Dish Wireless’s urgency to build out their 5G mobile network has been long-seen by many wireless contractors as their sought after savior that would allow them to move a segment of their workforce to more profitable work than the depressed market pricing they are being offered by many carriers or their turfing vendors. However, the expected supply and demand shift …
California study shows that small cells actually increase home values
Joint Venture Silicon Valley unveiled their latest study last week regarding the Economic Impacts to Residential Real Estate from Small Wireless Facilities. The study focused on whether objective evidence in real estate sales records shows residential real estate valuation impacts from small wireless facilities or “small cells”. It concluded that small cell facilities do not have an appreciable effect on …
Rullex and Ansco get into legal fray over $113K of downtime and troubleshooting
A project management and construction company is suing another management and contracting firm that is managing AT&T site builds for allegedly failing to pay invoices submitted for downtime and troubleshooting. According to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on June 21, Rullex Co., Inc., is suing Georgia-based Ansco & Associates LLC for not …
Following a two island shopping spree, Phoenix Tower Intl. bags 830 Monaco Telecom towers
Boca-Raton, FL-based Phoenix Tower International (“Phoenix“) has closed its agreement with Monaco Telecom to purchase over 830 wireless towers and acquire newly constructed wireless towers over six years across Malta and Cyprus through a build-to-suit (BTS) program. Phoenix is now the largest tower infrastructure provider in both countries and the long-term partnership established with Monaco Telecom through this deal will see the operator occupy the …
WIA’s Adelstein: A fiber-only strategy will not work, wireless can provide needed flexibility
WIA President and CEO Jonathan Adelstein was the featured speaker at The Media Institute’s Communications Forum luncheon today. In his remarks, Adelstein underscored the valuable role wireless broadband should play in the infrastructure legislation under consideration in Congress and the importance of technological flexibility. He relayed the importance of flexibility in his experience overseeing the Rural Utilities Service for the …
American Tower and SBA Communications exposed to sabotage during South Africa riots
South African crowds continued to riot overnight, defying calls from authorities to end a week of violence that has killed more than 70 people, wrecked dozens of shopping malls, and destroyed over a thousand businesses as well as over one hundred communications towers. The violence started following the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma last week for failing to appear at …
Driverless car service is launched in Las Vegas, powered by T-Mobile 5G
Yesterday, Halo launched one of the first commercial driverless car services in the U.S. running on the T-Mobile 5G network in Las Vegas. With Halo, visitors and residents can quickly summon a sleek, driverless all-electric Halo with the push of a button. A driverless Halo then arrives at the pick-up location and the rider hops in and drives to their destination. Halo …
RF survey says: Verizon’s Massachusetts monopole gets a clean bill of health
Update: July 9, 2021 – The Pittsfield, MA Board of Health held a hearing on Wednesday evening and discussed the Verizon monopole that residents said is causing health problems in the nearby neighborhood. After hours of discussion, the city said that their study identified that the tower is safe, but further investigation will be required. Gina Armstrong, the city’s health director, …
Forum sees growing diversity of deployment models driving surging small cell demand through 2026
The Small Cell Forum (SCF) has released its latest market forecast report identifying a large growth curve. The report, available here, confirms the continuing growth of the small cell market, with 5G driving new deployments, particularly in industrial and enterprise settings. This is forecast to be accelerated by increasing access to new spectrum and open architectures, both of which will facilitate new …
Vertical Bridge and Tarpon Towers tag team against Tillman’s tower model at South Wireless Summit session
When towerco executives interact during a panel discussion, it’s expected that they’ll present an uplifting message to the audience, nodding to investors to join in their spiritual-like carrier campfire song. A Tuesday presentation proved to be an exception. During a South Wireless Summit session moderated by Pat Tant, CEO of Vogue Towers, Vertical Bridge Sr. VP Bob Paige and Tarpon …
NATE takes off the gloves and exposes depressed pricing and other issues making contracting ‘untenable’
Downward pricing pressure and costly vetting demands from carriers and other top-tier clients over the years have undermined the ability of many wireless contractors to remain profitable. It’s a frequent topic of concern and conversations typically end with no solutions or guidance and are renewed each year when turfing vendors and other customers set a new percentage price reduction that …
Communications survive condo catastrophe as hope for survivors dwindles; lawsuit adds wireless contractor
UPDATE: June 29, 2021 – Two lawsuits have already been filed against the Champlain Towers South Condominium Association. One of the lawsuits alleges that recently added weight to the building’s roof was “the straw that broke the spine” of the complex. It also claims that the association had “contracted with a cellular antennae provider/contractor, allowing it to install a transmission and/or receiver …
America still in second place with 5G service in a worldwide tally of 1,662 cites: VIAVI
Viavi Solutions Inc. today released new research demonstrating the accelerating pace at which 5G is growing, with coverage extending to an additional four countries and 301 cities worldwide since the beginning of this year. The new total — 1,662 cities across 65 countries — represents an increase of more than 20 percent during 2021 to date, according to the latest edition …
Mobilitie acquired by transit and connected infrastructure firm BAI Communications
BAI Communications (BAI), a global communications infrastructure provider, has today agreed to acquire Mobilitie, one of the largest privately held telecommunications infrastructure companies in the United States. This acquisition represents a major expansion of BAI’s business in North America where it provides cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity across large infrastructure projects, including the New York City subway system, under its majority owned business Transit Wireless. It …
SBA’s Bernstein says ‘it’s time to tell the world’ about Skyfish’s drone photogrammety and $20M in funding
American autonomous drone maker Skyfish has secured over $20 million in venture funding led by Henry Wolfond, CEO of Bayshore Capital, and Steven Bernstein, the Chairman of SBA Communications. “After speaking with Skyfish customers, we quickly understood that Skyfish is unique in the commercial drone world, producing precise ‘engineering grade’ drone enabled photogrammetry and 3D Models of infrastructure,” said Bernstein. …
NATE participates in industry roundtable hosted By Secretary of Commerce Raimondo and Senator Wicker
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association was invited to participate in a roundtable event hosted today in Gulfport, Mississippi by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker. NATE Chairman Jimmy Miller and Member Services Chairwoman Jordyn Ladner from Gulfport-based MILLERCO represented the Association at the roundtable, which was held at the Mississippi Aquarium. During the event, …
Fifth Circuit clears the way for an FCC rip and replace approval day
The FCC’s July 13 meeting will have commissioners voting on congressionally mandated changes to replace insecure network equipment from Chinese companies ZTE and Huawei. While Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel was busy last week putting the finishing touches on the rip and replace program, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday removed a judicial roadblock that could have prevented the program …
New interactive mapping service locator provides a ‘sobering view’ of nation’s lack of broadband
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a new publicly available digital map that displays key indicators of broadband needs across the country. This is the first interactive, public map that allows users to explore different datasets about where people do not have quality Internet access. The “Indicators of Broadband Need” tool puts on one map, …
Say sayonara to Sierra Wireless’ fraudulent tower tech dream job
A con artist is making the rounds targeting wireless construction workers and trying to enlist them into a Skype interview to wrangle unsuspecting applicants out of money. Wireless Estimator alerted viewers to a scam in 2019 where a tag-team of criminals would provide candidates with a fraudulent upfront check to purchase personal protective equipment and other gear necessary in order …
Ohio’s lawsuit seeking public utility status for Google confuses tower owners
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a landmark lawsuit yesterday, asking the court to declare Google a public utility, reining in the ways the powerful search engine provides search results to Ohioans. “Google uses its dominance of internet search to steer Ohioans to Google’s own products–that’s discriminatory and anti-competitive,” Yost said. “When you own the railroad or the electric company or …
