Elizabeth Ann Pierce, the former CEO of telecommunications company Quintillion based in Anchorage, Alaska, and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s pick to head the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee, pled guilty Monday in Manhattan federal court to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to use forged guaranteed revenue contracts fraudulently to induce investors to pony up more …
American Broadband Initiative report identifies 24 million without access, 80% in rural communities
Expanding America’s broadband connectivity is critical to the nation’s economy, and a top priority for President Trump and the Department of Commerce. Yesterday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) joined with their partners in government to announce the publication of the American Broadband Initiative (ABI), a comprehensive effort to stimulate increased private sector investment in broadband. “NTIA is proud to share …
Contractor survey uncovers some startling financial statistics that could trigger a 5G train wreck
In their drive to lower capex as they roll out 5G, carriers have created a troubling national Achille’s heel – a contractor base that has many companies swimming in debt with serious cash flow problems, according to results of an extensive nationwide survey taken by Wireless Estimator. The wireless contractor survey that was completed last quarter by 263 vetted companies, clearly indicates that …
Carriers either ignore or are unaware of contractors’ higher than average truck roll expenses
Wireless contractors can’t be profitable with the hourly rates set by carriers and turfing contractors in many markets or the rates that they have to use to successfully win a bid, according to company executives who registered their concerns in an extensive nation-wide survey taken by Wireless Estimator that will be released this week. “They treat us like we’re a …
FCC given green light to start enforcing its new small cell regs on Monday
At the eleventh hour, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit yesterday denied a motion to stay the enforcement of the FCC’s September 27, 2018 Declaratory Ruling and Third Report and Order led by FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. The new federal siting rules for small cells became effective Jan. 14, 2019, according to the order. A group of cities led by …
Broadband provider is suing the DOJ and FCC for foreclosure action from prison and wants $50+ million for slander
The FCC on Thursday reaffirmed its earlier decision that Hawaii-based Sandwich Isles Communications (SIC) knowingly defrauded the Universal Service Fund (USF) of more than $27 million for reimbursements it was not entitled to receive. In its order for reconsideration, the FCC said between 2002 and 2015, the USF provided nearly $250 million of funds to SIC to provide service to …
FCC returns to full five members as the Senate confirms Carr and Starks
The Senate late yesterday evening in a voice vote confirmed Geoffrey Starks as an FCC Commissioner to the open seat left by former Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Commissioner Brendan Carr for a full five-year term. Carr and Starks had been previously approved by the Senate Commerce Committee, and their swearing in is expected shortly. Both will be paid during the …
Most of the FCC’s operations will be shuttered tomorrow if government shutdown drags on
The partial government shutdown will hit the FCC on Thursday at mid-day when approximately 1,197 workers will be furloughed until further notice if the partial government shutdown isn’t resolved by today. President Trump is expected to meet with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders at the White House this afternoon to try to break the deadlock, but a successful outcome is …
MTA skirts zoning rules, but after Tarrytown dressing down removes its 150-foot monopole
A 150-foot monopole erected in September in Tarrytown, N.Y. enjoyed a scenic view of the eastern bank of the Hudson River, but was retired the weekend before Christmas to a flatbed truck in search of a new home. The tower was constructed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) because the Metro-North Police needed it to improved emergency communications. However, the …
CenturyLink fixes outages, but not outrages from the FCC and state regulators
Last Thursday CenturyLink, the nation’s third largest telecommunications company, announced that it was experiencing phone and internet services technical difficulties, and expected that the disruptions would be fixed in four hours. However, it wasn’t until Friday morning that most outages were resolved and the FCC, prompted by Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, has launched an investigation of CenturyLink to identify the problem …
T-Mobile says they didn’t lie about their 4G LTE coverage, and possibly underestimated it
T-Mobile has emphatically denied an allegation by the Rural Wireless Association (RWA) in an FCC filing on Dec. 10, 2018 that it lied about the extent of its 4G LTE coverage. RWA said they were concerned about overstated coverage by Verizon and T-Mobile that have been borne out by challenge process data. “The vast majority of test points showed non-qualifying …
FCC Commissioner Carr and enforcement chief Starks’ limbo status could be decided within days
UPDATE: December 14, 2018 – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) has put a hold on FCC nominee Brendan Carr’s confirmation to a five-year term. Last week, the FCC announced that they were indefinitely pausing the release of $4.5 billion through Mobility Fund Phase II. “If the Chairman feels he needs to put the brakes on this program at this stage …
FCC green lights a 5G high-band millimeter wave spectrum auction for 2019
The FCC today took a significant step at its open meeting toward holding a major 5G spectrum auction in 2019 by adopting new rules that will promote the availability of high-band millimeter wave spectrum for the next generation of wireless connectivity. The airwaves in the combined Upper 37 GHz and 39 GHz bands are the largest amount of contiguous spectrum …
Want to ban us from using Huawei or ZTE network equipment FCC, then pay our carriers: RWA
The U.S., including its allies such as the U.K, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, appear to be championing the need to shut out Chinese tech giant Huawei’s networks due to national security concerns. Also, based upon security issues, Japan is also considering banning ZTE network equipment for government offices and its military forces, according to numerous news reports. However, the …
FCC investigating whether there were any Pinocchio presentations in carrier coverage maps
The FCC has opened an investigation into whether some wireless carriers falsely reported information about the coverage areas to the agency, therefore violating mapping rules pertaining to the Mobility Fund Phase ll reverse auction. In halting the $5.4 billion program, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, said in a statement, “My top priority is bridging the digital divide and ensuring that Americans …
Towerco stocks on a roller coaster as Canada arrests Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou for extradiction to U.S.
News of the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Canada sent the Dow plummeting as much as 785 points today before the index staged a huge comeback and was just down 78 points at closing. However, some analysts believe it was also fueled by a looming trade war with China. Meng faces extradition to the United States. Towerco stocks tanked …
FirstNet hits one-third completion mark, AT&T’s network capacity to grow by 50% in 2019
According to AT&T CEO Randolph Stephenson at a UBS Communications Conference yesterday, the carrier is six months ahead of its contracted FirstNet deployment schedule, and the public-safety initiative will result in increasing the capacity of its network by 50% by the end of 2019. “We made a full-court press to pursue the FirstNet bid and win it. And there were …
3Z’s antenna alignment tool with built-in camera is ideal for all carrier networks
A new antenna alignment tool that includes a built-in camera can now provide a visual line-of-sight image for each antenna in a mobile network is proving to be extraordinarily valuable for RF engineering teams when making coverage and capacity decisions for more exacting 5G networks, and to ensure that unseen challenges will be immediately known. 3Z Telecom, Inc., a leading …
CTI Towers’ employees give generously to support tower workers in need
The Tower Family Foundation was the recipient today of a $13,000 donation raised by the employees of CTI Towers. October was designated as “Charity Month” at CTI, where employees were able to donate personal funds to the Cary, N.C. company’s designated charity for 2018. “We are always amazed at the kindness of our employees to assist those in need. They …
Fewer contractors entering wireless construction as requirements increase and profits head south
A Wireless Estimator survey recently completed by 263 wireless infrastructure contractors has provided a wealth of information regarding carrier payment terms and other industry concerns that will be detailed in additional reports next month. However, the first evident troubling or possibly beneficial data unveiled is that new contractors are not entering the business as they did four years ago when …
