The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) is pleased to announce the launch of its 2025 Customer Experience Survey, inviting professionals from across the telecommunications and tower industry to share their feedback on NWSA’s certification process and related services. Responses will help shape future developments and ensure the organization continues to meet the evolving needs of technicians, employers, and industry stakeholders. …
Tower industry positioned for a potential windfall as BEAD map contracts and fixed wireless gains ground
A new analysis by researchers at New York Law School suggests a significant shift in the federal government’s $42.45 billion broadband deployment program, which could substantially benefit companies that build and maintain communications towers. As the number of BEAD-eligible locations declines and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) shifts to a cost-first grant model, states are expected to increasingly …
Supreme Court upholds the FCC’s Universal Service Fund, securing rural connectivity and other assistance
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 to uphold the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund (USF)—a multibillion-dollar initiative that subsidizes internet and phone access for rural communities, schools, libraries, low-income households, tribal lands, and rural healthcare providers. The Court rejected claims that Congress had improperly delegated tax-setting authority to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and allowed a private nonprofit, …
Monster, CareerBuilder file bankruptcy while Wireless Estimator’s telecom job board remains strong
In a world where the once-mighty Monster and CareerBuilder are being sold off for parts like rusted-out Buicks in a bankruptcy junkyard, there’s one job board that not only survived a highly competitive marketplace but also outperformed it. The Wireless Estimator job board has quietly, consistently, and effectively served the wireless infrastructure community for over two decades, and it remains a …
Tilson aims to sell its business at a bankruptcy fire sale auction, leaving creditors on the hook
Tilson Technology Management, once confident in its ability to emerge stronger from its recent financial struggles, has made a dramatic shift in course. After announcing a restructuring bankruptcy plan just weeks ago, the company has now decided to sell all of its assets, marking a stark contrast to the optimistic outlook shared in its May 29, 2025, announcement that the …
Trusty’s FCC confirmation signals pro-deployment shift for wireless infrastructure contractors
UPDATE – The U.S. Senate confirmed Olivia Trusty for a full five-year term as commissioner of the FCC this afternoon in a 53–45 vote. The tally matched the Senate’s vote the night before, which approved Trusty to serve the remaining days of former Chair Jessica Rosenworcel’s term, ending June 30. Trusty was nominated for both the short-term appointment and the full term by …
‘Tough Tower’ climbers shine in 2025 Ohio showdown with Verità Telecommunications capturing the crown
The 2025 Tough Tower competition brought together seven teams of elite tower climbers from across the country last weekend in North Jackson, OH, each aiming to take the top spot—and a significant cash prize—in an event focused on safety, skills, and careers in the telecommunications industry. Preliminary challenges took place on June 5, with semifinal and final rounds on June …
Tech-neutral in name only? Fiber retains structural edge under NTIA’s new BEAD policy
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) June 6, 2025, BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice reframes the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program with a stated goal of “technology neutrality.” But a close read reveals that while the language has changed, the outcome is likely to remain fiber-centric. The notice formally eliminates the Biden-era “fiber preference” and other regulatory requirements …
Top tower broker Tom Engel leaves behind decades of deals—and deep respect from a grateful industry
Well-known and highly respected communications tower broker Tom Engel, 80, of Puyallup, WA, passed away on May 28, 2025, leaving behind his loving wife Shana, and their son, Derrick, and years of fond memories from his co-founder partner Jody McCoy of Strategic Tower Advisors, tower owners and others who worked with him since 1972 in the media business. According to …
EchoStar’s missed $326 million payment casts a dark shadow over wireless contractor workflows
EchoStar Corporation’s recent decision to skip a $326 million interest payment on its 10.75% senior spectrum-secured notes due 2029 has introduced significant uncertainty into its 5G cell tower buildout program. This move, triggered by an ongoing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) investigation into EchoStar’s compliance with 5G deployment obligations in the 2 GHz spectrum band, could have several implications for the …
Network builder Tilson Technology hits Delaware court for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shield after revenue collapse
