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 Technician's death in Florida was due to electrocution
A tower technician at a Florida broadcast tower site has died, according to authorities who attempted to rescue the man from approximately 700 feet in the air yesterday evening. Please see: Florida Death |
 Tower tech's condition is stable after 80-foot fall
A tower technician working on a cell tower in Marcy, NY, received serious injuries after he fell more than 80 feet, according to officials. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica. Please see: Tech Seriously Injured |
 The fat lady has sung at a performance cost for AT&T of $4 billion
Although an overweight soprano could be heard practicing her scales on Thanksgiving Day after the FCC issued a scathing report that helped to tank AT&T's chance of buying T-Mobile USA, the fat lady's aria has finally closed the curtain on the deal with no shouts from the wireless infrastructure industry for an encore. Please see: Dead Deal |
 US tower design standard might be translated for Spanish markets
The TIA TR-14.7 Committee for Structural Standard for Antenna Supporting Structures and Antennas, is seeking donations from its members to generate a Spanish translation to the TIA-222-G standards. Please see: Rev. G |
 Crown Castle becomes DAS king with NextG purchase
Crown Castle International Corp. has become the largest DAS provider in the U.S. following its purchase of NextG Networks, Inc. for approximately $1 billion in cash.
Please see: Crown Castle |
 FCC implements new procedures for towers and collocations
Zoning and site acquisition officials have been scrubbing the new environmental filing requirements since their release to fully understand how the procedures affect new tower builds as well as changes to existing structures. Please see: Environmental |
 American Tower to become largest tower owner in Uganda
American Tower and MTN Group Limited announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to establish a new joint venture tower company in Uganda making it the largest tower owner in Uganda. Please see: Uganda |
 PCIA and DAS Forum say the tower and DAS industry is healthy
In comments to the FCC, PCIA and The DAS Forum highlighted the robust competition in the wireless infrastructure industry, noting such competition is characterized by many deployment options.Please see: Healthy Ingredients |
 Lifts and lanyards are being recalled
Although there are no known accidents that have occurred due to their use, Genie is recalling a number of lifts and Capital Safety is requesting that some of their lanyards should be taken out of service. Please see: Recalls |
 Georgia monopole fire takes out six tenants
The insurance carrier for a contractor that accidentally set fire to a Crown Castle International 199-foot monopole in Lilburn, Ga. might get sticker shock when the claim is processed. Six tenants were on the structure. Please see: Monopole Fire |
 Quit now AT&T, stop embarrassing yourself
In keeping with all of the untruths in their proposal to the FCC to buy T-Mobile, AT&T should name their next smart device the iPhony. That way they can sell a vowel and show additional inaccurate cost reductions to regulators reviewing the deal.
Please see: It's a no go AT&T
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 FCC to AT&T: Get your own tower sites by buying or leasing them
The FCC has issued a scathing report punching holes in almost all of the reasons why AT&T believes a T-Mobile acquisition would be good for the country. The agency is also not buying how buying T-Mobile's towers is their capacity answer. Please see: ATT |
 Prestige Telecom's assets may be at fire sale pricing
The former power player has filed for bankruptcy protection in Canada and the Quebec Superior Court has approved the sale of substantially all of its assets. Prestige bought Radian Communications in 2008. Please see: Prestige. |
 AT&T yanks its FCC application for its T-Mobile acquisition
Update: Two advocacy groups want the FCC to block AT&T's attempt to withdraw its application to merge with T-Mobile. On Thanksgiving Day AT&T had announced that it has given up its effort to gain FCC approval for its merger. Please see: ATT |
 FCC is flexing its fining muscle for lighting violations
A failure of a Penn. tower owner to inspect his lighting system every three months cost him an $8,000 fine. A $13,000 Notice of Apparent Liability was also issued to a Calif. owner by the FCC's Enforcement Bureau. Please see: FCC |
 Tower industry icon Donald Rohn passes away at 72
Donald D. Rohn, an industry leader in communications tower manufacturing has passed away at age 72. He was at the helm of the Peoria, Ill. company during its largest growth period and was an innovator in new product development. Please see: Don Rohn |
