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New Jersey
Township Council Wants 24 Small Cells in a “Cantennae”
 Wireless network coverage continues to expand in New Jersey. Residents of the Township of Bloomfield will soon be the recipient of better coverage once the Bloomfield Township Council officially approves a Verizon Wireless request to install 24 small cells across the municipality. NorthJersey.com states Mark Bocchieri, a director of external affairs for Verizon, calls the devices “cantennae” because of their resemblance to a can. At a March 13 meeting of the council, the mayor and members expressed approval of the plan, but an official vote will not be held until the public weighs in on the matter.
Official Verizon policy dictates the additional antennas are necessary to maintain acceptable wireless service in municipalities with a population density over 7,111 residents per square mile. The company is seeking to install the infrastructure in the public right-of-way on short utility poles. Maureen Hopkins, a real estate director with the technology company Tilson contracted by Verizon, explained the small cells are necessary because mobile users are demanding more data. Users needing more data will still have to wait while the project seeks final approval. “Nothing can take place until we receive consent from the town,” Bocchieri said. “As soon as the town gives us the authorization, we will move forward with that project.”
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| American Tower to Layoff 58 From Boca Raton Office, Some Will Be Reassigned |
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The job cuts will affect 58 employees at 750 Park of Commerce Blvd., 16 of whom will lose their jobs "on or about" May 1, according to a Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) the Boston-based company submitted to Florida officials.
An American Tower spokesman said: “In order to provide a consistent experience for both customers and property owners, American Tower is bringing together employees who work on such matters. As a result, over the next year, the company will transition employee roles and responsibilities from Boca Raton to our offices in Cary, NC and Woburn, MA. Employees who do not relocate to Cary or Woburn will receive a severance package.” |
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| FCC to Speed Tech Decisions; Spectrum Frontiers May Benefit |
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In his first major policy speech since becoming FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai pledged to speed up how fast the agency reviews new technology proposals. Though the FCC authorized the first-ever LTE-unlicensed devices in the 5 GHz band last month, the process took too long, he told those assembled at the Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
Beginning now, the Office of Engineering and Technology must determine whether a new technology or service proposed in a petition or an application is in the public interest within one year. The final answer may be “no,” rather than “yes,” and the OET will independently verify that what is proposed is really new. Such a rule is on the books now, but the agency hasn’t enforced that, according to Pai.
The change could be used as part of the Spectrum Frontiers proceeding which involves opening up more spectrum for 5G. The FCC asked in that proceeding about allowing novel wireless uses for frequencies above 95 GHz. “Instead of having regulators decide which frequencies are useful, we should put spectrum out there as a testbed and leave it to the innovators to figure out how to use it,” he said. |
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| Wireless Gets Plug in Administration’s 2018 Budget Proposal |
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 In his message to Congress about the 2018 budget proposal, President Donald Trump said he asked Budget Director Mick Mulvaney to craft a budget that emphasizes national security and public safety. It “provides for one of the largest increases in defense spending without increasing the debt,” according to the President. The $639 billion proposal includes a $54 billion increase in defense spending in 2018 that is offset by targeted reductions elsewhere.
The FCC is not specified as a line item, however its budget is part of the budget allocated for the Department of Commerce. The proposal requests $7.8 billion for Commerce, which is $1.5 billion or 16 percent less than that of 2017.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which administers federal spectrum, also falls under the Commerce budget. The Administration states it “continues to support” NTIA “in representing the United States interest at multi-stakeholder forums on internet governance and digital commerce. The budget supports the commercial sector’s development of next generation wireless services by funding NTIA’s mission of evaluating and ensuring the efficient use of spectrum by government users.” Continue Reading |
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New Jersey
Township Declares “If You Build It, Service Will Come” |
| Vital Statistics: Township receives $500,000 annually for leasing property for three cell sites. |
Residents of Mahwah Township are expecting better cell service soon. The township is exploring options to rid the area of a troublesome dead zone, and wants to lease space for a cell tower. A local resident complained to NorthJersey.com that “the lack of cell service overall has been terrible and is getting worse.” The wireless dead spot also affects wireless communications for police patrolling the area.