Tilson Technology Management, Inc. and its affiliates — Tilson Middle Street Holdings, LLC and Boundless Broadband, LLC — have voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The move comes on the heels of a sudden contract cancellation by the company’s largest client, Gigapower, which has left Tilson scrambling to restructure …
Cyber onslaught hits Cellcom: 75,000 subscribers lose voice, text services across Northeast Wisconsin
Last weekend, Wisconsin’s regional carrier, Cellcom, whose parent company is Nsight, confirmed that a sophisticated cyberattack brought down its voice and SMS networks, leaving thousands of customers unable to make calls or send texts. The incident, first detected late Friday evening, underscores the growing threat of targeted assaults on telecommunications infrastructure and follows an alarming pattern of service disruptions across …
DigitalBridge stock jumps 37% on acquisition buzz as tower REITs slip
In a surprising turn, 26North Partners—a specialist in alternative investments—is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire DigitalBridge Group Inc. (DBRG), the digital-infrastructure fund manager, also the parent company of Vertical Bridge. Energy trader Mercuria is said to be joining the bid, and sources tell IJGlobal that the deal could close within days. As the rumors circulated, DigitalBridge’s share price surged …
Inside WIA’s 2024 numbers: $63 Billion and 368,750 jobs are powering 5G
For the third year, the Wireless Infrastructure Association’s (WIA) Wireless Infrastructure by the Numbers Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. wireless infrastructure sector, covering purpose-built cellular towers, indoor and outdoor small cells, macrocell sites, annual infrastructure investments, and the American workforce sustaining this essential industry. Wireless infrastructure consists of various components, including towers, cell sites, antennas, radios, fiber networks, and …
NATE showcases TIRAP career pathways supported by WIA in a new video on National Apprenticeship Day
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today released a video highlighting the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) as part of National Apprenticeship Day, being celebrated today. The video features an informative conversation between host Sean Gilhooley, Deb Bennett from WIA: The Wireless Infrastructure Association, and Joel Hightower, CEO of Hightower Communications of Kinston, NC, discussing the value of apprenticeships in the communications …
Murphy Tower Service announces leadership transition amid continued growth with McGuire at the helm
Murphy Tower Service, a leader in wireless and wireline infrastructure service, has announced a key leadership transition. Co-owner Patrick Murphy will step down as Chief Executive Officer effective immediately and transition into the role of Chief Operating Officer. Sam McGuire, current CEO of the parent company FieldSync, Inc., has been named the new CEO of Murphy Tower Service. This transition …
Starks resigns from the FCC, paving the way for Republican control under Chairman Carr
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Geoffrey Starks has announced his intention to resign this Spring, cutting short his term that was set to expire in 2027. His departure could have significant implications for the balance of power within the FCC, potentially giving Chairman Brendan Carr a temporary Republican majority. In a letter to President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader …
Evan Feinman departs BEAD program, warning of ‘deeply negative outcomes’ from favoring satellites
The $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is at a crossroads following the departure of its director, Evan Feinman. In a farewell email to staff (available below), Feinman issued a stark warning that proposed shifts in the program’s direction—moving away from fiber broadband infrastructure in favor of satellite-based alternatives—could result in “deeply negative outcomes” for rural America. …
Tariff shock: Steel price surge threatens carrier expansion, squeezing manufacturers and contractors
Since the U.S. telecommunications industry relies heavily on steel to construct and maintain cell towers, mounts, and products for new cell site locations and upgrades, tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, reintroduced by the Trump administration yesterday, are already creating significant market turbulence, affecting everything from carrier investment decisions to supply chain stability with President Trump’s sweeping 25% tariffs on …
As contractors are forced to quit, FCC Chief Carr tackles tower climb to showcase telecom workforce’s true grit
With over 42 years of experience erecting and maintaining tall towers, Precision Communications lead foreman Mike Berry has tackled plenty of unique and challenging projects—some unforgettable, while others blur together, fading into the background like just another day on the job. A planned two-week lighting system upgrade on WKRG News 5’s 1,865-foot structure in Spanish Fort, AL, seemed destined to …
