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Tuesday, June 28, 2016 Volume 4 | Issue 126

Brexit Vote May Kill EU Roaming Deal but Have Little Effect on the U.S. Market Within the next two years the effect of Great Britain leaving the European Union may eliminate any roaming deals for UK consumers according to Android Headlines.

British customers will likely see their rates rise, Android Headlines reported, as mobile carriers have massive investment to make and keep up, but are facing massive cost pressure. The industry rate may rise a few weeks or months after the UK leaves the European Union, AH said, but, it is also possible that the British and European carriers are unable or unwilling to make competitive deals, and roaming rates skyrocket, and British customers are told that because they left the European Union, these countries are now considered “rest of world” for international roaming.

The British Vodafone network, for many consumer pay monthly contracts, customers pay £1.35 per minute to make a call and £1.00 a minute to receive a call. Again, the pound sterling to US dollar exchange rate is volatile at the moment but this converts to something like $1.90 a minute to make a call at an exchange rate of $1.40. Visitors from the European Union countries into the United Kingdom could also see massive hikes in roaming rates. However, it is also possible that the British carriers will be able to negotiate more reasonable terms with their neighbors and British customers could see more moderate roaming rates. The four UK carriers operate in a fiercely competitive market, but have seen the price per minute of calling increase almost in uniform across these businesses, Android Headlines reported.

Minimal Impact on the U.S. Market Kieron Osmotherly, Founder & CEO, TowerXchange does not foresee any impact on the U.S. market itself: “I really don't see Brexit having much impact on the tower business’” Osmotherly told Inside Towers. “It's precisely the separation of infrastructure from retail risk which makes this asset class so investible,” he said. “The exception will be Telefonica, whose IPO of tower and sub-sea cable carve-out Telxius will almost inevitably be postponed amid Brexit shock. The other impacts will be the same you'd expect with any short term currency devaluation. Ultimately, there are few, if any "towers for sale" signs up in the UK, so domestic impact will be minimal,“ Osmotherly said.

Jim Fryer Named Managing Editor of Inside Towers Jim Fryer will be joining Inside Towers as its new managing editor. Fryer’s depth of knowledge of the tower market and background in publishing were key factors to Inside Towers’ owner/publishers George Reed and Eddie Esserman.

"This is a big day for Inside Towers,” Reed said. “I have been a fan and a follower of Jim's tower expertise and knowledge for literally decades. His decision to join us, just as we finish our third year of operation, lends an unprecedented level of credibility to our publication. Our readers, advertisers, and our company all benefit. We could not be more pleased."

Esserman added, "Jim Fryer has been a name linked with the tower industry perhaps dating back to before it was recognized as one. We could not be more delighted that an individual with Jim's history, knowledge, and chops elected to join forces with Inside Towers,” he said. “George and I are honored to have him as part of the company.” Continue Reading

Protestors urge FCC to crackdown on ‘zero-rating’ plans, invoke net neutrality rules By Benjamin Horvath

Protestors and advocacy groups—both of which support net neutrality—delivered 100,000 letters to the FCC recently, demanding the organization crack down on providers’ ability to deliver ‘zero- rated’ data services, reports Fierce Wireless.

Providers such as T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T currently offer customers streaming services from dozens of content providers essentially free of charge. For example, Verizon’s FreeBee Data plan enables content providers to pay for the data mobile users incur while streaming content from certain providers. Other packages, like T-Mobile’s Binge On, simply exempt customers from paying data charges when certain providers’ material is streamed.

Pro net neutrality groups, such as The Center for Media Justice and Fight for the Future, claim such data plans unfairly advantage content providers who can afford to deliver toll-free content, or who can make their content technologically compliant so that carriers may exempt them from data charges.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said the organization is still reviewing these practices. At a recent press conference, Wheeler said zero-rated services are not covered in the agency’s net neutrality guidelines because there is no “one- size fits all” solution to the issue, reported Multichannel News. Earlier this month, a federal appeals court in Washington D.C. upheld the FCC’s net neutrality rules. Several companies and industry organizations are expected to appeal this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Stock Jockeys are Bullish on Sprint Even as Market Dives A team of analysts from Equity Research gave Sprint high marks following a meeting last Friday issuing an ‘outperform’ rating for the carrier. After meeting with CEO Marcelo Claure, CFO Tarek Robbiati, Chief Technology Officer Dr. John Saw, and COO, Technology Günther Ottendorfer, the analysts were ‘extremely bullish’ on the stock. “There are many good things happening at Sprint right now,” they reported, “operationally, with its capital structure and with its network improvement. In our view, the biggest challenge Sprint has right now is improving the brand image and adjusting its distribution to help with this brand building effort. That said, it is difficult for us to identify any near term negative headline to derail the shares beyond macro noise. Put simply....what Sprint can control it is controlling quite well.”

