At an opening reception during NATE UNITE 2025 in Raleigh, NC, last Monday evening, an American Tower Corp project manager unexpectedly obtained a microphone and brought a lively crowd to silence with a somber announcement: “An hour ago,” he said, a tower climber fell to his death. His reverent prayer was well received by those in attendance, and news of the …
Chinese hackers escalate attacks on U.S. telecom networks through Cisco
Chinese state-sponsored hacking group Salt Typhoon has launched a new wave of cyberattacks targeting U.S. telecommunications providers by exploiting vulnerabilities in unpatched Cisco IOS XE network devices. These breaches, affecting major firms such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, have raised serious national security concerns as hackers gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, including call logs and text messages. Massive Cyber …
Verizon defeats Pennsylvania class action over lead cables—Ruling could doom similar lawsuit in New Jersey
On Friday, a federal judge in Pennsylvania dismissed a proposed class action lawsuit against Verizon Communications Inc., ruling that the plaintiff, former utility pole worker Mark Tiger, lacked standing to sue in federal court. The lawsuit alleged that Verizon’s failure to properly dispose of lead-sheathed telecommunications cables endangered utility pole workers who were regularly exposed to them. View the court’s …
Tower technician critically injured after contact with high-voltage power line adjacent to Verizon monopole
UPDATE: February 5, 2025 – According to OSHA, the employer of the tower technician who was rescued was True North Management Services, LLC of Fenton, MO. The agency will not provide any additional information until they complete their investigation. A tower technician on a cell phone tower in Burleson, Texas, was critically injured on Friday afternoon after coming into contact …
Contracting industry will collapse without reform in carrier practices, warns NATE CEO Schlekeway
Today, NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association released an open letter addressing critical challenges facing the wireless contracting industry. As the association celebrates its 30th anniversary, it simultaneously confronts one of its most turbulent eras. While benefiting from the tireless efforts of contractors and small businesses to build and maintain the nation’s communications infrastructure, the wireless industry, primarily directed by …
Opinion: The tower contracting industry is on life support — and carriers must act now
COMMENTARY – The wireless infrastructure industry is in a state of emergency. For decades, tower contractors have been the backbone of the wireless network, building, upgrading, and maintaining the towers that connect the nation. But today, that backbone is buckling under the weight of unsustainable pricing, increasing compliance costs, and exploitative practices. Large and small contractors are bleeding out, and …
CapEx climbs at big 3 carriers, offering the industry niche opportunities
By J. Sharpe Smith, Contributing Editor The major carriers appear to be healthy, generating strong cash flows, paying down debt and buying back stock. But will tower construction and maintenance companies be healthier in the coming year? That might depend on which services each company provides. Opportunities for growth in fiber, fixed wireless access, C-Band (and other spectrum), and private …
Vertical Bridge and Verizon seal a $3.3B deal for 6,339 towers, the largest buy in almost a decade
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and Vertical Bridge today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Vertical Bridge to obtain the exclusive rights to lease, operate and manage 6,339 wireless communications towers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. from subsidiaries of Verizon for approximately $3.3 billion, including certain commercial benefits. The transaction is structured as a …
Cell tower evidence is convincing factor in denying bail for Ryan Routh in attempted Trump assassination
Ryan Routh, the would-be assassin who targeted former President Donald Trump, was tracked by authorities using cell tower data. This information revealed that Routh was surveilling the area and plotting the assassination, according to a document in support of detaining Routh until his trial. It convinced a federal judge today that Routh should be held without bail pending trial. The …
Verizon’s nearly $2 billion severance charge sparks speculation of tower sale as financial pressures mount
According to a regulatory filing, Verizon expects to incur a severance charge between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion in the third quarter of 2024. This is part of a voluntary separation program the company announced in June, targeting select U.S.-based management staff. As a result of the program, approximately 4,800 eligible employees are expected to leave Verizon by the end …
