During a UBS investor webcast last week, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert said that the carrier is taking down Sprint’s network on an “isolated basis,” but decommissioning work – the bread and butter of wireless contractors – is mostly a 2021 and 2022 endeavor. Sievert informed UBS moderator John Hodulik that T-Mobile likely will begin its serious shutdown efforts of the …
Two tower techs are killed when their man lift in Delaware topples onto electrical lines
UPDATE: November 4, 2020 — Two men, who were killed attempting to install antennas onto a water tower near Bethany Beach in high winds, have been identified. Delaware State Police said 23-year-old Jovan Maldonado and 22-year-old Bryan Maldonado Andino, both from Puerto Rico, were in a Z135 Man Lift working to put antennas for the Velex, Inc. on the Sussex Shores water tower just of the …
T-Mobile inks a 15-year tower deal with American Tower
T-Mobile and American Tower Corporation announced today that the companies have signed a new long-term agreement designed to drive significant value for both parties over its nearly 15-year term. The new agreement enhances T-Mobile’s access to American Tower’s U.S. sites while locking in synergies and facilitating T-Mobile’s continued rapid, efficient deployment of broad and deep nationwide 5G. The agreement also …
NARB: Verizon should nix “Building the most powerful 5G experience for America”
A panel of the National Advertising Review Board (NARB), a division of BBB National Programs, has recommended that Verizon Communications, Inc. discontinue the claim that “Verizon is building the most powerful 5G experience for America.” This claim appeared in two television commercials — “NFL: 5G Built Right,” which focused on Verizon’s installing its 5G network in the home of the …
U.S. ends up in last place in the race for 5G download speeds
Compared to other countries, the U.S. has lost the race to 5G regarding download speeds offered, so much so that in some countries 4G speeds are faster than two of the three major carriers that are touting their 5G offerings. Last week the BBB took T-Mobile to task, stating that it should modify its claims to more clearly identify the metrics …
Providing no details President Trump touts a new 5G network
Just before the election for his second term, Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed the interstate highway system in 1956. In President Donald J. Trump’s campaigning for his second term on Monday he floated his idea for establishing “a national high-speed wireless internet network” in a campaign ad. President Eisenhower’s vision came to fruition and is an integral part of …
T-Mobile advised to stop some of its 5G claims but gets selected NAD marketing support
The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs determined that T-Mobile US, Inc. supported claims that its 5G service is faster than a competitors’ 4G, as well as its own 4G, but recommended it discontinue express and implied claims that its 5G network is more reliable than competing 4G or 5G networks. Similarly, NAD determined that T-Mobile supported claims …
Sprint and T-Mobile settle Manhattan $2 million townhouse damage claim in a New York minute
Justice is said to be blind but no one ever said it was fast, especially in the COVID-19 era where lawsuits are causing the wheels of justice to move at glacial speeds. So a lawsuit that was filed by homeowners in June against Sprint and T-Mobile alleging that they installed 5G antennas on a Manhattan penthouse that caused damage to …
Tower crews who had the ‘hard part’ in the nation’s successful repack singled out by FCC chief
On yesterday’s 39-month repack deadline date, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai expressed sincere thanks to broadcasters, wireless and tower companies, tower crews, Congress and his staff for making the broadcast spectrum repack a success. During remarks he made during a webinar panel presentation to the American Consumer Institute, Pai lauded individuals responsible for the world’s first incentive spectrum auction and transition starting …
Internet speeds increase 15.8% on mobile with AT&T winning best in show in Q2
The reliable Q2 2020 Speedtest United States Market Report by Ookla, based upon data from over 1.6 million unique mobile user devices and 18.9 million fixed broadband devices, shows that AT&T is the fastest and most consistent mobile network, but T-Mobile has the competition beat on 5G availability. Ookla revealed yesterday that the median download speed over mobile in the U.S. …
Thousands of carrier layoffs will not impede 5G buildouts and might increase contractor opportunities
