TOWs Could Save Lives

As part of an ongoing effort to strengthen domestic and international defense missions, Atlantic Tower Services and MissionTEQ are working with General Dynamics Mission Systems’ LTE products to create a mobilized computer-controlled K-9 vest that will dramatically improve first responder and national security efforts in several key areas.

“The goal of the project is to allow government agencies to gather the specifications of the technology, witness operation and training conducted, and evaluate the overall usefulness and relevance of the technology as it pertains to current and future operations,” Brittany Lawler, marketing coordinator at ATS, explained.

The new K-9 vest will support defense operations conducted by the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, other federal agencies, first responders, and humanitarian K-9 concept of operations, such as countering improvised explosive devices (IED), culvert/tunnel clearance, search and rescue, and counter narcotics. Continue reading here. 

Sherwood Tower Services Challenges OSHA Fines

On August 10, 2014, Thomas Lucas of Toledo, Illinois, 49, fatally fell about nine stories while painting a communications tower near Stockton, Illinois. OSHA fined Sherwood Tower Services on February 12, 2015, citing that the company, “did not provide an adequate fall protection system while he worked high above the ground.” OSHA also cited the company for two willful, and one serious safety violation. The Administration also placed Sherwood Tower in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, and proposed penalties of $114,800. The Telegraph Herald reported Sunday that the Terre Haute, Indiana, company is challenging the massive fine. “The case will be heard before an Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, which is an independent federal agency that provides trial and appellate review of OSHA citations or penalties. The commission functions as a court. Decisions are made by administrative law judges after conducting hearings and receiving evidence. Continue reading here. 

Sprint is Keeping a Low Profile

Not much has been reported about Sprint, and their network plans. After it was announced that SoftBank approved the carrier’s plans for network densification last week, it’s been quiet. However, Kevin Smithen at Macquarie Securities had a chance to meet with Sprint’s CEO, CFO, and Chief Network Officer along with SoftBank and Sprint’s investor relations team. “We believe that Sprint has intentionally been keeping a low profile in order to keep its network, spectrum, and marketing plans away from its competitors,” Smithen wrote. “While no specific financial or operational metrics were discussed at the meeting, we came away feeling that much has been happening behind the scenes and that Sprint’s network plan is near finalization and a rapid, phased deployment over the next 18-24 months.” Continue reading here. 

Long Runway for Tower Growth

Jonathan Schildkraut of Evercore ISI had a chance to meet with American Tower management at NAREIT in New York City this week. Schildkraut noted that American Tower sees a long runway for growth, which is complemented by international investments. “Based on an AMT commissioned study, management believes tower demand in the U.S. is most highly correlated to two factors: (1) absolute growth in consumption – as measured in GBs and (2) carrier capex spending,” Schildkraut wrote. “Against a backdrop of usage expanding 50% per year and ~$30 billion in annual carrier investment – AMT sees several years of consistent 6-8% organic growth (i.e., same store sales).” When it comes to macro sites, American Tower views them as the best use for the capital. Continue reading here. 

REIT CEOs Encouraged by Market Conditions

REITWeek 2015, the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) Investor Forum, began this week with a panel where CEOs of major real estate investment trusts expressed optimism regarding fundamentals in their particular market segments and favorable conditions in the capital markets, Sarah Borchersen-Keto of REIT.com noted. “Benjamin Moreland, president and CEO of cell tower REIT Crown Castle International noted that data traffic rose 60 percent in 2014, driven largely by video demand. He added that the company’s revenue stream is growing on an organic basis by about 5 percent per year,” Borchersen-Keto reported. Crown Castle began operating as a REIT on January 1, 2014, and the switch seems to have been beneficial to the company. Continue reading here. 

‘Cowboy’ Mentality Detrimental to Industry

The 2015 American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Exposition was held last week in Salt Lake City, Utah, and tower safety was a big topic. Yesterday, Inside Towers reported that the topic of temporary tower climbers and who is responsible for their actions was discussed at the conference. The topic of training and standards in a “nearly unregulated” industry was discussed as well. The Occupational Health & Safety blog reported that Thomas P. Fuller, ScD, CIH, associate professor in Illinois State University’s Safety Program spoke about the industry. Fuller has interviewed with supervisors and workers who climb communication towers, has taken a training course for tower climbers, and, with assistance from Patrick Schmidt, a sophomore in the program, has analyzed tower worker fatality reports from 2002 to 2014, according to the blog. “It is a tight-knit profession where many climbers evidence a ‘cowboy’ mentality, Fuller said, adding that tower maintenance work is ‘nearly unregulated in numerous aspects,’ with a low bar for workers to enter it and earn high pay,” according to the blog. Continue reading here. 

The Perfect Marriage

Jim Cramer of CNBC’s Mad Money talked about a merger that’s been on everyone’s minds lately. One that Cramer says “makes so much sense.” “Dish has lots of spectrum that’s needed for a big phone company, and it has, obviously, the television feed. T-Mobile’s the most aggressive carrier out there with the fastest growth, but it has a critical shortage of spectrum,” Cramer explained on Thursday’s episode of Mad Money. “John Legere is a rebel with a cause, aspiring to have the best phone company on Earth. Charlie Ergen is a big thinker who has always tried to make Dish into a powerhouse. Both men are comfortable being in uber-deal mode,” Cramer said. Continue reading here.