After months of heated debate, the Greenfield, MA Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) has approved the construction of a 170-foot cell tower by Viridi Wireless on Fairview Street, acting on behalf of AT&T. The decision follows a prolonged review process involving multiple hearings, technical disputes, and community opposition. The approval grants two key requests from the applicant: A variance for …
Media spotlighted DEI rollback—but buried T-Mobile’s contractor rescue deal brokered by the FCC and NATE
As the FCC greenlit T-Mobile’s acquisitions of U.S. Cellular and Metronet on Friday, most headlines centered on T-Mobile’s abrupt halting of DEI programs—a move widely viewed as a strategic concession to win regulatory favor. However, buried beneath the coverage is a much more urgent issue: the survival of wireless contractors, who have been crippled by years of aggressive matrix pricing …
Wisconsin delivers a win to carrier and towerco owners with a tower tax exemption
In a breakthrough shift for the wireless infrastructure industry, Wisconsin has officially enacted legislation that fully exempts telecommunications towers from property taxation, aiming to modernize the state’s tax code in response to an evolving communications landscape. Signed into law by Governor Tony Evers as part of 2025 Wisconsin Act 15, the legislation removes both real and personal property taxes on …
T-Mobile–NATE landmark agreement targets 1099 abuse, matrix pricing and subcontractor reform
A new agreement between NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and T-Mobile, signed on July 8, promises significant improvements for wireless contractors who have been struggling to maintain a semblance of profitability with current take-it-or-leave-it matrix pricing. Under the framework, T-Mobile will implement site-specific and regionally adjusted pricing, introduce a transparent “Scope to Quote” tool by September 1, and raise …
Tower industry positioned for a potential windfall as BEAD map contracts and fixed wireless gains ground
A new analysis by researchers at New York Law School suggests a significant shift in the federal government’s $42.45 billion broadband deployment program, which could substantially benefit companies that build and maintain communications towers. As the number of BEAD-eligible locations declines and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) shifts to a cost-first grant model, states are expected to increasingly …
T-Mobile to launch T-Satellite: First U.S. satellite-to-phone service with SpaceX’s Starlink
T-Mobile will officially launch its T-Satellite service on July 23, marking a significant shift in how mobile carriers deliver connectivity to remote areas that were previously unreachable by terrestrial towers. Built in partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network, the new system will allow users to send and receive messages from more than 500,000 square miles of U.S. territory that previously …
A crisis unresolved: Man takes his life after jumping from American University’s tower in Washington, D.C.
A harrowing three-day standoff at American University’s campus ended in tragedy this morning when an unidentified man experiencing a mental health crisis jumped from the 321-foot WAMU-FM radio tower in Washington, D.C., police say. Authorities have opened a death investigation and ruled the incident a suicide. D.C. police first received reports around 3 p.m. Tuesday of an individual scaling the …
Microburst, not tornado, toppled KTXS 199-foot broadcast tower in Texas, NWS Confirms
The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed that the dramatic collapse of KTXS-TV’s 199-foot broadcast tower during storms on June 8 in Abilene, TX, was caused by a microburst, not a tornado, putting to rest speculation surrounding the severe weather event. According to the official NWS damage survey released Wednesday, the microburst struck northern Abilene at approximately 11:09 p.m. on …
American Tower Florida site might have been targeted in suspected bomb plot over employment fallout
Brevard County, Florida, authorities are investigating a suspected pipe bomb discovered during a search of a suspicious vehicle on Friday near a communications tower in Mims. The incident prompted a road closure and a large response from local agencies. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said the situation began when a deputy responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked near …
Senator Cruz’s spectrum auction revival push aims to inject up to $88 billion into the U.S. economy
The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) authority to conduct spectrum auctions—central to deploying next-generation wireless networks—has expired. But a significant move by Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has energized efforts to reauthorize that authority and reinvigorate the U.S. spectrum pipeline. His proposal, included in the recently released budget reconciliation text, is now gaining powerful industry backing. Sen. …
