A Wisconsin wireless contractor discovered a flaw in the FCC’s Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) database, and changed the ownership of more than 40 towers from multiple carriers and tower owners into his company’s name during the past five months without the rightful owners being notified by the agency, according to FCC documents and sources knowledgeable of the illegal transfers. Sprint, …
Orange is the new knack – for selling tower siting sizzle and not the steak
After a 10-year effort to improve public safety communications in Douglas County and Highlands Ranch, Colo., erection of a 150-foot public safety radio tower began yesterday morning after sales and use tax funding became available and a private developer said it would assist in providing a location for an artistic structure – a monopole with two side-mounted omni antennas gingerly …
Steven Marshall elected Chairman of Wireless Infrastructure Association
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) today announced that Steven Marshall, Executive Vice President and President of the U.S. Tower Division at American Tower Corp., was elected to serve as Chairman of the WIA’s Board of Directors. Marshall has served on the WIA Board of Directors since 2010 and brings a depth of industry experience and business leadership to WIA. He …
Crown socks Southeastern N.Y. with multiple rights of way-involved lawsuits
Crown Castle filed another lawsuit in federal court on Thursday against the Town of Oyster Bay, N.Y. seeking to have its permits reissued to install microcells in residential neighborhoods. The action follows a recently filed complaint against the Town of Hempstead as reported by Wireless Estimator on Friday where Crown Castle sued over a consultant’s delaying tactics and high fees …
Crown sues Hempstead, N.Y. over consultant’s delay tactics and high fees for DAS nodes
National DAS-provider and tower owner Crown Castle has brought suit against the Town of Hempstead, N.Y., alleging that the Town unlawfully delegated its review authority to a third-party consultant for 14 initial applications for authorization to install, operate and maintain DAS facilities in the Town’s public rights of way. Crown, in its complaint, said that the consultant, Center for Municipal …
American Tower cracks the mighty ‘500’; Crown Castle is catching up
Fortune has debuted their 2017 Fortune 500 List, described as the ultimate testament to a company’s success, and American Tower went from an aspiring vertical realtor at position No. 526 last year to breaking into the exclusive club in 2017 to position No. 449 with revenues of $5.8 billion. Crown Castle International, the only other industry candidate vying to join …
Crown sued for not having climbing safety devices on Texas tower
A Michigan tower tech is suing a lift manufacturer and a tower owner in Harris County Texas District Court for more than one million dollars, alleging their negligence caused him to fall and suffer injuries in Richardson on January 29. Stevin Ammerman filed a complaint May 31 in Harris County Texas District Court against Safway Group Holdings LLC, Crown Castle …
Crown inks lease for new 56K sq. ft. Alpharetta, Georgia office
Crown Castle has signed a 55,622 square-foot lease at 8000 Avalon, a 224,000 square-foot office development that was completed last month in Alpharetta, Ga. It is expected that they will move their current Alpharetta operations, less than three miles from 8000 Avalon, in November to the new high rise office building. The 86-acre complex offers almost a half-million square feet …
Single structure towerco wins siting suit in Oklahoma Supreme Court
The owner of a successful Oklahoma tower and lighting maintenance company saw an opportunity to provide homeowners in a severely underserved area east of Muskogee with cell service – in some homes non-existent – and constructed a 250-foot self-supporting tower that a major carrier was interested in co-locating on in 2010. But as soon as it was built, homeowner Ken …
Crown sues Rye as SBA’s bread winner sells $12.6 million of his stock; AT&T strike ends
Crown Castle International has filed a lawsuit against the City of Rye, N.Y. after the City Council rejected a proposal that allowed Crown to install wireless equipment in the community’s rights of way. In its complaint, Crown said Rye improperly refused to grant the company access to public rights of way to expand an existing network of small cells, or …
Mobilitie musters another siting snafu requiring removal of its tower
When the the City of Goliad, Tex. informed Mobilitie that they had illegally installed a 120-foot tower in their right of way off of West Fannin St. on April 2 and they were to remove it no later than May 1, a Mobilitie spokesperson informed them that it could take a couple of weeks since they were constrained by safety …
AT&T’s tower-centric drone software could sunset a number of head counts
More than 30 years ago, Art Pregler directed the Air Force’s complex mission of taking full sized multi-million-dollar fighter aircraft, converting them into drones, and then shooting them out of the sky with new advanced weapons systems. Today, as director of AT&T’s National Mobility Systems, Pregler’s role is just the opposite, requiring him to ensure that the carrier’s experimental drones remain …
Lendlease, a global developer, acquires Parallel Infrastructure and its tower portfolio
Lendlease, one of the world’s largest development, property, infrastructure, and construction firms, has announce that it has acquired the Parallel Infrastructure portfolio of telecommunications towers and development positions across the United States, from Florida East Coast Industries. Going forward Lendlease will utilize its integrated business model to further create development opportunities focused on telecommunication infrastructure across the region. Denis Hickey, …
Portal to check cell tower RF exposure in India is a poor PR patchwork
In early April, a ruling from India’s Supreme Court shut down a BSNL cell tower after Harish Chand Tiwari, who works in Gwalior, complained that for the past 14 years he was exposed to radiation from a the tower illegally installed on a neighbor’s rooftop that was 165-feet from his employer’s home. And under pressure from the major tower owners …
One tower installation error adds up to a half million dollar add on
For 13 years Wireless Estimator has been covering the wireless siting community and is always in search of the man bites dog story rather than a mundane municipal siting protest. Today, we found one in Rowlett, Tex. where a city tower was built on their neighbor’s adjoining property. But instead of moving the tower, equipment shelter and generator to the …
CTIA shrinks the size of a pizza box to get the FCC to deliver small cells
Last Tuesday, CTIA Regulatory Affairs executives Brian Josef and Kara Romagnino pitched Rachael Bender, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s Acting Legal Advisor, with their newly minted presentation on key reforms that would be beneficial for the agency to enact to ensure that America can build its 5G infrastructure. It’s likely that Bender fully understood their presentation on new opportunities and challenges …
Crown ‘s California fiber miles increase by 1,900 with Wilcon buy
Crown Castle International Corp. announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Wilcon Holdings LLC for approximately $600 million from Pamlico Capital and other unit holders of Wilcon. Wilcon is a fiber services provider that owns approximately 1,900 route miles of fiber, primarily in Los Angeles and San Diego. Pro forma for the proposed acquisition, …
U.S. adds 449 broadcast stations in first quarter, mostly low power FM
According to newly released statistics by the FCC, the nation saw an addition of 449 broadcast stations, the majority being 246 low power FM stations as of March 31, 2017. Low Power FM (LPFM) radio stations are authorized for noncommercial educational and public safety and transportation broadcasting only and operate with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100 watts (0.1 kilowatts) …
Alaska’s largest telecom company, GCI, is acquired for $1.12 billion
General Communication Inc. (GCI), Alaska’s largest telecommunications company, will be acquired by Liberty Ventures Group, a subsidiary of Colorado-based media conglomerate Liberty Interactive Corp., the company announced in a statement. The $1.12 billion buyout allows GCI to expand its already leading position in Alaska and expand to markets outside the state so the company will continue to have staying power …
RFS and International Towers partner to provide turnkey repack solutions
Radio Frequency Systems (RFS), a global designer and manufacturer of cable, antenna and tower systems, has announced a partnership with International Towers Incorporated (ITI), a licensed general contractor with over 30 years of experience supporting the national broadcasting industry. Together, the two companies will offer a turnkey equipment and installation solution which will enable broadcasters preparing for the U.S. broadcast …