Kept in the dark: Contractors left guessing as Black & Veatch’s wireless sale to Dycom is revealed
Infrastructure company Black & Veatch announced this morning that it has sold its wireless telecommunications infrastructure business, a subsidiary of Overland Contracting, to Ansco & Associates, a wholly owned subsidiary of telecom engineering and construction services company Dycom Industries. Dycom also put out a brief one-paragraph release announcing the acquisition, alerting media to the news that was already well-known by Overland’s …
SpaceX’s cellular service plans face strong opposition from AT&T and Verizon over interference concerns
SpaceX’s ambitious plan to offer cellular service in partnership with T-Mobile through its Starlink satellite system faces significant opposition from major telecom giants AT&T and Verizon. The two companies have submitted filings to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging regulators to reject SpaceX’s crucial waiver request. They claim that the satellite system could interfere with and degrade the quality of …
Throwing Verizon under the bus, CWA union cheers for AT&T in 4.9 GHz spectrum battle
AT&T CEO John Stankey has entered the fray over allocating the valuable 4.9 GHz spectrum band, advocating for its exclusive use by FirstNet, the nationwide first responder network operated by AT&T. Stankey defended the proposal amid opposition from other major wireless carriers in a series of meetings last week with top Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officials. Stankey met with FCC …
Verizon said to be readying a sale of up to 6,000 of its cell towers
New York-based Verizon is reportedly exploring options to sell thousands of its mobile network towers in the US, reported Bloomberg today. According to sources familiar with the matter, the telecom giant has hired advisers to gauge interest from potential buyers for a package of roughly 5,000 to 6,000 towers. This move could potentially bring in more than $3 billion; though …
T-Mobile may be first in line to take advantage of SCOTUS’s Chevron decision to vacate an $80 million FCC fine
On February 27, unaware that the following day, the US Supreme Court would decide to limit the broad regulatory authority of federal agencies such as the FCC, T-Mobile USA, Inc. filed a petition for review in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, contesting a substantial forfeiture order issued by the agency. The outcome of …
Florida contractor’s owner succumbs from a 200-foot fall off a Crown Castle cell tower in North Carolina
A 52-year-old owner of a Kissimmee, Florida, contracting company that specialized in structural reinforcements and welding passed away on Monday when he fell from a Crown Castle tower in Shelby, North Carolina. Wireless Estimator has identified the deceased as Jose Ramiro Covarrubias. He fell from a 300-foot self-supporting tower around noon. The circumstances leading to his fall are still under …
Verizon takes gloves off in battle against AT&T’s FirstNet over $14 billion 4.9 GHz band management gift
Verizon is no longer letting proxies speak for it in the ongoing debate over AT&T’s FirstNet proposal to become the national manager of the 4.9 GHz public safety band. In a recent filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Verizon has made its stance clear: the proposal would disrupt the public safety spectrum marketplace and undermine local public safety control. …
Tower tech, a healthy climber and MMA fighter, suddenly passes while on a Verizon modification project
Tower tech Shane Magee, 28, was a picture of health, physically fit from climbing towers and frequently exercising and training as a competitive mixed martial arts fighter. Sadly, he suddenly died while performing a routine installation in Pennsylvania. On Monday, he and a coworker ascended a 450-foot American Tower Corp. guyed tower in Reynoldsville, a small community of approximately 2,000 …
Analyst Craig Moffett predicts Dish Network could face bankruptcy within six months
Craig Moffett, a senior managing director at MoffettNathanson, has issued a stark forecast for Dish Network, predicting potential bankruptcy within the next four to six months. This marks his first specific timeline following three years of warnings about the company’s financial health. The prediction followed EchoStar’s first-quarter earnings announcement on May 8, where the financial strain on Dish Network, despite …
Forget the filters: In earnings call Viavi CEO Khaykin delivers a dose of harsh reality about infrastructure builds
In a refreshing twist from the typical earnings call script, Viavi Solutions Inc.’s President and CEO, Oleg Khaykin, left analysts and investors buzzing with straightforward commentary during Thursday’s Q3 FY24 earnings discussion. Departing from the usually reserved tone of such calls, Khaykin’s blunt assertion, “Money talks and bullshit walks,” underscored his frustration with the prevailing cautious spending behaviors among Tier …
