American autonomous drone maker Skyfish has secured over $20 million in venture funding led by Henry Wolfond, CEO of Bayshore Capital, and Steven Bernstein, the Chairman of SBA Communications. “After speaking with Skyfish customers, we quickly understood that Skyfish is unique in the commercial drone world, producing precise ‘engineering grade’ drone enabled photogrammetry and 3D Models of infrastructure,” said Bernstein. …
Kathy Stieler’s new role at NATE will help the industry navigate safety, health and compliance issues
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association has announced the hiring of Kathy Stieler as Director of Safety, Health & Compliance, a new staff position established by the Association. Stieler officially began her duties with NATE this morning. Stieler, a long-time industry subject matter expert and safety professional, joins NATE after serving as Director, ERI Installations and Safety since 2012. During …
SBA CEO Jeffrey Stoops elected WIA Chairman and Tom Kane joins Board of Directors
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) has announced that Jeffrey Stoops, President and CEO of SBA, was elected to serve as Chairman of the WIA’s Board of Directors. A new slate of officers was also elected. The new Chairman and officers include: Chairman: Jeffrey A. Stoops; President and Chief Executive Officer; SBA Communications Corporation Vice Chairman: Alex Gellman, Chief Executive Officer, …
Ohio’s lawsuit seeking public utility status for Google confuses tower owners
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a landmark lawsuit yesterday, asking the court to declare Google a public utility, reining in the ways the powerful search engine provides search results to Ohioans. “Google uses its dominance of internet search to steer Ohioans to Google’s own products–that’s discriminatory and anti-competitive,” Yost said. “When you own the railroad or the electric company or …
Colony Capital, Digital Colony rebrand under the umbrella of a ‘new’ DigitalBridge
Colony Capital, Inc. today announced a corporate rebranding of the company to DigitalBridge, effective June 22, 2021. Digital Colony, the Company’s digital infrastructure investment platform, will also change to operate under the DigitalBridge brand. In connection with the transition, the corporate name will be changed to DigitalBridge Group, Inc. and the Company will begin trading under a new NYSE ticker …
Government watchdog says FCC needs its disaster response role clarified
In a report issued Tuesday, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that although the FCC supported telecommunications restoration efforts following Hurricane Maria, future disaster recovery efforts by the agency could be improved. The GAO found that the FCC’s disaster response role was unclear in guidance published by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), even though the guidance states that all …
President Biden’s budget tackles 1099 independent contractor misclassifications
President Joe Biden’s 2022 budget plan released Friday highlighted his administration’s commitment to employment protection to workers who have been classified as 1099 independent contractors. The budget calls for the U.S. Labor Department receiving $7.5 billion in the coming fiscal year to boost worker-protection efforts, including to root out misclassification. “The administration is also committed to ending the abusive practice …
Scott Crisler named COO at CTI Towers as the company continues expansion of its executive team
CTI Towers, Inc. (CTI)) today announced the expansion of its executive team with the addition of Scott Crisler as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. Crisler has an extensive wireless background with over 20 years in the wireless industry. He will assume oversight of day-to-day operations at CTI, including sales, tower operations, lease administration, and business development. “Scott has experience in every aspect of …
American Tower is convinced Crown Castle’s early Dish builds is not a long-term concern
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 …
Millerco and Vertical Bridge team up in Fish & Wildlife video to promote saving 4 million birds a year
As part of a national effort to prevent bird collisions and help meet industry needs, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has produced a public service announcement video directly targeted to communication tower owners, the single most important audience they can work with to prevent migratory birds being killed or injured after impacting many of the 160,000 communication towers across …
COVID-5G conspiracist and serial litigator wants 10th Circuit to revisit New Mexico 5G cell tower ruling
The Tenth Circuit abandoned its judicial duty when it shot down most of the constitutional claims in March in a lawsuit accusing Santa Fe, NM of exposing residents to dangerous radiation levels by installing telecom equipment in public rights-of-way, a local alliance group has told the court. The Santa Fe Alliance for Public Health and Safety along with Monika Steinhoff, …
‘Turf-like’ contractor model isn’t sustainable down under: Australian communications union
Over 600 telecommunications technicians across Australia quit installing and repairing National Broadband Network (NBN) services yesterday as part of a National Day of Action, according to the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU). The NBN is an Australia-wide project funded by the Federal Government to provide all homes and businesses with a fast, reliable connection to the internet. Access to …
U.S. Cellular says it has a leg up on its competitors as it details Dish master lease agreement deal
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 …
Political disputes over a Broward County, FL tower site has endangered residents’ lives for years
Broward County, FL Commissioners had been criticized for not moving faster to replace the county’s old and overloaded communications system that reached capacity in 2001 — a network that was crippled during the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport shooting in 2017 and the Parkland school shooting the following year that killed 14 students and three staff members. In June of 2017, …
If you invested a few grand in these towercos at their low, here’s what you would have made today
Crown Castle (CCI NYSE), American Tower (AMT NYSE) and SBA Communications’ (SBAC NASDAQ) stocks turned lower again this morning after tumbling yesterday. Down $5.21 at 10:30 p.m. today, yesterday, SBAC lost $1.76, closing at $296.90. AMT closed at $248.88 yesterday losing $3.42. This morning the stock was down $4.01. Yesterday’s loss for CCI was $3.80 when the stock closed yesterday …
Police err on the side of caution in investigating SBA cell tower power failure in NY
WKTV of Utica, New York broke the story Sunday morning that was picked up by area and industry media that police were investigating damage to a cell phone tower on Mohawk Valley Community College property, causing an event that was taking place on campus to be moved to another location. One report stated that the tower was set on fire. …
Former FCC Chair Pai joins private equity firm Searchlight as its TMT rainmaker
Searchlight Capital Partners, L.P. (Searchlight), a leading global private investment firm, announced the appointment of Ajit Pai, former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission as its 13th partner and a prospective board member of a number of Searchlight’s existing investments in the technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) sectors. Searchlight’s U.S.-based TMT investment companies include Consolidated Communications, Global Eagle, Hemisphere Media …
Repeater Communications/InSite Wireless Group alum announce the formation of RCG Tower Group
Earlier this month, Paul Eisenberg and Michael Lifland, former Co-Presidents of Repeater Communications Group, LLC and Division Presidents of InSite Wireless Group, LLC announced the formation of RCG Tower Group, LLC. This new venture, similar to Eisenberg and Lifland’s prior collaborations, specializes in generating triple net lease revenue streams for landlords by leasing, developing, acquiring and operating co-located rooftop, in-building …
FBI shelling out $5,000 reward for info about sabotage of Texas communications towers
The Dallas Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Wichita Falls Police Department are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual(s) responsible for the damage caused to two communications towers in Wichita Falls, Texas. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the individual …
Long Island town believes it has the right to deny applications for nodes with ugly antennas
The Town of Hempstead in Long Island, NY, last week aggressively replied to a summary judgment bid from Crown Castle that accused Hempstead of unfairly blocking the towerco from building 48 DAS nodes. In their response, Hempstead said that on January 18, 2017, Crown Castle submitted applications for the first 14 of 48 DAS nodes in the town’s right-of-way. The …