Broadband Plan on the Horizon for Pitkin County - Colorado - Residents of the Roaring Fork Valley hope to get reliable high-speed internet service if Pitkin County officials approve a $13.7 million broadband infrastructure plan.

According to the Aspen Daily News, the county was granted $150,000 from the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) toward the design and analysis of the second phase of the project. The envisioned infrastructure would incorporate existing, leased fiber lines; establish “meet-me points” in Basalt and Aspen; and add access towers in some of the more remote stretches of the valley including east of Aspen, up Maroon and Castle creeks, Old Snowmass, the Fryingpan River Valley, and in the Redstone and Marble areas.

“Broadband has really struggled up in Pitkin County and the Roaring Fork watershed, because the lack of population density and lots of geographic barriers,” County management analyst Kara Silbernagel told the Daily News. “There’s not an easy way for private companies to get a return on investment.” But there was no “silver bullet” solution, and a hybrid fiber line and wireless microwave system would be most feasible. Continue Reading

June 27, 2016 at Close

Sioux City Council Deciding Tower Jurisdiction - Iowa - The Sioux City Council met Monday, June 27, and on the agenda was an amendment regarding which government body would decide on the city’s future tower placements.

The Sioux City Journal reported that the city’s board of adjustment currently reviews and decides on tower applications and conditional use permits. While the council can ask for further consideration on those items, it can’t provide final say. At the June 14 planning and zoning commission meeting, the commission voted unanimously to keep the decision the way it is, even though city staff recommended a change for the city council to have final approval. he commission did, however, approve changing the max tower height from 200 to 150 feet in residential areas and to encourage stealth towers in the future, the Journal noted.

Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott told the Journal that he would recommend the council having approval, stating that the council “receives blame for a lot of the placement,” and City Planner Charlie Cowell agreed, saying that decisions would “have two public hearings rather than just one.”

US Wireless Gets OK for Tower in Grafton - Massachusetts - US Wireless will be building soon in Grafton according to the Community Advocate.

The Grafton Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the lease of a 10,000-square-foot lot at 104 Creeper Hill Road. The lease had already been approved by voters at a town meeting. The township expects to pocket almost $900,000 over the course of the 20 year lease.

Shorter Doesn’t Make it Better for Cary Village Board - North Carolina - Telecom Infrastructure, LLC, was willing to bring their originally proposed 150 foot tower down to 100 feet, but a 4- 3 vote by the Village Board rejected the request. The tower was to be built at the property at 30 Route 14. According to MySuburbanLife.com, the village code says applications for denied conditional use permits cannot be resubmitted for a year, but the Village Board can waive that requirement if a petitioner argues the circumstances of the request have substantially changed.

A spokesman supporting the buildout argued the antenna was necessary because T-Mobile, the carrier intending to use the tower, had a large area of unreliable coverage in Cary. “Your constituents are using wireless phones and the applications to go along with them, and T-Mobile’s having service issues in the area,” he told MySuburbanLife.com. In addition, he said the structure would not fit in the nearby industrial park that trustees had previously suggested as a location.

Locals opposed to the tower expressed their concerns about the aesthetics of having the tower near the entryway to Cary. “I wasn’t in favor of the 150 [feet], I’m not in favor of the 100, and it is an aesthetics thing,” Trustee Rick Dudek said to MySuburbanLife.com . “You bring up all of the ComEd towers that are there. In a perfect world, I wouldn’t like those there either. Even though your position is your towers will blend in with an already busy area, to me, it will be busier.”

“What I struggle with the most is we as a board are trying to enhance the village and our gateways,” Village President Mark Kownick said. “This is a key development opportunity for us moving forward.”

Village of Depew Residents, Officials Confused by Blue Wireless’ Tower Proposal - New York - Blue Wireless wants to add towers to the Village of Depew’s existing three, but Village residents and officials aren’t clear on how many the company is asking for. Village officials told The Buffalo News that Blue Wireless has not submitted official plans, additionally the company originally asked for four towers, but now is proposing three.

Tony Fischione, Depew’s code enforcement officer, told The Buffalo News that “the village has done the best it can to make residents aware of a proposal that exists only in theory.” While residents are concerned about fuzzy project details. Fischione said that the original proposal by Blue Wireless was to build towers at the Depew Municipal Building, the Department of Public Works and at the Depew Fire Department’s Northside and West End fire halls. But now, Blue Wireless has withdrawn its request to build at Northside because it’s too close to residences, and the West End request has been moved to manufacturing zoned property down the street from the fire hall.

Fischione said that “everything is on speculation,” but that emergency responders would greatly benefit from the towers. Additionally, the towers “would generate lease payments for the village.” Once Blue Wireless submits a site plan, the project would need to undergo a state environmental impact assessment and be reviewed by the planning and village boards at minimum, according to The Buffalo News.

The first public hearing regarding the topic was scheduled for Monday, June 26.

