UPDATE: Oct. 28, 2015 – The head of the Internal Revenue Service told a Senate committee on Tuesday that its stingrays are only used in criminal investigations. “It is only used in criminal investigations,” Commissioner John Koskinen testified before Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and the rest of the Senate Finance Committee. “It can only be used with a court order. It can …
American Tower’s Viom deal puts their India tower count ahead of the U.S.
American Tower Corporation is paying $1.16 billion to buy a controlling stake in the Indian tower operator, Viom Networks. The deal, which was widely expected will see American Tower taking a 51 percent stake in the Indian firm, which currently owns and operates approximately 42,200 towers and 200 indoor distributed antenna systems across India. American Tower’s existing Indian portfolio of …
FCC Commissioner’s new tower builds is based on a hazy crystal ball
Commentary — Making subsidies more flexible and removing legal hurdles are two of several changes the Federal Communications Commission should make to advance wireless infrastructure development, FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly said Wednesday at the Competitive Carriers Association conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Another adjustment they should consider is providing their Commissioners with research that they’ve unearthed to provide direction rather than …
Google study: 30% of 911 calls in San Francisco are butt-dials
Accidental dialing, commonly called “butt-dials” are a growing concern for emergency services dispatchers, a newly released Google report states, and the company is helping San Francisco to get to the bottom of the increasing trend. The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management (DEM) found a dramatic spike of 28% in 2014 of 911 calls and Google worked with the city …
Huawei completes world’s first large-scale 5G field trial with NTT DoCoMo
Huawei announced today the world’s first successful large-scale field trial of 5G new radio access technologies. The field trial was conducted jointly with NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Japan’s largest mobile service provider. Experts from both companies participated the field trial in an outdoor test site in Chengdu, China. As an on-going field trial, Huawei was able to stream live video of …
Central States Towers picks up $75m in new debt and equity financing
CIT Group Inc. announced that CIT Communications & Technology Finance served as sole lead arranger and administrative agent in a senior secured credit facility to Central States Tower (CST), a leading middle market operator and developer of wireless communications towers and a portfolio company of Sweetwater Capital, LLC. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “We have maintained a strong …
Prophetic wireless kick start statement was made by AT&T 100 years ago today
A transcontinental radio telephone demonstration transmitted from the U.S. naval radio station in Arlington, Va. to the naval radio station 2,500 miles away in San Francisco, Calif. and then relayed to Honolulu, for a total of 4,900 miles was sent today a century go. Its impact was revolutionary since the First World War was in progress in Europe and it would be …
AGC’s survey identifies that wireless construction’s employment ills are similar
If wireless construction contractors believe that because cell site construction and other craft needs within the telecommunications industry are unique, and it’s the primary reason why it’s difficult to hire qualified workers, they’ll see that a 2015 Workforce Survey by the Associated General Contractors of America released earlier this month mirrors similar difficulties nationally with other professions, with 86 percent …
A conversation with TIRAP’s chief on human dignity and following industry standards
Although Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program Chairman Scott Kisting embraces every opportunity available that will assist wireless technicians in working safer, he believes that there are two key components that ride above all others: human dignity of all within the workforce and the proper awareness, planning, education and application of existing standards. While there are many people at work trying …
White House: Like water, broadband is a core utility required in homes
Similar to water, electricity and sewer in terms of importance to homeowners, the White House has declared that broadband Internet is also a “core utility,” in a 40-page report published by the Broadband Opportunity Council, which was created by President Barack Obama. “Broadband has steadily shifted from an optional amenity to a core utility for households, businesses and community institutions,” …
Small cells to be given extreme test during high Pope visit traffic
Crown Castle International’s devout Catholics might be praying to St. Vincent Ferrer, patron saint of builders, that their small cell network will support the data tsunami expected on Sept. 26-27, 2015 along the historic Benjamin Franklin Parkway, stretching from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to Logan Square, during Pope Francis’s inaugural visit where more than one million people are expected …
New content rich Daily News Briefs now available from Wireless Estimator
Known for its original feature news content, Wireless Estimator has expanded its editorial offerings with its Daily News Briefs, industry stories that are too important to miss, and oftentimes are not covered by industry media. The new section, separate from Wireless Estimator’s featured articles, is light on NIMBY news which is important for readers of local newspapers and other suburban …
FBI investigating a string of fiber cuts; AT&T posts $250,000 reward
AT&T said yesterday that the company is offering up to $250,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for fiber vandalism across Alameda County in California. AT&T spokesman Jim Greer said vandals cut fiber in two different manholes about 10:30 p.m. Monday at Altamont Pass and Carroll Road in Livermore, causing Internet service to go out. …
Many wireless contractors will be required to provide a week of paid sick leave in 2017
Based upon an executive order signed by President Obama last week, wireless contractors with contracts from the federal government, as well as their subcontractors, will be required to provide up to seven days of paid sick leave a year starting January 1, 2017. It is likely to affect the cost of FirstNet’s deployment of the $7 billion 700 MHz nationwide …
India High Court: Use your landline if you don’t want cell towers installed
In a rather unorthodox response to a petition by residents alleging that a cell tower was being constructed in their neighborhood in violation of a local recommendations of an inter-ministerial committee, India’s Delhi High Court dismissed their plea and basically said that residents of Vasant Kunj should stop using their cell phones and revert back to using landlines, and then, …
Indiana looking for firm to manage its 300 cell towers on park land
Indiana is working on plans to design and build Indiana’s first new inn at a state park in more than seven decades, and Gov. Mike Pence has said the lodge will be paid for solely by the leasing of untapped capacity of more than 300 cell towers on DNR land. None of that cell capacity has been leased yet, state …
Path aligning microwave dishes now takes minutes with new Sunsight Instruments tool
At every CTIA show there are a number of great product introductions that attendees surgically dissect, especially contractors, who want to see if evolving technology will help them to cut down on their installation expenses. Equally as important, however, they want to ensure that it will allow them to avoid return trips. For companies doing microwave path alignment, Sunsight Instruments …
CommScope’s new antenna delivers three beams from a single antenna unit
Wireless network operators have a new, unique antenna option from CommScope to relieve overloaded cell sites and support high concentrations of subscribers in special venues. CommScope expects the Tri-Beam to find major acceptance as a capacity enhancement solution to overloaded macro networks and high-capacity locations.” The innovative Tri-Beam Antenna uses new lens technology to deliver three beams from a single …
Time Warner’s fiber-optic backhaul supports close to 20,000 of the country’s cell towers
Charter Communications’ bid for Timer Warner Cable appears to have little opposition, and the $55 billion deal might be approved by the FCC by the end of the year. Included in the sale are two important industry assets, towers and backhaul. Although Time Warner’s total of 653 structures hasn’t grown considerably over the years, but will be complemented by Charter’s …
New top 100 U.S. tower owners unveiled with some first-time players and loss of a key owner
Wireless Estimator released today its top 100 tower companies in the U.S. that identifies the same three top consolidators as in previous years, American Tower Corp., Crown Castle International and SBA Communications taking the lead. Although first place American Tower is slightly ahead of Crown in the Top 100 U.S. Tower Companies list by less than 200 towers, it is an …
