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New task force to address smart city infrastructure needed for 5G

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

The Wireless Infrastructure Association(WIA) and the Smart City Council (SCC) announced today the creation of the Smart Communities Infrastructure Task Force with a primary objective of educating and empowering communities and stakeholders as they work to deploy the wireless and wireline broadband networks that are essential to smart city applications. Key Focus Areas of the Smart Communities Infrastructure Task Force …

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White House says POTUS picks FCC’s top counsel to be Republican Commissioner

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

As anticipated, the White House has announced that President Donald Trump has nominated Brendan Carr to fill the open Republican seat on the Federal Communications Commission. Carr, a former telecom lawyer, joined the Commission in 2012 as then Commissioner Ajit Pai’s wireless public safety and international legal advisor and was then appointed in January to general counsel by Chairman Pai. …

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WIA endorses Trump administration apprenticeship reforms, TIRAP welcomes 12 contractors

In Associations News, Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) and the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) announced today that 12 companies have signed agreements to be Participating Employers in the nation’s only telecommunications apprenticeship program. This pledge from private businesses will accelerate the fulfillment of TIRAP’s goal to address the skills gap in the telecommunications industry by adopting an apprenticeship model, which is …

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Steven Marshall elected Chairman of Wireless Infrastructure Association

In Associations News, Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) today announced that Steven Marshall, Executive Vice President and President of the U.S. Tower Division at American Tower Corp., was elected to serve as Chairman of the WIA’s Board of Directors. Marshall has served on the WIA Board of Directors since 2010 and brings a depth of industry experience and business leadership to WIA. He …

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Industry applauds OSHA / FCC’s long-awaited Communication Tower Best Practices guide

In Associations News, Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The FCC and OSHA today released their Communication Tower Best Practices guide following a concerted joint effort on industry safety when the two agencies began the initiative with a workshop in Washington, D.C. in 2014 and continued the effort with another group of industry stakeholders in 2016. Although the guide is advisory in nature, and is not a standard or regulation, …

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WIA launches new industry education and training programs

In Featured News, Training News & Initiatives by Wireless Estimator

The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) today announced the creation of the Telecommunications Education Center (TEC), a new program and online portal that aims to provide the wireless telecommunications industry with a series of education and training courses with the goal of building a stronger and more diverse workforce. TEC (www.tec-online.org) aims to improve safety and quality, reduce costs of wireless …

NATE’s in O’Rielly’s corner on common sense obstruction marking provisions

In Associations News, Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today applauded FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly for his common sense approach to the tower obstruction marking provisions currently confronting the communications tower industry. The broad-based tower marking requirements were part of the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016 and mandate improved physical markings and/or lighting on towers ranging from 50’ – …

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Repack is kick-started after FCC’s auction results are unveiled

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

T-Mobile, Dish Network and Comcast were the top bidders in the incentive spectrum auction for 70 MHz of airwaves, according to an FCC announcement that will now jumpstart the nation’s long-awaited repacking efforts. The Commission now commences a 39-month transition period to move broadcast stations to new channel assignments. The first group of stations to move channels is scheduled for …

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NATE goes full bore into the beltway to address industry’s and nation’s priorities

In Associations News, Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Timed to coincide with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai’s declaration of April 2017 as “Infrastructure Month”,  executives of the National Association of Tower Erectors were in Washington, D.C. last week for a series of legislative and regulatory meetings. During the productive week, the NATE delegation, consisting of Chairman Jim Tracy, Board of Directors member John Paul Jones, Executive …

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FCC appoints WIA members and leaders to broadband deployment committee

In Associations News, Featured News by Wireless Estimator

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai today announced that members and leaders of the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) were selected to serve on the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC), a new federal advisory committee charged with exploring ways to accelerate deployment of high-speed Internet access nationwide and to close the digital divide. WIA members named to the Committee include: Marc Ganzi, Chief …

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Adelstein drives home need to remove regulatory barriers at South Wireless Summit

In Associations News, Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Jonathan Adelstein, CEO and President of the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA), delivered a keynote address at the annual South Wireless Summit here today in which he highlighted the crucial work the association is doing in Washington and in state capitals across the United States to remove barriers to the deployment of wireless infrastructure. “Creating a predictable business environment helps us …

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WIA chair believes 50-foot small cells are reasonable, urges congress to remove barriers

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA), Thomas A. “Tam” Murray, today urged members of the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology to continue its work toward streamlining the widespread deployment of wireless broadband in communities throughout the United States. He also informed the subcommittee that WIA was “tremendously in favor of long lease …

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Wireless Infrastructure Association named national sponsor for TIRAP

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) announced today that the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) was selected to serve as National Sponsor for the program, and that TIRAP had secured approval for four additional credentialed occupations. TIRAP is a joint venture of telecommunications companies, industry associations and the U.S. Department of Labor that develops DOL-credentialed apprenticeship programs available to qualified …

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WIA outlines convincing small cell deployment barriers nation faces

In Associations News, Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) filed formal written comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in its “Streamlining Deployment of Small Cell Infrastructure By Improving Wireless Facilities Siting Policies” proceeding. In its filing, WIA stressed the importance of maintaining a fair and competitive marketplace to promote the widespread deployment of wireless infrastructure in communities across the United States. More importantly, …

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WIA expands frequency coordination operations with addition of microwave

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA), which currently provides frequency coordination services to private and public entities, has added microwave frequency coordination to its comprehensive list of frequency coordination services. The new license management and frequency protection and monitoring services include: Point-To-Point Microwave coordination and Part 101 coordination for Multiple Address Systems along with associated Frequency Protection and Monitoring; FAA Studies/FCC …

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WIA presses for small cells on pole facilities with its detailed primer

In Associations News, Featured News by Wireless Estimator

Attaching small wireless antennas and associated equipment – such as distributed antenna system (DAS) remote units, remote radio units and self-contained small cells – on existing poles or structures significantly improves the coverage and capacity of mobile networks, according to a new white paper titled “Small Cells on Pole Facilities: A Primer on How Utility Poles, Street Lights and Traffic …

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New Navy guidelines will streamline the wireless siting process on federal bases

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

The United States Department of the Navy (DON) has formally released new guidelines designed to improve the speed at which wireless infrastructure facilities are deployed on properties owned by the U.S. Government and operated by the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps. The memorandum — titled “Streamlined Process for Commercial Broadband Deployment” — was signed by the Deputy Under Secretary …

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Successful exhibit floor at WIA’s record-high attendance conference

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

Although the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) said that they anticipated that they would have approximately 3,000 attendees prior to the show, and a spokesperson said that the crowd broke a record attendance, he could not provide a count today of actual attendees. Last year, according to the WIA, the show had more than 2,000 registrants. A number of exhibitors said …

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Key executives at WIA: The tower biz is still where you want to be

In Daily News Briefs by Wireless Estimator

When the Wireless Infrastructure Association’s (WIA) annual “View from the Top” presentation kicked off at yesterday’s Dallas, Tex. conference, audio problems kept the packed audience craning their necks for about 10 minutes to hear what was being said. But when WIA President and CEO Jonathan Adelstein restarted the session from the beginning, it was crystal clear to attendees that 2016 …

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PCIA is history, as trade group changes to Wireless Infrastructure Association – WIA

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator

 At the  PCIA show this morning, in a move to better represent its growing membership, PCIA – The Wireless Infrastructure Association, announced the 67-year-old national trade association has changed its name to the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA). Jonathan Adelstein, President and CEO of WIA, made the announcement during his opening remarks at the annual Wireless Infrastructure Show, which brings together …