AT&T workers, including technicians, customer service representatives, and others who install, maintain, and support AT&T’s network, will receive wage increases of at least 15% throughout the new four-year collective bargaining agreement in the West and over 19% during the new five-year agreement in the Southeast. In the contract that covers the Southeast, Wire Technicians and Utility Operations professionals, who will …
Iconic industry leaders Dobson, Goldsmith, Horwitz, and Kennard Inducted into Wireless Hall of Fame
Four well-known and highly-respected individuals joined the 80 wireless industry pioneers and innovators inducted into the prestigious Wireless Hall of Fame. The event, hosted by the Wireless History Foundation (WHF), a nonprofit organization that has honored the hall of fame members for over fifteen years, celebrated Everett Dobson, Andrea Goldsmith, Brad Horwitz, and William E. Kennard. “We were so happy …
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 …
FCC to ISPs: Broadband data dodgeball will cost you $15K a pop
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued Notices of Apparent Liability (NAL) to nine internet service providers for failing to provide critical data on broadband coverage. The companies face penalties for not complying with federal data reporting requirements, marking the first instance of such enforcement actions. The companies under scrutiny include National Telecom, LLC, Centex Web Access, Particle Communications Wholesale, …
New extensive study confirms no link between mobile phone use and brain, head and neck cancers
The Federal Communications Commission is frequently accused of taking what some people believe is an industry-backed supportive role in minimizing cancer risks from cell phone RF exposure. The agency acknowledges that “some experimental data have suggested a possible link between exposure and tumor formation in animals under certain conditions.” However, they’re insistent that many other studies have failed to find …
Atlas shrugs off industry downturn after acquiring QualTek as it signals for other contractor acquisitions
QualTek Services, formerly one of the wireless infrastructure industry’s largest turnkey contractors that scaled down during post-Covid years and after emerging from bankruptcy, has been acquired by Atlas Holdings, a company that owns and operates 28 companies in various sectors. However, this is Atlas’s first acquisition in the telecom space, and they’re hoping to leverage their proprietary technology-driven platforms and …
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 …
Celebrate the unsung heroes: Shine a spotlight on the Sky High Heroes of the telecom industry
Wireless Estimator is proud to announce the industry-supported Sky High Heroes Awards, which will spotlight the unsung heroes throughout the year who elevate the telecommunications infrastructure industry to new heights who will be selected by their peers and industry stakeholders. These are the tower crews who brave the elements to keep our nation connected, the program managers who navigate complex …
VIKOR sails into solar energy by onboarding Trusted Electric
VIKOR, one of the leading providers of telecommunications infrastructure, providing services in more than 30 states across the U.S., has expanded its services into solar energy by onboarding Trusted Electric, Inc., a solar energy construction company based out of Storm Lake, IA. The move will expand VIKOR’s robust service offering while continuing to uphold their mission to build and service …
DigitalBridge to expand Japan’s telecom sector with the acquisition of JTower for $631 million
In a landmark deal, DigitalBridge Group, Inc. has announced its acquisition of Japan-based JTower Corporation. The acquisition, executed through a tender offer, is a significant step in DigitalBridge’s strategy to expand its global footprint and enhance its presence in the rapidly evolving Japanese telecommunications market. DigitalBridge, through its subsidiary DB Pyramid Holdings, will acquire JTower’s common stock and stock acquisition …
Over 1,000 days later, BEAD broadband $42.5 billion program is still searching for a shovel
In a chess rating system, breaking 1,000 indicates that a player has moved beyond the beginner level and can recognize common tactical patterns and avoid simple blunders. However, today, the broadband equity, access, and deployment (BEAD) program rollout has broken 1,000 days since BEAD was enacted, and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr believes the opposite is true for the current administration—that …
Two California counties wanted $25.5 million for student towers; FCC denies holey Trinity application review
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released an order denying the Trinity County Connectivity Consortium’s request for $25.5 million in funding from the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) to construct 16 wireless towers in Trinity and Humboldt County, California. In reviewing their previous denial, the FCC found that the application was flawed, full of holes, and did not meet the eligibility …
Moderators and Trump squandered a golden opportunity to address America’s infrastructure logjams
Before Thursday’s presidential debate in Atlanta, President Joe Biden’s senior aids spent a week at Camp David holding mock debates, informing the press that America was going to see a “fully charged” Joe Biden who would strike a strong contrast with Donald Trump and prove that he was addressing America’s most pressing issues. Detractors questioned if Biden had elevated energy …
The country’s mayors are demanding that Congress should kill a broadband bill that cuts through red tape
During the U.S. Conference of Mayors held this past weekend, city leaders strongly opposed the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2023 (H.R. 3557), urging Congress to reconsider the bill. The mayors emphasized their unwavering determination to renew the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and maintain local authority over public rights-of-way (ROW). Key Concerns: Local Authority Erosion: Mayors argue that H.R. 3557 …
California denies AT&T’s request to reduce OpEx by ripping out landline service to almost 600,000 households
Despite AT&T’s request to discontinue this less profitable service, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has made a significant ruling mandating that the carrier continue providing landline services in California. This decision will undoubtedly shape the company’s future operations in the state. The CPUC’s decision ensures that AT&T remains a Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) in areas where it is …
Musk and Carr tag team against the Biden administration’s inability to dish out BEAD funding until 2025
Elon Musk and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr have publicly criticized the Biden administration for its handling of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The $42.45 billion initiative, designed to provide high-speed internet to unserved and underserved areas, has yet to make significant progress in its implementation, leading to frustration and backlash from prominent figures and policymakers. An article …
NTIA approves BEAD proposals for New Hampshire, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon and Puerto Rico
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) initial proposal volumes two for Illinois, Oregon, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Puerto Rico, advancing efforts to close the digital divide. This approval grants these states and territory access to over $3 billion in funding aimed at providing affordable, reliable, high-speed internet service to all …
Dish adds another cut to the possibility of the contracting industry’s ‘death by a thousand cuts’
In a recent legal battle, Dish Wireless Inc. emerged victorious against Crown Castle USA Inc., with a Denver jury ruling on April 11, 2024, that Dish did not violate the 30-year master lease agreement between the two companies. The dispute centered around Dish’s use of an additional three feet of space on cell tower sites, which Crown Castle claimed should …
American Tower is gaveled a $4 million award: Court says yes, tenant’s wallet says no
In a recent decision from the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney granted a motion for default judgment in favor of American Tower Corp. against TPT SpeedConnect LLC (TPT), a subsidiary of TPT Global Tech, Inc (TPTG). The court’s ruling, issued on June 11, 2024, orders TPT to pay a sum of almost …
Relying on CWA’s flawed survey, Minnesota now requires prevailing wages and training in broadband construction
A newly signed bill in Minnesota, endorsed by Governor Tim Walz, prioritizes fair labor practices in broadband network construction. When distributing broadband funding, the Minnesota Broadband Office must now favor applicants who pay prevailing wages and offer comprehensive benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and training opportunities. Several broadband providers across Minnesota unsuccessfully urged state lawmakers to drop Article 10 …
