Verizon and Vertical Bridge have agreed to build cell towers nationwide to expand Verizon’s 4G and 5G Ultra Wideband services. Vertical Bridge has agreed to construct these towers to-suit with Verizon as the anchor tenant. The towers will be held in an LLC formed by Vertical Bridge in which Verizon has a profits interest. The new towers will add to the …
Vertical Bridge appoints Ronald Bizick as President and CEO, Alex Gellman becomes Executive Chairman
Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC, the largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure in the United States, today announced the appointment of Ronald G. Bizick, II as President and Chief Executive Officer effective May 2, 2023. Bizick has served as President and Chief Operating Officer since joining the Company in March 2022. Current CEO and Co-Founder Alex Gellman will become …
Ian’s Florida cell site outages still critical in some counties with a 28% average as deaths continue to mount
According to the FCC, the cell site outage average on Sunday dropped to 28% in the most affected Florida Counties that saw outages of 20% or higher. Although it’s a severe concern for residents and first responders still performing rescue missions, service had increased considerably since Thursday when half of the state’s cell sites were down. At least 89 people …
Vertical Bridge achieves carbon neutrality for third consecutive year
Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC, the largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure in the United States, today announced that it has realized 100 percent carbon neutrality for the third consecutive year. The Company began a proactive review of its environmental footprint in 2020 which resulted in its initial CarbonNeutral® Certification that year and the subsequent renewal in 2021. “U.S. …
Johnny Crawford and Bob Paige elevated to key executive positions at Vertical Bridge
Vertical Bridge, the largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure in the United States, today announced the promotion of two of its longest serving leaders to Executive Vice President. Johnny Crawford was named Executive Vice President of Development, and Bob Paige was appointed Executive Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Development. “Bob and Johnny have been leaders …
Bogus BLS averages put larger wireless contractors at a greater risk of being red-flagged
Avetta and other compliance vendors continue to use the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data to initially assess the safety culture and performance of wireless contractors through metrics such as the Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) average. Compliance vendors red flag contractors if their TRIR exceeds the BLS’s current TRIR averages, even though they are aware …
Vertical Bridge’s execs donate over $1.1 million to the Tower Family Foundation and Warriors4Wireless
Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC , the largest privately owned and operated communications infrastructure company in the United States, announced that its executive team has donated over $1.1 million from their personal funds to Warriors4Wireless and the Tower Family Foundation. The donations were made in support of the work that these non-profit organizations do to help veterans enter the telecommunications industry and to support the …
DigitalBridge acquires a controlling stake in nation’s largest independent tower owner, Vertical Bridge
DigitalBridge Group. Inc. today announced that funds affiliated with DigitalBridge Investment Management, the Company’s investment management platform, have reached a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling stake in Vertical Bridge Holdings, LLC (Vertical Bridge), the largest private owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure in the United States. As the operator of the largest independent tower platform in the U.S., …
Colocations unknown as a sealed deal with American Tower provides DISH with it final site selections
American Tower Corporation and DISH Network Corporation announced today that they have entered into a master lease agreement through which DISH may lease space on up to 20,000 American Tower communications sites. Through the agreement, DISH will secure access to American Tower’s extensive U.S. portfolio of communications sites as it deploys its new nationwide 5G network, and American Tower will …
‘Painless’ process results in a Dish/Vertical Bridge access deal
Dish Network Corporation and Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC announced a long-term agreement granting Dish immediate access to Vertical Bridge’s extensive portfolio of towers, rooftops, utility transmission structures, billboards, convenience stores and other sites used for wireless infrastructure deployment. Vertical Bridge is the nation’s largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure with a portfolio of over 300,000 sites spread across all 50 …
Vertical Bridge’s acquisition of Eco-Site allows them to boast surpassing 20,000 towers
Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC, the largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure and locations in the United States, today announced the completion of its merger with North Carolina-based Eco-Site, a leading developer of wireless communication, tower sites and infrastructure. The combination increases Vertical Bridge’s owned and master-leased tower portfolio to over 20,000 sites and its entire portfolio to more …
Elderly Vertical Bridge AM tower goes horizontal after being walloped by 130 mph winds
A 310-foot self-supporting tower owned by Vertical Bridge that broadcast WMT-AM radio’s signal throughout Iowa collapsed last week after tornado-type winds swept through Linn County. According to the National Weather Service, a powerful line of severe thunderstorms known as “Derecho” tracked across Minnesotta, eastern Iowa, and northwest Illinois in the afternoon of August 10. Straight line winds were estimated to …
Vertical Bridge acquires last big broadcast tower portfolio for $213 million: Cumulus Media
In February, Cumulus Media said that the company was considering selling its tower portfolio of 250 sites across 32 states to increase its liquidity and pay down debt. On Friday, the deal was inked with Vertical Bridge picking up the assets for $213 million. Previously, CFO John Abbot said that he believes that the multiples being paid as the tower industry …
SBA is doubling down on data centers after successful Chicago edge experiment
SBA Communications jumped into edge computing almost a year ago with the purchase of Chicago data center New Continuum to learn how to maximize their interest in the growing field that their competitors were taking an active role in, and the experiment was successful. During Monday’s Q2 earnings call, CEO Jeffrey Stoops announced that the company has bought their second …
Complī takes on industry giant Avetta to provide a risk management compliance alternative
World-wide vendor management leader Avetta which appears to have the oil and gas and other industries locked up now has a formidable competitor in wireless, Complī, a platform available from ABIS Solutions, a leading technology firm that has made inroads with NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and the National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA). Introducing the company’s qualification and compliance software …
Top towerco execs enthusiastic about the industry’s future
Executives gave upbeat assessments of the tower industry on the “View From the Top: Tower Executive Roundtable,” moderated by Jonathan Adelstein, President and CEO of the Wireless Industry Association during its virtual Connect (X) All Access conference yesterday afternoon. Panelists included Jay Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, Crown Castle; Alex Gellman, Chief Executive Officer, Vertical Bridge; Jeffrey Stoops, President …
Tower techs still road warriors as COVID-19 cancels industry’s shows and non-essential travel
Last week, most wireless infrastructure companies were supporting a mostly “business as usual” mentality regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, but they’re now reassessing their preventative plans daily as the industry finds itself struggling to keep abreast of the almost hourly information being provided by news media, health organizations and government agencies. Bernard Borghei, Executive Vice President of Operations, Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC, …
NATE’s quarter century show expected to be the best ever
Raleigh, North Carolina will host NATE UNITE 2020 beginning Monday as communications infrastructure contractors and suppliers come together to benefit from the association’s 25th conference and exposition, widely regarded as the premier wireless infrastructure show in the nation. Trying to identify the best educational or training sessions to attend is challenging because they’re all exceptional and are being presented by …
Borghei, Chase and Vink appointed to guide Tower Family Foundation’s visibility and outreach
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 …
Court to decide if City of Colorado Springs monopole can be beefed up by Vertical Bridge
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 …
