Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC, the largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure and locations in the United States, today announced the completion of its merger with North Carolina-based Eco-Site, a leading developer of wireless communication, tower sites and infrastructure. The combination increases Vertical Bridge’s owned and master-leased tower portfolio to over 20,000 sites and its entire portfolio to more …
SURVEY SAYS: NATE documents the many thousands of telecom positions needed
For the last few years, FCC Commissioners, federal agencies, educational institutions, association CEOs, and industry focus groups have said that there is a shortage of approximately 20,000 telecommunications workers that are critically needed to build out 5G and maintain broadband infrastructure. That workforce shortfall total has been employed to obtain millions of dollars of federal grants for training and other …
DISH’s first massive tower deal has Crown Castle providing access to 20,000 towers
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 …
What a difference a quarter makes as Colony Capital’s stock doubles in price through its digital design
Colony Capital Inc. (CLNY) had another good day in the market on Tuesday as shares jumped 6.67% to close at $4.00, doubling the stock price since CEO Marc Ganzi informed analysts during his August Q2 call that “Colony today trades slightly under $2.00. I’d encourage you guys to look at your history books, think about this management team, think about …
One down, 14,999 Dish cell sites to go starting in Q2
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 …
American Tower picks up InSite Wireless Group’s American and Canadian assets for $3.5 billion
American Tower Corporation this morning announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire InSite Wireless Group, LLC (InSite), which owns, operates and manages approximately 3,000 communications sites, primarily in the U.S. and Canada. The portfolio includes more than 1,400 owned towers in the U.S., over 200 owned towers in Canada and approximately 70 distributed antenna system (DAS) …
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 …
Five Alarm Concern: UWM assesses the vulnerability of cell site infrastructure to wildfires
While the FCC attempts to get accurate maps of broadband coverage in the U.S., three University of Wisconsin – Madison researchers have completed the task of identifying for the agency the vulnerability of cell sites throughout America when confronted with wildfires. The study, presented at a meeting of internet network researchers this week found more than 430,000 cell site transceivers …
Alabama accident takes the life of a Texas broadcast tall tower tech
A broadcast tower technician employed by San Antonio, Texas-based Broadcast Construction Solutions died yesterday shortly before noon in Elsanor, Alabama while performing retrofitting services on a 1,500-foot guyed tower owned by Deerfield Media that broadcasts WJTC TV. Wireless Estimator has confirmed that the deceased broadcast worker is Sirous Snider, 33, of Burleson, Texas, a well-respected and popular poster on Facebook. …
Wireless Infrastructure Association names three new industry execs for leadership roles
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) named Dr. Rikin Thakker as Chief Technology Officer; Brent Weil as Vice President, Workforce Development; and Jason Nelson as Vice President, Partnerships and Development. These new leaders will expand WIA’s wireless workforce development initiatives and extend WIA’s thought leadership and convening role for businesses in the wireless industry. These positions will play a major role …
Google accused of search monopoly in landmark antitrust lawsuit brought by the DOJ
The Justice Department today filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google that says the most popular search website abused its dominance over smaller competitors. Justice Department attorneys and Republican led States Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indian, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Montana accuse Google of illegally using its monopoly power to suppress competition and hurt consumers through exclusionary deals like the one …
Two charged in West Virginia cell tower compound break-in
Two men were arrested after a break-in at a cell tower near Hernshaw, West Virginia, according to a press release issued yesterday by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Thomas Bowles, 24, of Ashford and Christian Hunter McNeely, 24, of Costa were each charged with breaking and entering and destruction of utilities. According to authorities, at 4:00 a.m. on October 8, …
Climbing Congressman Curtis captures first hand the critical role contractors provide
U.S. Congressman John Curtis (R-UT) yesterday conducted a site visit and climbing experience at a communications tower located in Moab, Utah. The tour was facilitated by representatives from NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and member companies Triple M Enterprises and VIKOR. The site visit was held at a Royce Electronics owned monopole site that is located in the Sand …
Kasavana of Phoenix Tower selected by EY as an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020 Florida Award Winner
Ernst & Young LLP (EY) has announced that Dagan T. Kasavana, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Phoenix Tower International was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2020 Florida Award winner. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards program is one of the preeminent competitive awards for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. The award recognizes those entrepreneurial leaders who are …
T.Steele Construction’s founder passes following Kentucky jobsite accident
UPDATE: October 11, 2020 — Services to celebrate Thomas Steele’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, October 19, 2020 at the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, 614 N. Main Street, Davenport, Illinois. Services will be livestreamed by visiting Tom’s obituary at www.hmdfuneralhome.com. Visitation will be Sunday, October 18 from 1 until 4 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, …
IG provides sane and compelling reasons for going postal to deploy America’s 5G networks
The United States Postal Service currently leases space at 62 locations to telecom providers for their wireless towers that provides $1.4 million in annual revenue, but according to a report from the U.S. Postal Service Inspector General, there’s no reason that can’t be easily expanded to many of their 8,000 facilities that they own nationwide. The report also promotes their …
Oregon’s towering inferno captured on video by the Department of Transportation
Although American Tower Corp. and other towercos skated damage as flames licked their towers on Mount Wilson in California late last month, the Beachie Creek Fire in Marion County, Oregon on September 8, 2020, wasn’t kind to the tower owner as it ripped through a 120-foot guyed tower’s compound. The Oregon Department of Transportation captured the moments before the area …
Carr’s tower compound additions plan would allow for a streamlined review process
Update: September 6, 2020 — The FCC has released its 40-page draft of its plan to streamline review of requests to add limited space at the bottom of existing towers for backup power, low-latency computing, and multiple providers to be housed at one site. September 5, 2020 — FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr announced this afternoon the next step in the FCC’s …
FCC fines Sandwich Isles and its founder $50 million for fraud
The Federal Communications Commission has fined Sandwich Isles Communications, Waimana Enterprises, and Albert S.N. Hee of Hawaii $49,598,488 for violations of Universal Service Fund program rules that resulted in millions of dollars in improper payments. The agency issued the Notice of Apparent Liability in 2016. However, the fine might be more emblematic than enforceable against Hee, 67, who appears to …
Experienced tech dies from injuries after falling off a Connecticut 80-foot tower
UPDATE: September 29, 2020 – Services have been announced for Matthew Vincent Clark, 34, of Brooklyn, CT, who died Friday, September 25, 2020 in Manchester. He was the son of Bruce and Kathi (Robinson) Clark. Matthew was the beloved husband of LeAnn (Larrow) Clark. They were married on April 25, 2009 in Canterbury. He also his daughter, Ava Clark, age …