This week it was announced that AT&T plans to cut 3,400 jobs, according to the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and T-Mobile is laying off hundreds of Sprint employees, as reported by TechCrunch. However, the wireless infrastructure sectors of the two carriers building out 5G will not be affected since Sprint’s cuts are largely from the carrier’s sales division, and AT&T’s …
Cyber attacks are ruled out as T-Mobile struggles to return nationwide call and internet service
UPDATE: June 16, 2020 – Neville Ray, T-Mobile’s president of technology tweeted at 1:03 a.m. that voice and text services are now restored. “Thank you for your patience as we fixed the issues. We sincerely apologize for any and all inconveniences,” Ray said. However, media outlets and blogs this morning continue to fan the false conspiracy flames of cyber attacks and nationwide …
Sprint’s unauthorized use of NYC townhouse’s wall should be worth over $2 million lawsuit claims
A New York City husband and wife filed a lawsuit against Sprint and T-Mobile on Monday, alleging that they installed 5G antennas without their permission and violated the terms of a contract they made with Sprint eight years earlier. According to the complaint, Sprint allegedly had previously installed a cell site on a residential townhouse immediately adjacent to the one …
Wireless workers asked to be vigilant Saturday due to possible attacks against infrastructure
Some activist groups have declared Saturday, June 6, 2020 as Global 5G Protest Day, resulting in associations and carriers as well as contractors warning the industry to be extra vigilant to ensure worker safety and protect the nation’s infrastructure. One key contractor is warning the industry to not take the situation “lightly”. Ericsson, in an “abundance of caution” to ensure the …
T-Mobile touts that it is the first with 5G in all 50 states
T-Mobile and GCI announced a historic partnership, immediately allowing T-Mobile customers with 5G smartphones to tap into 5G while roaming in Anchorage, Alaska, making T-Mobile the first and only wireless provider to offer 5G coverage in all 50 states. The new partnership also gives GCI customers roaming access to T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G network, America’s largest, covering more than one million …
T-Mobile plans for 15,000 new macro sites and $60 billion in CAPEX over the next five years
Even with COVID-19 constraints, T-Mobile is upgrading 1,000 existing sites per month and will be expanding its nationwide macro base station footprint by 15,000 towers during the coming years, said Neville Ray, the carrier’s president of technology during a J.P. Morgan investor conference Tuesday. “So far, so good,” he said. “We are ramping up in this environment and not actually slowing …
T-Mobile wacked with a $14 million contract lawsuit over stolen franchise agreement
In a lawsuit filed Friday, a former Illinois T-Mobile franchise owner who will be released from a federal prison halfway house on June 10 after serving almost two years on a tax evasion conviction, is alleging that his former business partner and a T-Mobile account manager cost him $14 million because they stole business contracts that T-Mobile should have known …
Coalition asks Congress to not use COVID-19 recovery money to fund T-Mobile’s merger commitments
The Communications Workers of America (CWA), New America’s Open Technology Institute, the Rural Wireless Association, NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association, the American Economic Liberties Project, and Free Press Action sent a letter yesterday calling on Congress to ensure that T-Mobile does not receive COVID-19 recovery funding to meet the merger specific build-out commitments it agreed to when it sought …
T-Mobile/Sprint merger is a done deal as Legere gives reins to Sievert
T-Mobile announced this morning that it has officially completed its $26.5 billion merger with Sprint to create, what they are calling “a supercharged un-carrier that will deliver a transformative 5G network”. The enhanced scale and financial strength of the combined company will drive a planned investment of $40 billion into its network, business and more over the next three years. …
Sprint merger ready to roll despite COVID-19 fears says T-Mobile CEO John Legere
In a message to investors today, T-Mobile announced that it is financially prepared to close the merger with Sprint and the COVID-19 crisis will not delay the deal. The carrier said that 16 banks are involved in the merger and none of them have stated that they will be unable to meet prior commitments. “I’m pleased that right now we …
