Huawei Technologies Co., the Chinese tech firm blacklisted as a national security threat, secretly helped the North Korean government build and maintain the country’s commercial wireless network, according to internal documents obtained by The Washington Post. Huawei partnered with a state-owned Chinese firm, Panda International Information Technology Co Ltd, on a number of projects in North Korea over eight years, …
DOJ expected to give their blessing on the Sprint/T-Mobile merger this week: report
According to a Fox Business report this morning, the U.S. Department of Justice could announce a settlement to make way for the merger of Sprint Corp. and T-Mobile US Inc. by mid-week, Sources told Fox that a settlement announcement between the DOJ and the carriers could come “Wednesday or Thursday, or possibly sooner.” The settlement would include plans for divestitures …
The New York Times gets it right: ‘The 5G Health Hazard That Isn’t’
The New York Times is fast becoming the nation’s leading advocate for exposing 5G cancer myths and educating the public that cell towers and especially 5G frequencies are not dangerous as they’re frequently described in the media and social networks. In an extensive article written by Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist William J. Broad this week, he exposes how Bill P. …
Momentum builds around wireless installations at military facilities leads Fast-Forward-Friday
Article Media Momentum builds around wireless installations at military facilities WIA Palm Beach and AT&T at odds over spotty service Palm Beach Post Virginia Beach leaders have concerns about 5G antennas Government Technology Crown Castle crushed its second-quarter earnings guidance The Motley Fool Brookfield inks $3.7 billion deal to invest in Reliance’s tower assets VC Circle With Ripon tower gone …
Key carrier contractor Centerline Solutions throws in the towel with its bankruptcy filing
Citing, delayed payments from carriers, slim margins and competition that doesn’t have high corporate expenses, Colorado-based Centerline Solutions, one of the nation’s larger contractors, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Friday Centerline said in its filing that it has assets of $10.21 million and owes creditors $7.63 million. It’s a who’s who list of creditors The creditors are well-known (pages 74 through …
Pedophile may have inadvertently put OSHA tower safety rule on permanent hold
President Donald Trump said Friday that embattled Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta is resigning because Acosta doesn’t want his decade-old plea deal with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to distract the President from pressing issues. Epstein, 66, was arrested last weekend and charged in the Southern District of New York with sex trafficking of young girls. A judge has postponed his decision …
The Wall Street party for tower owners may be ending leads Fast-Forward Friday articles
Article Media For tower owners, the Wall Street party may be ending Light Reading FCC set hearing for St. Louis AMs allegedly controlled by convicted felon Inside Radio How Eco-Site plans to benefit from the rush to build 5G infrastructure The News & Observer FCC proposes new rules to govern communications at multiple tenant buildings The National Law Review “This …
Wireless providers increased spectrum efficiency by 42 times Since 2010, new paper shows
U.S. wireless providers increased their spectrum efficiency 42 times since 2010, according to a new white paper released by CTIA, the wireless industry association. U.S. wireless networks handled 948M megabytes (MB) for every one megahertz (MHz) of spectrum in 2010 and now handle 39.9B MBs/MHz thanks to significant industry investment in networks and technology. Facing a hockey stick growth curve in mobile data …
Miranda Allen selected to represent NATE on FCC’s job skills and training opportunities working group
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai today announced his appointments to serve on two Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC) working groups: (1) the Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Job Skills and Training Opportunities working group, and (2) the Increasing Broadband Investment in Low-Income Communities working group. Miranda Allen, CEO of NATE member company RSI Corp of Kowa, Kansas, has been selected to …
CTIA develops a new website to combat RF fear and fake news, but it can’t stop there
Commentary — Recurring headlines purporting that 5G is untested and RF radiation from cell towers could cause cancer is the ammunition being used to close down or prevent the addition of cell sites on school campuses or on adjacent properties throughout the nation. To cool down the heated campaigns, towercos and carriers simply refer opponents to the FCC’s Wireless Devices and …
Cell phones are probably not making us grow horns leads Fast-Forward Friday articles
Article Media Cell phones are probably not making us grow horns Smithsonian Removing Chinese telecommunications equipment from U.S. would cost more than $1 billion Broadban Breakfast Pai re-charters diversity advisory group, FCC seeking new members Inside Radio Researchers sent a fake, unblockable presidential alert to a 50,000-seat stadium Digital Trends Supreme Court leaves unanswered whether District Courts must defer to …
NATE reaches an all-time high milestone of 900 members
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that it has established a new all-time record for member companies, reaching the 900 member mark for the first time in the organization’s 24-year history. Broadcast Construction Solutions, a San Antonio, Texas based company, has the special distinction of becoming the 900th NATE member company. “NATE member companies encompass all layers …
Billion dollar question: Will any entity pay $713,000 per site to the nation’s last carrier with towers?
