As the country’s wireless workforce marshals logistic resupply bases, for the next two days the nation’s carriers will extol the virtues of their hurricane preparedness capabilities’ public relations campaigns as to why they – and only they – can ensure a strong and reliable network when Hurricane Florence decimates the East Coast. As if they all used the same Word …
Not power, but tower structures will be put to the test as Hurricane Florence devastates the East Coast
It is now expected that Hurricane Florence will hit the East Coast Thursday as a powerhouse Category 4 storm, and possibly a Category 5, and the damage could be extensive – and long-lasting, especially for cell towers. A Category 4 hurricane has winds of 130 to 156 mph on the Saffir-Simpson Scale of Hurricane Intensity Initial winds of up to …
Contractor cash flow could be the real culprit in the US’s inability to quickly roll out 5G
It’s the delayed payments, stupid! Commentary – Although we’re treated to almost a daily dose of news about how macro and small cell siting issue delays could adversely impact a successful 5G buildout in America, initial data from Wireless Estimator’s industry-supported Terms of Payment Survey indicates that carrier-generated cash flow problems of contractors could be 5G’s Achilles heel. To draw …
FCC’s newly minted plan will clear the way for cheaper and faster 5G deployments
The FCC will vote in three weeks on a plan to accelerate next-generation 5G wireless networks around the U.S. by overriding some local rules that they believe will hold up deployment. FCC Commissioner Brendar Carr announced at a press conference today in Indianapolis that the plan is targeting deployment of small cell transmitters that are oftentimes subject to local delay …
Firefighters secure the safety of 20 towers in Holy Fire flareup
When the Holy Fire in the Santa Ana mountains in California was contained on Sunday, tower owners gave out a collective sigh of relief. However, yesterday morning the Cleveland National Forest reported new activity around 10 a.m. as flames were heading towards Santiago Peak, home to approximately 20 communication towers. However, crews battled the unexpected flareup using air tankers and …
Twister kayos Verizon self-supporting tower in Minnesota
A tornado touched down in Fosston, Minn. Sunday night taking out a 265-foot Verizon self-supporting tower, but sparing the equipment building, a fuel tank and the structure’s foundations.. Verizon will be providing temporary service to the small community of 1,500 residents. The buckled structure also supported the city’s owned and operated cable TV systems. Antennas that receive local channels were also …
Sprint’s new CEO hangs out with a Kansas tower crew to learn about the carrier’s upgrades
Receiving adequate direction from carrier supervisors, change orders in a timely manner, and closeout inspections when requested are concerns of 222 of the nation’s contractors that have taken an industry-supported survey that will close at the end of September. However, it’s likely that a Missouri-based contractor will not have a challenge with any of those problems for one Sprint 2.5 …
Lighting manufacturers question why a severe FAA directive letter was hidden from them
In an unrelated Google search on Aug. 6, 2018, a lighting contractor found an FAA document with a somewhat ambiguous two-paragraph directive regarding non-original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) lighting system components that was published on June 27, 2018. It quickly spread throughout the obstruction lighting community because the industry wasn’t aware of it, and tower owners were asking their obstruction lighting suppliers …
Verizon appears to be disingenuous in stating contractors are paid within 30 days
Although Verizon’s payment term for construction contractors has been 30 days in past master service agreements (MSA), according to preliminary data obtained by Wireless Estimator in its active Terms of Payment Survey, the carrier has been pressuring contractors to accept 90 days. Most companies are pushing back, but a smaller segment of contractors said they are accepting the delayed payment terms …
Nation takes a deep dive into contractor obstacles threatening 5G with industry supported survey
Wireless contractors have recently raised the distinct possibility that due to what they identify as ‘onerous’ payment terms and other issues created by carriers and tower owners, the industry could see a shakeout, and all of the recent successful legislative moves to speed up the implementation of 5G in America could be stymied as cash flow problems keep contractors from …