 FCC roadblock could sound death knell for AT&T's T-Mobile bid
U.S. regulators made clear how deep their opposition runs to AT&T Inc.'s proposed $39 billion deal to acquire T-Mobile USA, saying AT&T must face an extra review next year. What once appeared to be a slam dunk could be a dead deal. Please see: ATT |
 A Carlyle Reliance buy could increase CommScope's market share
If the United States-based private equity giant Carlyle Group is successful in purchasing India's Reliance Group's 50,000 cell towers, CommScope would benefit from an alliance with carrier tenants. Please see: CommScope |
 It's a full State Wireless Association holiday events calendar
From the first holiday event held by a state wireless association in Pennsylvania on November 9 through the December 15 Louisiana/Mississippi social there's a full season of holiday gatherings. Make sure you don't miss them. "Wireless Estimator is always my first look for those updates."... PWA Member Ron Deese. Please see: Calendar |
 Open Range's creditors' white knight backs out
Open Range Communications' assets will be liquidated and its WiMAX service shut down in a dozen states after the company's only bankruptcy bidder backed out of a deal. A federal loan will now trump creditors. Please see: Open Range |
 Backhaul provider FiberTower falls apart at the seams
What appears to be a perfect storm of distressing news has put FiberTower's stock into a tailspin, plummeting the backhaul provider's trades to a 60% loss. FiberTower's Chairman and other directors have also quit. Please see: FiberTower |
 Court vacates a $1 million tower lease obligation
An Iowa Court of Appeals has ruled that a tower tenant could skate away on almost $1 million in lease payments American Tower Corporation says it was owed after the TV broadcaster vacated their tower for another broadcast structure. Please see: ATC |
 Former US tower owner readies bid to buy 50,000 towers in India
Reliance Communications of India is in exclusive talks with private equity firms Blackstone Group LP, a former owner of Global Tower Partners, and Carlyle Group to sell its telecom tower unit. Please see: Reliance |
 GTP enters Central America with Costa Rica deal
Global Tower Partners has closed a deal to purchase Centennial Towers CR, SRL, which includes over 250 towers currently constructed and occupied by the major wireless telecommunications operators in Costa Rica.Please see: GTP |
 Colorado tech wins Anritsu's "tough site" Harley
Matthew Myers of Union Wireless is the winner of Anritsu's Toughest Site Competition, held to honor and acknowledge the challenges field engineers and technicians face as they deploy, install, and maintain wireless networks. Please see: Anritsu |
 Towercos are fighting corruption and pilferage to succeed
If you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere - even in India if you're a towerco, but it's tough in a country that is almost the worst in the world for enforcing contracts, and corruption and pilferage are commonplace. Please see: India |
 Instructor dies during tower training course
An Ivy Tech Community College faculty member died after he fell from a self supporting tower on the Lafayette, Ind. campus while training another student. The cause of the fall is not known. IOSHA is investigating. Please see: Fatality |
 FCC seeks $55,000 for lighting, painting and fencing fines
Tower owners aren't pleased when they're fined by the FCC for improper marking or lamping. But contractors and obstruction lighting manufacturers welcome the enforcement - along with pilots. Three stations were fined recently. Please see: FCC |
 NATE San Antonio show to feature 19 educational sessions
Registration is now available for the National Association of Tower Erectors' 17th Annual Conference and Exposition to be held February 6-9, 2012 in San Antonio, Tex.Register early and receive a $100 per person discount. Please see: NATE |
 GTP goes green with its first solar system
Global Tower Partners has announced that it has deployed its first solar system solution, in partnership with Design Energy Alliance, at one of its fully generator-powered cell tower sites located in Sleeping Beauty, Calif. Please see: GTP |
 Firefighters rescue ill tech in South Carolina
A tower technician had to be rescued yesterday in Lamar, SC after he was unable to descend from a 300-foot guyed tower owned by AT&T that he was doing maintenance on. Please see: Lamar Rescue |
 Tower tech dies following 1,000-foot fall while doing maintenance