Right now, the township is searching for a vendor willing to rent municipal land to bring cellular service to the area. Mayor Bill Laforet explained there are several service providers evaluating the area to identify possible cell sites. A previous effort to construct a 150-foot tower two years ago was met with much criticism by residents worried about radio-frequency emissions and property values. Now, these appear to be non-issues with increasing dependence on cell phones. Optimal sites could be located on property near the local fire station, or the school district. Small cells were quickly discussed and dismissed due to aesthetic reasons and limited service radius. |
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| Rural Residents Want a Fast Internet Just Like Their Big City Cousins |
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 The challenges of rural America are acute. “We have to have the same internet speed and access to the same quality of [communications] as urban America,” said U.S. House Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) during a hearing Thursday of the Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection.
Leaders in four cities, Pittsburgh, Portland, Chicago and San Francisco, discussed projects like autonomous vehicles and “smart” traffic lighting and street lighting systems, of the future. All of those “smart” systems need spectrum as well as internet and wireless connectivity, said Dr. Jennifer Clark, Director of the Center for Urban Innovation and an Associate Professor for the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Kurt Gruendling, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom, a family-owned business in Vermont, testified on behalf of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association. “To not have high speed internet today is unimaginable,” he said, yet millions of consumers nationwide don’t. Continue Reading |
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Kansas
Tower Climber Hurt in Fall from Rooftop Tower |
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A fall from a radio tower Wednesday morning sent a man to the hospital according to KSAL-TV. The accident happened at around 9:30 Wednesday morning at the former Rocking M Radio facility at 641 W. Cloud Street in Salina, KS. Witnesses said a crew was working to take down a section of a tower, which is located on the roof, when a climber fell. The climber, identified as Randy Smith, fell about 25 feet and landed on the roof, KSAL-TV reported.
The Salina Fire Department responded, and got Smith off the roof. He was transported by EMS to Salina Regional Health Center, then transferred to a Wichita hospital to be treated for injuries that include several broken bones and a punctured lung. |
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| Nielsen Reviewing Data from NextRadio Smartphone App |
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| Nielsen may use NextRadio data from Emmis Communications; the NextRadio FM smartphone app delivers over-the-air broadcasts to consumers’ smartphones and captures precise data about listening habits. The companies announced they will explore ways to incorporate NextRadio listening data into Nielsen’s audio datasets, potentially paving the way for future big data integrations for the radio industry. Sprint, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket and Verizon support the NextRadio app in a combined total of 130+ mobile device models. More than 16,000 stations are included in the app. |
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Hawaii
In Lihue, “Pineapple” Tower Nixed in Favor of Clock Tower |
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 Verizon’s ongoing project to build a 50-foot cell tower should be completed before summer, much to the support from local residents in the community who have cheered the project as a win-win for Verizon and themselves, reports The Garden Island.
The manager of Tip Top Café, a restaurant in Lihue, Hawaii, is leasing out space to Verizon to build the 50-foot clock tower. The café manager said after discussing the project with Verizon, he determined it would be good for the community.
“After we talked to them and they discussed the safety of it and how it’s going to be disguised, we said it would be a good fit for us,” Jonathan Ota told The Garden Island. “I think the vision of Lihue town is more of a walking town, so it will be good for the people who walk around.” Continue Reading |
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India
Idea Stock Jumps 12% on Rumor of AMT Completing Buyout of Inventory |
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Idea Cellular soared over 12 percent intraday on Wednesday after reports stated that American Tower was close to completing a buyout of the firm’s tower business, according to moneycontrol.com. Currently, AB Nuvo holds 23.25 percent stake in Idea Cellular. The telecom firm has over 9,800 towers and 16,549 tenants.
AMT’s global management is in the country currently to finalize the transaction details, sources informed CNBC-TV. AMT and Idea are keen on closing the deal before the merger with Vodafone is finalized.
As part of the deal structure, AMT may merge Idea’s tower business with its India portfolio as well as the acquired business of Viom. Sources also told the channel that Idea may take the role of an anchor tenant after AMT’s deal closure. |
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Italy
Italy Hopes to Raise €2.5 Billion in 5G Spectrum Auction |
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The Italian government expects to raise up to €2.5 billion by tendering spectrum bands earmarked for use in 5G connectivity, according to Capacity Media.
The spectrum, which will be across the 3.4GHz to 3.8GHz bands, will be made available across five cities looking to develop 5G services, according to secretary for communications Antonello Giacomelli.
Corriere Comunicazioni reported that Giacomelli expects to launch official trials in the cities "in the next few days," ahead of an official tender process to be held next year.