Vondran given reins after Marshall’s nine-year successful reign as American Tower’s U.S. tower chief
American Tower Corp. (ATC) today announced changes to its U.S. Tower senior management team. The company said in a press release that Steven Marshall intends to step down from his position as Executive Vice President and President, U.S. Tower Division, effective August 1, 2018. Steve Vondran, who has been with ATC for approximately 18 years, will succeed Marshall in this …
Crown’s Q2 is all good news; ATC and SBA show some weaknesses
The nation’s big three publicly traded tower companies have released second quarter earnings this month and spent time with analysts on their calls, highlighting marked improvement in some areas and offering encouragement of what they believe will be increased revenues as 5G is rolled out. There were also some less than encouraging summaries within their reports, but the Street shrugged them …
Pai promises to put his boots on and get on the steel after hearing ribbing
At an FCC House oversight hearing yesterday, tower climbers took center stage when Congressman Pete Olson threw a ‘curveball’ at FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, when he jokingly suggested that Pai should climb a tower as Commissioner Brendan Carr had done recently in South Dakota, as can be viewed in the above video. That forced Pai to take advantage of Olson’s levity …
Monopole paint job gets too up close and personal with 132 cars
Some contractors that have been painting towers for years might have painted something other than the intended structure due to an unexpected gust of wind or a wand or other spray rig malfunction, but an Iowa contractor last month tallied 132 reasons why you shouldn’t trust Mother Nature. A crew from TeleWinCom Inc. painted an SBA Communications monopole off of …
‘Disruptive’ tower builder Tillman gets bankrolled with a billion dollars
Build-to-suit developer Tillman Infrastructure, currently building sites in over 36 states across the U.S., will receive up to $1 billion in additional funding from La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and global investment manager AMP Capital, with an initial investment of $500 million. Tillman’s biggest clients are AT&T and Verizon. Both carriers last year announced a joint …
AT&T and T-Mobile rumble in the 5G buildout PR jungle over city choices
AT&T said Friday that it plans to begin introducing mobile 5G to customers in a dozen cities this year, and they’re adding Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C. and Oklahoma City as the next three identified cities for their buildout, the carrier said in a press statement. These cities will join their previously announced cities of Dallas, Atlanta, and Waco Earlier this year, T-Mobile said it plans to …
Vertical Bridge’s collection chances increase with iHeartMedia bankruptcy court action
Vertical Bridge, one of bankrupt iHeartMedia’s largest unsecured creditors, might have a better chance at securing its past due lease revenues following a filing from iHeartMedia’s unsecured creditors to a Texas bankruptcy judge on Monday that could affect the media giant’s creditors’ Chapter 11 recoveries. The committee of unsecured creditors want to prosecute and settle claims based upon allegations that many …
CTI Towers appoints Kevin Travelstead as its Director of Sales
CTI Towers announced today it has named Kevin Travelstead its Director of Sales. Travelstead has been in the wireless industry for over 20 years with extensive experience in marketing and selling network development services. For Cary, N.C.-based CTI Towers, Travelstead will be responsible for leading the marketing and sales of the company’s tower assets. “Kevin has a wealth of industry …
AT&T takes American Tower to court in widening lease rates rift
In a lawsuit made public on Monday by AT&T Mobility LLC in Delaware Chancery Court, the carrier is alleging that American Towers LLC is not complying with amendments to leasing agreements for many thousands of towers that AT&T co-locates upon. In the complaint, AT&T is requesting the court to enforce what it believes is a binding agreement, that ATC disagrees …
AT&T needs to put part of their newfound billion dollars into workers’ billfolds
Commentary AT&T recently increased their wireless revenue just south of $1 billion by sneaking in an increased “administrative fee,” a line item squeezed in at the bottom of their monthly bill that will not be noticed by most of their 64.5 million wireless customers since it’s only $1.23 extra a month. In a statement to Fortune after being called out …