UPDATE: A worker died after falling 1,000 feet from a 1,253-foot guyed tower in Newton, Mass., according to fire officials. He was employed by Ultimate Tower Service Inc. of Midlothian, Tex. The 30-year-old was from Iowa. Please see: Boston Fatality
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 ERI disputes IOSHA's findings following $91,500 fine
The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration has received a formal contest from Electronics Research, Inc. regarding alleged safety violations and $91,500 in fines levied against the company on Sept. 14. Please see: ERI |
 American Tower pummels a siting consultant before the FCC
Trade associations and key industry companies typically inform the FCC about businesses that are impediments to broadband growth, but bury the company's name in footnotes. However, ATC recently informed the FCC about the problems being caused nationally by a municipal consultant who is misinterpreting Rev. G. Please see: CMS |
 Feds may deplete tower contractor payments in bankruptcy
Tower companies and contractors may not fare well after the USDA steps in front of the creditors' line of businesses seeking payments from Open Range Communications. Please see: ORC Bankruptcy |
 If there's any event worth going to, you'll find it here
Wireless Estimator's events calendar has quickly become recognized as the only planner for State Wireless Association meetings, trade shows and other events that will keep you abreast of industry events. In October: 9 SWA meetings, 4 trade shows. |
 Two states respond to rescue two techs stranded in a bucket truck
A dozen departments of firefighters in southern Wisconsin rescued two tower technicians after they became stranded in a man lift for almost three hours. The lift was disabled too far from the tower for them to climb down. Please see: Rescue |
 Industry sees acquisitions, agreements and carrier name change
A number of acquisitions and agreements have recently been announced by wireless infrastructure companies as well as a name change by Cellular South.
Please see: Vendor News |
 Retractable lanyards being recalled by 3M
Tower contractors are being requested to identify if they have any 3M retractable lanyards that are being recalled because some of the units do not properly achieve lock up during the user pre-inspection pull test on the webbing lifeline. Please see: 3M |
 Newest PIM analyzers available through Primus Electronics
Primus Electronics has announced its partnership with Communication Components, Inc. to satisfy the demands of PIM testing in the wireless industry. They report that these are the most advanced analyzers on the market today. Please see: PIM Tests |
 Comcast jumps into the tower business with former ATC VPs
Comcast Corporation, announced that it has formed a new portfolio company, CTI Towers, Inc., which will own and manage towers. Anthony F. Peduto and John "Sonny" Peterman will be at the helm of the Boston-based company. Please see: CTI |
 Problems and questions prompt a PIM Corner
With up to a dozen components in the RF path, it's not your dad's network any longer. However the problems created by PIM are clearly a consequence of design, manufacturing, installation and maintenance issues. Here's the ideal place to discuss those topics. Please see: PIM |
 IOSHA hits Indiana tower contractor with a $91,500 fine
Electronics Research, Inc. was issued the second largest penalty ever assessed against a tower construction contractor as a result of violations observed following a fatality. There were 5 serious and 4 willful violations. Please see: IOSHA |
 Wireless Estimator's Facebook page now available
By popular request, Wireless Estimator now has a Facebook page. Viewers will be able to easily get RSS or mobile feeds so that they will always receive breaking news as it happens. Or follow us on Twitter. Or stay right here as many thousands do every day. |
 GTP picks up 1,600 ground interests from Goldman Sachs
Last week's rumor that Global Tower Partners could be purchasing a number of lease interests from Goldman Sachs proved true when the tower owner announced that they increased their underlying real estate rights by 1,600. Please see: GTP |
 PCIA's "bad actors" list is biased, says North Carolina town
The trade group has published a report identifying over 700 communities and counties that impede tower, colocation and DAS development, and one community is taking issue with the PCIA after they noticed their listing. Please see: Obstructionists |
 Tower companies are accenting their land lease assets
During dog and pony shows to financial analysts, tower companies will promote their land lease statistics. Unfortunately, the way the numbers are couched, it's difficult to identify which company is doing better. Please see: Leases |