"We’re working together with Agcom on the conditions of the tender," he said. "The EU demands that by 2020 every country have active 5G in a city, but Italy will go early. Early as next week the Ministry of Economic Development will make slots available to interested operators as 3.4-3.8 GHz spectrum in five cities open to develop 5G services." Continue Reading |
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Snyder, Vermillion and Wilder Honored at NATE UNITE 2017 Awards Luncheon |
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The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) honored Craig Snyder, President of Sioux Falls Tower & Communications, Jocko Vermillion, Vice-President of Safety Management Services for CITCA LLC and Steve Wilder, Co-Owner and Founding Member of CITCA LLC, during the Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, February 28, at NATE UNITE 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Craig Snyder was honored as the recipient of the Bill Carlson Lifetime Service Award. This prestigious award recognizes an individual who has made a significant and long-term contribution to the success of the NATE mission and has served the Association continually for a minimum of 15 years.
In 1995, Craig was one of a group of four competing tower contractors to form the National Association of Tower Erectors. After its formulation, he served on the Board of Directors for eleven years concluding his last four years of service as Chairman of the Board. Continue Reading |
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| Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) Named National Sponsor for TIRAP |
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 The Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) announced today that the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) was selected to serve as National Sponsor for the program, and that TIRAP had secured approval for four additional credentialed occupations. TIRAP is a joint venture of telecommunications companies, industry associations and the U.S. Department of Labor that develops DOL-credentialed apprenticeship programs available to qualified employers for career development of the telecommunications workforce, focused on ensuring quality, enabling efficiency, while ensuring a safe working environment.
“Joining forces with WIA as a National Sponsor allows TIRAP to continue to lead the telecommunications industry and work to bridge efforts by the industry and the government in the pursuit of safe and productive workplaces for all,” said TIRAP Board Chairman Scott Kisting, Executive Vice President Proactive Telecommunications Solutions, LLC. “These new positions are especially exciting because for the first time in the credentialing process the government has taken input directly from the industry to ensure consistency in the requirements for these new positions.”
The new credentialed positions are: Continue Reading |
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Tower-Pro.com, Inside Towers’ companion Buyer’s Guide has over 3,500 listings in 130+ categories. Each month we will be featuring one of our primary categories. This month, we’re highlighting Construction. Within this category are subcategories:
Should your company be in this category?
See if you’re listed and if you only have a basic listing, find out why you should upgrade here.
We will be randomly highlighting our enhanced listings in Inside Towers for added exposure.
Email us with questions or for assistance. |
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 E-Book: Optimized Commissioning of Fiber-to-the-Antenna Cell Sites |
Learn the key requirements for cell site cable and antenna system testing
Typical macro cell sites have evolved from a coax-based infrastructure, where radio units are installed close to digital equipment at the base of the tower, to fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA) cell sites, in which radio equipment is installed at the top of the tower. But regardless of the type of cell site, certifying all of the cables (coax or fiber), connectors, antennas, and other components is critical for optimal performance.
In this free e-book, we review the details of test requirements for cable and antenna systems, as well as the different components of a cell site and their respective functions. To download the white paper, click here.
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Enterprise IoT Summit
March 28-29, 2017, Austin, TX
 The Practical Guide to IoT Deployments: This event will showcase best practice and lessons learned from the organizations at the forefront of the IoT revolution giving you an unprecedented insider look at how to innovate and ride the wave of digital transformation without falling off. REGISTER
Texas Wireless Assoc., Social/Golf Tournament
April 12-13, 2017, Dallas, TX
Join us for the TXWA Spring Social and Charity Spring Golf Tournament and network with wireless colleagues from all around the region. The Charity Spring Golf Tournament will be held at the Bear Creek Golf Club which has been recognized by Golf Digest as one of the Top Resort Courses in America. For sponsorship information and to register, click here. |
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DTREDS - Immediate Openings for Tower Techs and Foreman |
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 DTREDS LLC is currently hiring Tower Technicians and Foremen. DTREDS is a telecommunications services company that offers a variety of services to the commercial carriers as well as the Federal Government. They provide structured, in-class and field training services to all employees interested in a career as a Tower Technician. Click here for more information. |
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A tower on Mt. Werner, at the top of a number of double diamond ski runs in Steamboat Springs, CO.
Contributed by J. Campbell O'Keeffe.
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