Morningstar analyst Michael Hodel has provided an excellent overview of the industry’s three publicly-traded companies, American Tower Corp., Crown Castle International, and SBA Communications. Whereas there are almost daily yawn-inducing recommendations from analysts, Hodel’s insight and extensive analysis is worth the read. Although Hodel has previously said that his favorite amongst the towercos is Crown Castle, because he thinks it …
To be 5G, or not to be, that is the question seeking answers at Super Mobility 2015
In advance of any standardized next-generation network, it is expected that carriers will be following Verizon’s lead and will be jumping on the faux 5G bandwagon. But the proclamations will be steeped in marketing since there are no clear paths to which technologies 5G will include. Tom Keathley, AT&T’s senior vice president of network and product planning, said at Fierce Wireless’ breakfast panel …
Presbyterians: 1; Evangelicals: 0 in Verizon’s cell tower search in Nebraska
Southern Heights Presbyterian Church members’ dream of a having a bell tower on their church property in Lincoln, Ne. came true when a 67-foot brick structure housing cell antenna was constructed recently along with the base station, and the electronic digital carillon bells will soon be in place with crosses covering the opening on each side. The community liked it, …
Verizon sets roadmap to 5G technology in U.S.; field trials to start in 2016
Although an industry consensus identifies that a 5G standard and accompanying technology won’t become publicly available until 2020 or beyond, Verizon Wireless said today that it has partnered with Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Ericsson, Nokia, Qualcomm and Samsung in a 5G Technology Forum to promote faster innovation and bring the technology to trials next year. It has also been reported that the carrier …
TIRAP taps into top Verizon talent to complete its Board of Directors’ seats
The Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) has announced that Laurie Gebhardt, Verizon Wireless Director of Network Engineering & Operations Support, has joined its Board of Directors. She fills the final seat in its list of experienced industry thought leaders. Gebhardt will provide board oversight of TIRAP’s communication and liaison with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). In this role, …
New top 100 U.S. tower owners unveiled with some first-time players and loss of a key owner
Wireless Estimator released today its top 100 tower companies in the U.S. that identifies the same three top consolidators as in previous years, American Tower Corp., Crown Castle International and SBA Communications taking the lead. Although first place American Tower is slightly ahead of Crown in the Top 100 U.S. Tower Companies list by less than 200 towers, it is an …
Routers, fiber line cut blamed for massive cell phone outage in the Southeast
Cell phone service was restored Tuesday at about 8:00 p.m. after a major outage in the southeastern United States that began approximately five hours earlier in the day. In a statement issued by AT&T at 10 p.m., the carrier said: “Wireless and wireline service has been restored for all customers in parts of the Southeast affected by a hardware-related network …
American Tower monopole destroyed following Virginia welding accident
Polyethylene insulation on coaxial transmission lines caught fire Tuesday in Newport News, Virg. when a crew was welding on a monopole behind Heritage High School. According to Newport News Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Pincus, the coaxial cable caught on fire as maintenance workers were welding on the tower just before noon. The flames quickly spread along the insulation of …
Expensive earthquake tower design law passes following industry indifference during hearings
PCIA – The Wireless Infrastructure Association came out against the City of Los Angeles’ newly passed ordinance requiring all new telecommunication towers to be designed as a Class lll Structure subject to an importance factor of 1.50 of the TIA-222 standard, a requirement that PCIA says could increase the cost of a tower between 30 to 200% and could stymie …
Verizon’s network and the nation’s towers to be tested for drone guidance experiment
NASA is developing technology to track commercial and civilian drones via cell coverage with the first tests of an air traffic control system set for this summer. The agency is enlisting help from Verizon which will assist in identifying whether the carrier can keep tabs on UAVs throughout the nation. Although articles about the exclusive story appearing in The Guardian …
ATC leads slightly over Crown with their $5 billion 11,324 Verizon tower deal
American Tower Corporation today announced that it has been the successful suitor in acquiring the rights to approximately 11,324 wireless communications towers and purchase approximately 165 additional towers from Verizon Communications, Inc. for $5.056 billion. Under the agreement, American Tower will have the exclusive right to lease and operate the Verizon towers for a weighted average term of approximately 28 …
Four miraculously survive crash after aircraft clips Verizon tower in Missouri
Excellent emergency piloting, luck or a combination of both on Friday evening allowed a pilot and his three passengers to live and recount their harrowing experience after their aircraft clipped a self-supporting tower in Springfield, Mo. and continued for a mile and a half before crashing into a vacant lot. The pilot, Bill Perkins, was well-aware of the obstruction hazards …
