Democratic FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn made a surprise announcement yesterday at the FCC’s open meeting– she’s resigning after serving a nine-year tenure at the agency. A fierce advocate of the FCC’s net neutrality rules, Clyburn has been at odds with Chairman Ajit Pai frequently. “I have enjoyed working with her and, even when we have not seen eye-to-eye on policy, I …
Feds charge FCC chairman’s advisory head Elizabeth Pierce with a $250 million fraud scheme
When Quintillion Subsea 0perations, LLC CEO Elizabeth Ann Pierce ran her first meeting of the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC) on April 21, 2017 as its newly appointed chairman, she echoed FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s message that it would be a priority of BDAC to remove regulatory barriers. She also knew, if the Department of Justice’s allegations are true, that …
Sprint and T-Mobile might believe the third time will be a charm
Sprint Corp has resumed talks to merge with T-Mobile US, according to Reuters, The Wall Street Journal and other news outlets who quoted unnamed sources. The third and fourth largest U.S. wireless carriers, with a combined subscriber base of almost 130 million customers, reportedly restarted talks, in part, to reduce operating network costs as well as share expansion costs. Shares …
WIA’s Adelstein honored for wireless training and industry education work
Jonathan Adelstein, President and CEO of the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA), was honored today at the Wireless Connect conference held at the University of Maryland for his work to enhance training and education opportunities within the wireless infrastructure industry. Dr. Rikin Thakker, Faculty Member of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park, and …
Services set for Alabama tower tech, the nation’s first 2018 fatality
Services have been set for Melvin Ronnie Nelson, Jr., 34, a resident of Foley, Ala., who passed away Mon., April 2, while working on a new Verizon tower installation in Utica, Miss. Nelson was the first industry-related fatality in 2018. According to Hinds County Sheriff Major Pete Luke, “The tower was being erected just off Hwy. 27 near Bear Creek …
Massive new workforce development, training needed for success of 5G
The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) has announced the release and publication of a new white paper titled “Getting Ready for 5G: Preparing a Skilled Workforce for Future Wireless Networks.” The new research focuses on how next-generation of mobile communications networks will dramatically change the way network infrastructure is designed and deployed, requiring many new qualified engineers and technicians. The paper …
Leaving the cradle of earth, Vodafone and Nokia to create moon-based 4G network
The Moon will get 4G coverage next year, 50 years after the first NASA astronauts walked on its surface. In an announcement Tuesday, Vodafone said it plans to create the first 4G network on the Moon to support a mission by PTScientists in 2019 and has appointed Nokia as its technology partner. Berlin-based PTScientists is working with Vodafone Germany and …
Industry movers and shakers to serve on National Wireless Safety Alliance Board
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that Bernard Borghei, Executive Vice President – Operations and Co-Founder of Vertical Bridge, Doug Dickinson, Western Region Environmental Health & Safety Manager at Ericsson; Bruce Eades, President of USA Telecom Insurance Services; Pat Moore, Field Service Specialist at Stainless; Paul Roberts, Vice President of Compliance for American Tower Corporation; Jose Tarafa, Corporate …
Trump’s infrastructure plan unveiling is thin on broadband benefits
The White House today released President Donald Trump‘s long-sought infrastructure plan that includes $200 billion in federal funding for the next 10 years with the end goal being to incentivize another $1.3 trillion in local investment to rehabilitate the nation’s roads, bridges, tunnels, and to expand broadband. Whether any of the $100 billion in direct grants to local governments will …
Congressman Marsha Blackburn to headline NATE UNITE 2018 awards luncheon
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has been named as the inaugural recipient of the organization’s Legislative Champion Award. Blackburn will be presented with the honor and is slated to deliver keynote remarks at the NATE UNITE 2018 Awards Luncheon. The Awards Luncheon, sponsored by SBA Communications, is scheduled to take place …
First batch of a flurry of broadband bills introduced by Rep. Blackburn
Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) announced today a series of bills introduced by members aimed at reducing the regulatory barriers to broadband infrastructure expansion. “Communications Facilities Deployment on Federal Property Act of 2018,” sponsored by Rep. Mimi Walters (R-CA). The bill would amend Sec. 6409 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act (47 …
President Trump’s ‘great, great’ rural broadband pledge should increase tower builds
President Donald Trump boasted to big ag executives at the American Farm Bureau Association convention in Nashville, Tenn. yesterday that an executive order he’s signed will help solve the persistent problem of appalling broadband speeds in rural America. Trump signed a memorandum directing the Interior Department to support broadband development in rural areas by increasing access to tower facilities managed …
Big tower build bonanza for towercos and contractors announced by Sprint
Sprint CFO Tarek Robbiati last week gave the industry an early holiday present – thousands of new towers to be built across the nation. At the 45th Annual UBS Global Media and Communications conference, Robbiati said the carrier intends to spend upwards of $4 billion on its network during fiscal 2017, which ends in March 2018, and expects to increase spending …
FDH Velocitel restructures after QualTek acquires Velocitel assets
Following QualTek Services’ recent acquisition of the assets of the Velocitel wireless turf and Site Safe businesses from Willis Stein & Partners and Vision Capital, FDH Velocitel’s remaining business units have reorganized into FDH Infrastructure Services (FDH-IS). FDH Velocitel’s infrastructure engineering businesses, FDH and Stainless, have been restructured to preserve both entities’ long traditions of service excellence to the wireless, …
Phillip Burtner named President of the Pennsylvania Wireless Association
The Pennsylvania Wireless Assocociation Board of Directors named Phillip Burtner, P.E. as President of the Association. Burtner replaces Chris Pleibel who served in the position for the past ten years. “I would like to thank Chris for the vision, guidance and leadership he has provided to our organization over the past decade as board member and president,” Burtner said. “Our …
New SCF study says small cells expected to reach up to 480 per square mile
Small Cell Forum (SCF), the telecoms organization driving universal cellular coverage, today announced the results of an in-depth survey of over 50 mobile operators, undertaken by Rethink Technology Research. The survey questioned operators’ deployment plans and business drivers for a dense HetNet, as well as the barriers they expect to have to overcome. The results showed that densification has begun …
Cary lands Boston-based CTI Towers as they continue to expand
CTI Towers, one of the nation’s largest privately-held tower companies, announces it will be relocating its corporate headquarters to Cary, NC. CTI has been based in the Boston market since its inception in 2011. CTI will be moving to the Highwoods property at 5000 CentreGreen Way, and will commence operations at the location beginning in February, 2018. “With our continued …
NATE highlights really remote tower site access
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released a breathtaking video on the topic of operating snow tracked vehicles to access tower sites in remote locations. The video, the latest to make its debut as part of Volume 2 of the NATE Climber Connection series, is designed to emphasize the exciting opportunities available in the industry for those workers …
New antenna mount standard provides framework for a level playing field
When AMPS cell tower antennas made their debut in Chicago in 1983 they were 14 feet in length and as PCS was introduced they slimmed down in size. Today, new base station architecture has remote radio heads tagging alongside the antennas and they may be on a mount designed for horizontal wind loads and not the vertical dead loads created …
Either there’s a shortage of COWs in Puerto Rico or FCC data
In order for Americans to experience a total solar eclipse of the sun on Aug. 21 and record it on their cell phones, carriers rolled out dozens of Cell on Wheels and Cell on Light Trucks for the two-minute event, but can’t seem to provide Puerto Rico with any more than 14 COWs and COLTs, according to FCC data, as …