.jpg "Leasehold Interests for American Tower Corporation") ATC is buying leases from underneath its competitors' sites
American Tower Corporation inked a half billion dollar deal to buy leasehold interests on tower sites. The majority of them don't appear to be their properties according to a review of databases. Please see: Leasehold Interests |
.jpg "Site Pro 1 and Talley Inc. business briefs") Valmont Site Pro 1 expands; Talley forms products group
Valmont Site Pro 1 has increased its distribution centers to six with the opening of their Dallas area facility. Talley Inc. has announced that it has formed a new technical products group to be run by Rhys Fernandez. Please see: Business Briefs |
 FCC believes tower bird kill count is ten times too high
In a court ordered review of the FCC's ASR program, the agency said that the number of birds killed by flying into towers is not as high as some avian groups say it is. Also, the percentage of deaths caused by towers is extremely low. Please see: Bird Count |
 New affordable RF monitor is now available
Following years of research, a new RF monitor has been introduced by fieldSENSE. The sensibly priced personal radio frequency monitor can be operated with one hand and the unit can be used in a monitoring or measuring mode. Please see: RF Monitor
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 With a cracked door, DOJ files suit to block the T-Mobile merger
What was primarily seen as a done deal, AT&T's merger with T-Mobile took a turn as the Department of Justice filed suit to block it. The DOJ action is generally seen as a positive for the industry. Please see: AT&T |
 NATE's executive director says he's stepping down
The National Association of Tower Erectors Executive Director Patrick Howey has announced his resignation. Operations Director Paula Nurnberg has assumed the day-to-day supervision of NATE management. Please see: Patrick Howey |
 AT&T looking for stolen COW parts valued at $30,000
As California goes, so goes the nation is an adage that AT&T Mobility would like to disprove by not having to report any new COW-part thefts. Three frequency modulators were taken, police say. Please see: COW |
 Cell sites weather Irene's ferocious rains
Update: Damaged or inoperative cell sites now total 6,500 ... Wireless networks held up well against Hurricane Irene despite widespread losses of power along the coast, according to the major carriers. Please see: Hurricane Irene |
 Contractors finally get their Hurricane Irene carrier calls
Update: Contractors are now being called ... Carriers have been slow in lining up restoration contractors to be on standby for repairing possible catastrophic damage that could be caused by Hurricane Irene this weekend. Please see: Irene |
 Four techs rescued after their load line energizes water tower
Update: Part of the accident was caught on video ... One worker was seriously injured and four others were stuck on top of a 250-foot water tower after their rigging equipment touched power lines in Houston, Tex. Please see: Four Techs Rescued |
 American Tower takeover report could be out of touch with reality
A number of American Tower Corporation's 860 employees took considerable interest in a Deutsche Bank report that their company has been listed as one of the top takeover targets. Not so, says an investment banker. Please see: ATC |
 Towers okay, but cell networks go down after quake
The bricks and mortar of the cell phone network - towers - didn't collapse, but cell networks failed miserably as carriers struggled with the high demand of callers following the Virginia earthquake. Please see: Earthquake |
 After his sixth day aloft, "Tower Man" finally relents
A 25-year-old mentally challenged man gave in to a negotiator and finally came down from a 300-foot Clear Channel tower in Tulsa, Okla. after perching there during his six-day war of words with authorities. Please see: Tower Man |
 Twenty-one-year-old is industry's fifth fatality
A 21-year-old tower tech fell to his death last Thursday off of a tower in Brookfield, Mo. Jacob Von Kopfman was the fifth tower technician to die this year from falling from a communications structure. Please see: Tech Fatality |
 Tower collapse prompts crane company's $300,000 lawsuit
Wanzek, a MasTec Company, has filed a lawsuit against a Tenn. tower erector as a result of a December 11, 2009 Fergus Falls, Minn. accident that it alleges cost the company $298,723.00. Please see: Sitetech Sued |
 Teen technician's death is fourth fatality this year
An eighteen-year-old tower tech fell 50 feet to his death from a self supporting tower owned by U.S. Cellular in Hollister, N.C. It is the nation's fourth fatality this year.
