decade-old plea deal with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to distract the President from pressing issues. Epstein, 66, was arrested last weekend and charged in the Southern District of New York with sex trafficking of young girls. A judge has postponed his decision …
Wesley Weis passes, leaving a legacy of advancing safety throughout America
Services will be held tomorrow for a Northern New Jersey industry icon, Wesley Weis, CEO of Mikab Corporation who passed away on Saturday at age 78. A resident of Old Tappan, he was a founding member of the National Association of Tower Erectors and helped the trade group from its first meeting in 1995 to move forward with a unified …