Top tower broker Tom Engel leaves behind decades of deals—and deep respect from a grateful industry
Well-known and highly respected communications tower broker Tom Engel, 80, of Puyallup, WA, passed away on May 28, 2025, leaving behind his loving wife Shana, and their son, Derrick, and years of fond memories from his co-founder partner Jody McCoy of Strategic Tower Advisors, tower owners and others who worked with him since 1972 in the media business. According to …
Starting July 1, no more rogue 1099 crews on Verizon sites—NATE reporting agreement takes effect
On July 1, 2025, a landmark agreement between Verizon and NATE, the Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, will provide contractors with an opportunity to report to Verizon those who may be performing construction services for the carrier without their knowledge and with improper 1099 status. This monitoring promises to reshape the field for many hundreds of subcontractors. After years of contractor complaints …
Tower tech who put in a dishonest day’s work might spend 4,000 days in jail following cell-site cable thefts
A former tower technician, Scott Anthony Frederich, and his alleged partner-in-crime are facing felony charges in St. Louis and Jefferson Counties, MO, for stealing transmission line cable from two cell tower sites. Kelly Marie Pfeiffer and Frederich, both of High Ridge, MO, were arrested after deputies uncovered their ruse at the sites. Pfeiffer, 43, was taken into custody by the …
Grande Towers strikes deal for Altice USA assets, boosts national tower footprint
Grande Towers (GTC Towers), a leading independent wireless infrastructure provider, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire certain tower assets of Altice USA. The closing of the transaction is expected to occur early in the third quarter of 2025. This strategic acquisition will significantly expand GTC’s national footprint, increasing its portfolio to over 200 towers across key U.S. markets. …
DigitalBridge stock jumps 37% on acquisition buzz as tower REITs slip
In a surprising turn, 26North Partners—a specialist in alternative investments—is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire DigitalBridge Group Inc. (DBRG), the digital-infrastructure fund manager, also the parent company of Vertical Bridge. Energy trader Mercuria is said to be joining the bid, and sources tell IJGlobal that the deal could close within days. As the rumors circulated, DigitalBridge’s share price surged …
Connect(X) panel rebrands—and so do the charts: Tower stocks dive amid market rally
One of the marquee moments at WIA’s Connect(X) conference has always been the “View from the Top” panel, where tower-owner executives share upbeat forecasts for the year ahead. Since PCIA (now WIA: The Wireless Infrastructure Association) first mounted a tower-focused show in 2003, attendees have left convinced that the next 12 months or longer will bring robust growth. This morning in …
Inside WIA’s 2024 numbers: $63 Billion and 368,750 jobs are powering 5G
For the third year, the Wireless Infrastructure Association’s (WIA) Wireless Infrastructure by the Numbers Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. wireless infrastructure sector, covering purpose-built cellular towers, indoor and outdoor small cells, macrocell sites, annual infrastructure investments, and the American workforce sustaining this essential industry. Wireless infrastructure consists of various components, including towers, cell sites, antennas, radios, fiber networks, and …
From COO to CEO: George Davis to lead TowerCom into its next decade with new executive team
TowerCom, a leading developer of cell towers in the US for over 30 years, has announced key leadership changes to drive its continued growth and success. The company has promoted George Davis to Chief Executive Officer, Matt Richard to Chief Financial Officer, Chip Bulloch to Senior Vice President in the East, and hired John Stevens as Regional Vice President in the …
Animated outrage: NATE unmasks carriers’ unfair pricing and 1099 labor tactics in a whiteboard video
] During their May 6–7 Congressional Fly-In event in Washington, D.C., NATE members will showcase a whiteboard animation presented today, highlighting the critical issues that are forcing many contractors out of business. They will personally deliver a petition for Fairness and Sustainability in Wireless Infrastructure Contracting to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. [enlarge image] NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today unveiled …
Golden State, gilded rates: Fixed high cell tower property lease outlays challenge industry norms
The City of Fullerton, California, has signed a significant lease agreement with Phoenix Tower International to construct a monopine cellular tower at 2470 West Pioneer Avenue. The deal, valued at approximately $893,000 over the initial ten-year period, will generate an annual revenue of $74,450.98 for the city’s general fund, with a four percent escalation rate applied yearly. The city is …