Please see: Technician Dies |
 Interested in a $150,000 tower paint job?
If you saw this proposal: Eastern city needs its 240-foot self supporting tower painted. Anticipated budget is $150,000, you and hundreds of other tower companies would be lining up to obtain bid packages. Please see: Annapolis |
 Site Pro 1's new catalog addresses changing cell site technologies
Site Pro 1, A Valmont Company, has announced the release of its new 2011-2012 Wireless Site Components Catalog. The 208-page catalog addresses new site technology requirements of fiber. Please see: Site Pro 1 |
 Firefighters rescue tech in Texas after 18 hours on a guyed tower
A 25-year-old tower tech nearly died from dehydration in Texas. He was stranded on a 760-foot tower until he was rescued at 2:30 a.m. He climbed the structure at 9:00 a.m. the previous day: Please see: Tech Rescued |
 FCC drops bombshell data request on Crown, SBA and ATC
In their probe to identify if AT&T's application to acquire T-Mobile would serve the public interest, the FCC has contacted American Tower Corporation, Crown Castle International and SBA Communications requesting sensitive documents. Their ten-day window appears to be a daunting task. Please see: FCC |
 ATC closing in on Crown with the largest USA tower ownership
Although Wall Street used to be impressed solely by the number of structures in the air, it's now tenants per tower, current price multiples and the consistency of past earnings and cash flow that are key concerns. However, being the largest still brings smiles in the boardrooms. Pleae see ATC
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 Dutch communications tower collapses after blaze
The U.S. doesn't have exclusivity on tall towers collapsing. The Netherlands had one that was caught on video. In this instance, however, it wasn't a controlled demolition. Please see: View Video |
 Skyway Towers announces $65 million growth financing
Skyway Towers, LLC announced that it has completed a $65,000,000 debt facility with Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group. It will allow Skyway Towers to continue the growth of its tower portfolio throughout the country. Please see: Skyway |
 Crown Castle's legacy site could cost an additional $810,000
A North Carolina county says Crown Castle International was unauthorized to lease space to tenants on a tower in Swepsonville and they're looking to collect $810,000 through a lawsuit. Please see: Legacy Snafu |
 US underwrites shadow cell phone system
Pegged at a cost of between $50 and $250 million, an independent cell phone system, named the Palisades project, has been developed by the U.S. military in Afghanistan using towers on protected military bases. Please see: Palisades |
 Safety LMS offers new training for workers at height
Safety LMS founder and President Gordon Lyman has chosen John Paul "JP" Jones to lead the company’s new training division offering on-site/classroom and open enrollment courses for the telecommunications and wind energy industries. Please see: Training |
 Fort Worth tower is elevated to high art
Cell and other towers have been called everything from a junkyard on a stick to another quill in the porcupining of America's landscape. Fort Worth, Tex., however, is the nation's first city to elevate the structure to high art. Please see: Sabre's High Art |
 Tower technician to see if bullet can be removed
A surgeon will evaluate a 35-year-old Missouri tower technician's leg wound and let him know if a .22 caliber bullet lodged in his right thigh should be removed or if leaving it in place might be a safer alternative. Please see: Jägermeister and Bullets |
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