In 2014, U.S. Cellular struck a deal with Vertical Bridge Holdings to sell 595 non-core towers for $159 million, approximately $267,000 per site. On June 17 in a note to investors, Morgan Stanley analyst Simon Flannery said if the regional carrier unloaded their strategic portfolio of 4,207 towers in 22 states the possible asking price might be $3 billion, averaging …
Income and race seen holding back California’s broadband adoption rates
In California, income and race are key factors contributing to low broadband adoption rates, according to a study released this month by the California Public Utilities Commission. Their analysis found that income is the most critical factor affecting adoption where only 52.9% of households in census tracts where the median annual household income levels are less than $20,000 have in-home …
Wireless infrastructure workers are the ‘unsung heroes’: FCC Chairman Pai
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai gave a double-tip of the hardhat to America’s wireless infrastructure companies and their workers during his keynote speech before the New York State Wireless Association on Friday, citing them as the ‘unsung heroes of the digital revolution.’ “Without your work, there would be no app store; no Uber; no 24- hour health monitoring. You not only …
Crown Castle Fiber says ComEd is pole dancing around regs with obscene pricing
Crown Castle Fiber has accused Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) of breaking FCC rules by charging excessive pole attachment fees and denying the company access to hundreds of poles. In its complaints filed with the FCC, Crown Castle alleges that ComEd refuses to recognize that wireless attachments are subject to FCC rules, and as a result, the utility has charged …
Favorable ruling upholds CommScope digital DAS patents leads Fast-Forward Friday articles
Article Media Favorable ruling upholds CommScope digital DAS patents Business Wire T-Mobile prepares for a Boost auction if Dish Network talks fail CNBC Nokia seeks rule change for 5G backhaul Fierce Wireless Mobile data use nearly doubles, CTIA annual survey shows CTIA Plaintiffs in FirstNet privacy lawsuit appealoppose AT&T brief Mission Critical LMR will continue alongside LTE Radio Resource 5G …
NRECA claims pole attachment rates not a barrier to rural broadband deployment
Broadband deployment in rural America is not impeded by pole attachment rates, according to a report released by Brian O’Hara, regulatory director, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), in a white paper, “Pole Attachment Policies and Issues.” O’Hara’s research indicates that most communications companies will not provide broadband to all of rural America even when the pole attachment rental rates are …
Reward offered for vandals who cut guy wires and collapsed 150-foot Oregon tower
The Coos County Oregon Sheriff’s Office is offering a reward for the identification and conviction of the parties responsible for cutting the guy wires and collapsing a 150-foot guyed tower on Coos Mountain off BLM 26-1027 1 Road, according to a press release from the department. The damage was discovered Monday morning when a deputy responded to a call of …
AT&T to cut 1,800 wireline jobs as CWA cites an already ‘crumbling infrastructure’
AT&T will be cutting 1,800 positions, according to the Communications Workers of America (CWA), union jobs in their wireline business, which the company claims has fewer customers after losing 1.9 million wireline customers between 2016 and 2018. “Due to changes as our business and industry continue to evolve, we are making some staff reductions involving technicians who install and repair …