NATE Asks Homeland Security for Special Status During Crisis

By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief One way the tower construction industry is helping those telecom workers who can still perform their duties during the coronavirus pandemic is easing access to tower and other communications facility sites. The National Association of Tower Erectors says its members are essential service providers and work on critical communications.

NATE asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to send its members letters clarifying this special status. The intent of the letters is to aid engineers and technicians getting to infrastructure (example: towers, generators) to keep the communications infrastructure operational during a crisis, NATE Executive Director Todd Schlekeway told Inside Towers. Many of the association’s telecom and broadcast contractor member companies have received the letters, he confirmed. Continue Reading