Cookeville Proposes a 154 ft Monopole - Tennessee - TowerCom Enterprises hopes to start construction on a 154-foot monopole at 565 S. Jefferson Ave. in Cookeville with Verizon as the lead tenant, but allowing for additional tenants in the future according to the Herald Citizen. The project still has to undergo environmental review for an area zoned for ‘general commercial’ usage.

The Cookeville Zoning Code sets regulations for towers including minimum setbacks, landscaping and screening, fencing, lighting, radiation standards, aircraft hazards, equipment storage, removal of unused facilities, signs and advertising, maintenance, access and changes to facilities. The Herald Citizen said it also requires an engineering report and a site plan before a building permit is issued for a tower.

The public may review the application by entering the filing number, which is A1034539, and environmental concerns may be raised by filing a request for environmental review here or by mail at FCC Requests for Environmental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554.

KT, Verizon to Produce 5G Specifications for Wireless Access Tech - South Korea - South Korea’s telecom company KT and United States telecom service provider Verizon have agreed to cooperate in establishing 5G specifications for wireless access technology, according to KBS World Radio.

The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday to establish the 5G specifications within this year. The specifications, which will serve as key common standards for 5G activities around the world, will define coordination between handsets and cell towers, such as frequency and transmission methods, KBS reported.

Verizon, the largest U.S. telecom service provider with 112 million wireless subscribers, established the 4G long- term evolution (LTE) network in the United States in 2010, and started tests last year with an aim to commercialize 5G technology by 2017.

Former 21st Century Towers CEO Steven Pickett named CEO and President of RigNet RigNet (Nasdaq: RNET) is a leading provider of digital technology solutions focused on serving energy facilities, maritime vessels, and other global remote locations. RigNet provides solutions ranging from fully-managed voice and data networks to more advanced applications that include video conferencing and real-time data services in approximately 50 countries on six continents.

Principia, Inc. By Jim Fryer

“Principia”, for all of you physics scholars out there, is immediately identifiable as the name of Newton’s treatise on gravity. For the rest of us, it’s the name for a company serving the tower community with drone technology.

The NJ corporation, founded and run by George Finlay, has been doing work in desktop publishing and light aircraft areas since 1994.

Recently Principia, inc. received an FAA Section 333 exemption number 11633 permitting it to fly drones commercially anywhere in the U.S., restricted in the vicinity of airports and non-participants. Over the past year, they have been able to win further FAA approvals to operate near a growing list of airports, and closer to non- participants than most operators are permitted to fly.

Principia flies remotely-controlled copters (with 4 to 8 rotors), payloads up to 2 lbs, and flight durations up to 20 minutes, which equips them to do tower inspections, and to help tower companies obtain building permits.

The inspection application, although good in theory, has not been as practical as hoped according to Finlay. “It’s not entirely useful unless you have a ‘before’ picture to show if something is out of line or tilted and shouldn’t be,” Finlay said. “A drone can’t see what’s behind a girder.” Having a crucial section of tower eyeballed by an experienced climber is still the most effective solution for a quality inspection, he said. Drone technology can still be useful in a variety of ways such as in training videos and rendering 3D images of views from prospective towers by municipalities and towercos alike prior to their construction, according to Finlay.

Principia works with an experienced Pix4D technician, allowing them to insert renditions of planned towers into high resolution 3D models of areas around proposed tower locations. The resulting image can be viewed from any elevation and distance in any browser, giving tower companies a valuable tool as they work through the approval process. For more information go here.

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Another Proposed (& Poorly Written) California Law on Telecom/Wireless/Cellular by Omar Masry, AICP, Senior Analyst at City and County of San Francisco | Office of the City Administrator

So it appears a State law (AB 2788) is being proposed (by gutting and amending a totally different bill, on safer natural gas storage, at the last minute) to basically allow cell antennas anywhere, in California, without any discretion over issues like noise (cooling fans), size (aesthetics or potential for refrigerator-sized cabinets to block views from your window), historic preservation, particulates (e.g. diesel backup generators next to child care centers or bedroom windows near the roof of a building-mounted facility next door).

This bill would appear to apply to cell sites on both buildings, and also apply to the public right-of-way (wood or steel poles and ground-mounted boxes on streets/sidewalks). This means brand new poles (15 to 100+ feet tall) and noisy equipment cabinets (some the size of viking fridges) in front of your single family home. Unless of course, you happen to live in a gated community.

The Deceptive Nature of the Bill: While the bill attempts to create certain size limits and touts “Small Cells;” this bill is not straightforward (some feel the bill is deceptive). Continue Reading

Twelve hundred footers (taken from an adjacent tower) in Roxborough, PA just west of Philadelphia overlooking the Schuylkill River, photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Wireless Association

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Managing Editor: Jim Fryer Writers: Braden Hall, Ben Horvath, & Alyssa Stahr Marketing: Megan Reed Creative & Tower-Pro: Cara Aston Advertising & Classifieds: Phil Cook | Mike Dryden | Sharon Barone

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