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Crown Castle monopole site is the latest victim of a Memphis cell tower arsonist

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

A 145-foot Crown Castle monopole site had equipment damaged by fire on February 17, 2020 in Memphis, Tennessee, and Memphis fire officials are stating that it appears to have been intentionally set, causing approximately $75,000 in damage at the 4087 Summer Avenue site which is surrounded by apartments and a shopping plaza. Although the fire was first reported about 11:00 …

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Last big broadcast tower portfolio sale being considered by Cumulus to reduce debt

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

As part of its post-bankruptcy strategy, Cumulus Media is considering selling its tower assets, CEO Mary Berner said during their Q4 earnings conference call on Friday. Discussing non-core assets that they want to sell to buoy their balance sheet, Berner they are “considering strategic alternatives regarding our tower portfolio, which consists of over 250 owned tower sites across 32 states, …

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Mississippi gin pole failure crushes top-hand resulting in 2020’s first industry fatality

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

UPDATE – February 18, 2020: Wireless Estimator has learned that the tower tech that died February 7 in Lumberton, Mississippi was Jim Tinsley, 59, of Baxter, Kentucky. February 16, 2020 — A Kentucky tower technician passed away on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020 in Mississippi when a gin pole collapsed atop the tower he was working on, crushing the man and causing …

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Under pressure from a cemetery and a potential burial candidate, AT&T folds in New Hampshire

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

AT&T has asked the Vermont Public Utilities Commission to dismiss a plan for a new 140-foot cell tower in the Village of Derby Line, Vermont, a Canadian border community, even though it appears that another hearing six weeks later could have favored the carrier’s application. In correspondence with the commission, AT&T said it was backing out based upon opposition to the …

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Borghei, Chase and Vink appointed to guide Tower Family Foundation’s visibility and outreach

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The Tower Family Foundation announced today appointments to the non-profit organization’s leadership team. Bernard Borghei and Eric Chase have been chosen to serve on the foundation’s Board of Directors and Monica Vink has been appointed to the organization’s Endowment Committee. Borghei and Chase will help provide overall governance and stewardship to the Foundation and play a leading role enhancing the …

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New Jersey homeowner’s legal stand against a Verizon tower site collapses in his second appeal

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

An Alexandria Township, N.J. homeowner has lost his legal battle against Verizon placing cell antennas atop a power line tower adjacent to his property. Glenn Fodor, who lives on Route 579, appealed the approval of the township’s Land Use Board on December 21, 2017 before the Hunterdon County Superior Court, to allow 12 antennas on top of the 150-foot power …

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Don’t thread or step (bolt) on me: Crown responds quickly to community’s tattered flag concern

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The stars and stripes were flying whole again yesterday morning in Towamensing Township, Pennsylvania on a Crown Castle monopole after residents pressured the company to take down a tattered American flag that had been flying for months in the Carbon County community of 4,429 residents. Numerous local TV and news outlets championed the cause of township officials and residents who …

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American Tower’s revenues will tank in India if government fees create a carrier duopoly

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

India, once the darling of tower companies looking to expand their international footprint, is not where towercos might want to be today with the potential for a considerable tenancy drop if Vodafone Idea collapses under the weight of government license fees totaling $6.2 billion that are due by January 23, 2020. Vodafone Idea may not be able to pay the …

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Court to decide if City of Colorado Springs monopole can be beefed up by Vertical Bridge

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Vertical Bridge Development, LLC has filed a complaint with the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado for a ruling that the City of Colorado Springs is violating federal laws by not allowing the company to modify an existing tower that does not substantially change the physical dimensions of the tower. According to the complaint, Vertical Bridge manages a …

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Four dead after plane crashes into guyed tower in Southern Montana

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Update: January 17, 2020 –  KPVI ran a touching piece on the four men who died: Before deadly plane crash, sobriety brought 4 victims together. January 14, 2020 – Four Billings, Montana men were killed Saturday in a plane crash when the pilot reportedly hit a communications tower near Dunn Mountain north of Billings. According to authorities, the single-engine Cessna 183 crashed …

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Border Protection seeking your suggestions on how to protect a 320-foot tower with vulture-proof netting

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Federal officials are asking the industry to rescue a Customs and Border Protection self-supporting tower that has been taken over by 300 vultures in Kingsville, Texas. They’ve issued a Request for Information (RFI) to obtain viable sources of supply, industry practices and answers that will assist them in providing what they believe will be a deterrent – a 320-foot tall …

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Scripps pays $1,130,000 to FCC to settle tower lighting issues

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC has agreed to pay a $1,130,000 penalty to settle an FCC investigation into malfunctioning TV tower lights used to alert nearby airplanes. The settlement order adopted by the FCC concludes an agency investigation that began after a small plane crashed into a TV tower near Kaplan, Louisiana in 2018. The tower was operated by a subsidiary …

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MTN’s Africa and Uganda joint venture acquired by American Tower for $523 Million

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

American Tower Corporation has reached an agreement for the acquisition of MTN’s 49% stakes in the company’s joint ventures in Ghana and Uganda. Valued at approximately $523 million, the deal is due to close by March subject to the standard regulatory conditions. The news follows American Towers’ completion of its purchase of Eaton Towers Holdings which will add 5,700 communications …

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T-Mobile axing its projects led a baker’s dozen top news stories during 2019

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The top stories in 2019, according to Wireless Estimator readership analytics, followed previous years’ subject matter favorites based upon the site’s in depth and exclusive articles as well as its comprehensive coverage of industry fatalities. T-Mobile’s unexpected new build cancellations in August came in first with 41,362 views. However, a Crosby product recall in November for certain 7/8” shackles surprised …

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Vertical Bridge closes out the year with record-breaking philanthropy funding driven by employees

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC, the largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure in the United States, has announced that, with its matched employee donations, it has donated more than $1.5 million to charitable organizations in 2019. This is the firm’s largest annual contribution since its founding in 2014 and a nearly 20% increase over last year. Since Vertical Bridge’s founding …

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Industry veteran Mitch Henry named as Chief of Staff at CTI Towers

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

Longtime tower industry veteran Mitch Henry has been named Chief of Staff at CTI Towers. In his new position, Henry will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations at the company. “I have known Mitch for almost 20 years and have the utmost admiration for him. He has a complete understanding of the business and has a keen sense of …

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American Tower and SBA’s tower source in Brazil has now become their key competitor

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

  For many years, both SBA Communications and American Tower Corp.  have eyed Brazil as an excellent country to buy and build wireless infrastructure to serve the world’s fifth-largest country with 210 million people. Adding to their portfolios, in 2012 American Tower acquired 1,800 towers from Telefonica’s Vivo. Also, in 2012, SBA inked a deal for 800 towers from Vivo …

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Toppling a 500-foot structure, ice isn’t nice to a Nebraska tower

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

A weekend winter blizzard in Chadron, Nebraska that included freezing rain and heavy snow powered by 50-60 mph winds, collapsed a 500-foot guyed tower owned by Eagle Communications, Inc., headquartered in Hays, Kansas The Saturday storm knocked out Eagle’s Double Q Country/KQSK radio station in addition to disrupting service for the Dawes County Sheriff’s Office, Northwest Rural Public Power District, …