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Friday, August 3, 2018 Volume 6 | Issue 151

FCC Makes One-Touch Make-Ready a Reality By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Bureau Chief

FCC Commissioners Michael O’Rielly, Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel

The FCC passed a one-touch make-ready (OTMR) policy for utility pole attachments yesterday, saying the update will speed the safe and affordable deployment of broadband wireless infrastructure. The change will allow one attacher, usually the last, to perform all the work for the new attachment; it provides for a remedy if an original attacher is unhappy with the outcome.

Pole overlashing of existing wires is allowed, without first seeking the utility’s approval, so all pole space can be efficiently used. It ensures telecoms pay rates comparable to cable and other industries for pole use. The Report and Order makes clear the FCC will preempt, on a case-by-case basis, existing local laws, to allow providers access to poles for restoration work after a disaster.

A declaratory ruling emphasizes the Telecommunications Act bans state and local moratoria that prevents wireless infrastructure deployment. Commissioner Michael O’Rielly said during the vote that while many localities “get kudos” for making the broadband deployment process more efficient, some state and local governments delay projects and use pole attachment rates as “shakedown bounties.” He said: “State and local governments have been on notice for decades. Congress wants them to stop making decisions based on aesthetics.”

(For industry reaction, see story below: “Industry Applauds FCC ‘Keeping Foot on The Gas’ for OTMR”) Continue Reading

NATE Members Log In About the Late Payment Issue Inside Towers asked the National Tower Erectors Association what members had to say about payments for tower work being stretched out from 90 to 120 days on average.

NATE shared a letter Inside Towers received (see “Contractor Fears Going Under Due to Late Payment Issue”) from a small contractor detailing some of his issues, with some of its members from across the country; they agreed to share portions of their responses anonymously. Here are some of their statements about the late payment problem in general.

“Extending payment terms to 90 days is tough enough, but in fact the carriers have increasingly found more and more ways to push the financing of their operations onto their vendors. The system is ripe to break right at a time when they need it to work at peak efficiency.” Continue Reading

Charter Fights Back on Expulsion From UPDATE is pushing back against the NY State Public Service Commission (PSC) who voted last week to revoke its 2016 purchase of saying, “we'll litigate and we believe we're in the right.” CEO Tom Rutledge delivered the news to investors at Tuesday’s Q2 earnings report as the company delivered aggressive plans on rolling out new mobile services requiring infrastructure support. Along with establishing a broadband network in New York state, Charter claims its newly-merged company (with Spectrum) has spent almost $16 billion on technology and infrastructure since 2014, and offers, “the industry’s fastest base broadband speed.”

“Just to put it in perspective, we're operating in 41 states, we have thousands of franchise agreements and generally, we have good relationships with the communities we serve and we live up to our commitments, and we have in New York State,” Rutledge said. Continue Reading

California Petaluma Wakes Up and Smells the Small Cell Petaluma officials recently took proactive measures to rework the telecommunications chapters of the municipal code, implementing zoning ordinances with strict regulations for when wireless carriers try to expand in the city, specifically related to small cells, reported the Argus Courier.

After a 2016 ruling by the state Public Utilities Commission mandating utilities provide access to “any pole, duct, conduit, or right-of-way” they owned or controlled, some local governments were motivated to form their own guidelines. The Courier reported the council unanimously adopted a series of stringent regulations that limit how close small cell towers can be to residential areas—at least a distance of 500 feet and no less than 1,500 feet from another tower— and established guidelines aimed to reduce their physical and visual impact. Continue Reading

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Industry Applauds FCC ‘Keeping Foot on The Gas’ for OTMR Industries were quick to praise yesterday’s FCC action on pole attachments (see today’s top story). The National Association of Tower Erectors said the adoption of a one-touch make-ready (OTMR) policy will significantly enhance efforts to ease broadband deployment by reducing costs and expediting the process associated with attaching new network facilities to utility poles.

“I would like to thank the FCC for keeping their foot on the gas for 5G deployment. The industry will continue to flourish under lighter regulation,” said NATE Chairman Jim Tracy. “NATE member companies are on the front lines densifying networks and installing equipment on utility pole structures on a daily basis and will experience first-hand how today’s action will serve to streamline installation activities moving forward,” added Tracy. Continue Reading

August 2, 2018 at Close

California “Don't Cell Our Parks” Slogan Motivates Locals Some Rancho Peñasquitos residents and a nonprofit group called ‘Don’t Cell Our Parks,’ have spent three years fighting a proposed Verizon tower in Ridgewood Park. The California Supreme Court recently declined to review a March appellate court ruling that vindicated the city of San Diego.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, their litigation focused on whether the city can continue to lease parkland to cell phone companies without following a city charter provision requiring a public vote when parkland is shifted to commercial use. Residents say “yes” since a cell tower is a non-park use of land.

Resident Alisa Cassell said, "They don't want us to vote on this. The charter says very clearly that if it's a dedicated park and it's a non-park purpose, the people have to vote."

“[T]he city of San Diego [is] stealing dedicated deed-restricted parkland and turning it into a commercial wireless cell facility. It’s about the city of San Diego ignoring the citizens and saying it is up to them and it’s okay to deny the public the opportunity to vote on the matter,” she added. Continue Reading

New OSHA Training Programs Offered

OSHA recently announced several new Outreach Training Programs as an orientation to occupational safety and health, for workers covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1926. Construction workers must receive additional training, when required by OSHA standards, on specific hazards of the job.

Kathy Gill, founder of Tower Safety & Instruction in Phoenix, AZ, offers the OSHA 10 Hour and 30-Hour course at her facilities but, according to Gill, the longer course is “geared towards a supervisor, lead-man, upper manager or anyone who has some responsibility for safety and health.”

Per OSHA’s instruction, the training should emphasize hazard identification, avoidance, control and prevention, not OSHA standards. Continue Reading

FCC Acts on First 5G, and Millimeter-wave Auctions The FCC voted yesterday to establish application and bidding procedures for the Spectrum Frontiers auctions of upper microwave spectrum flexible use licenses in the 28 GHz (27.5-28.35 GHz) and 24 GHz (24.25-24.45, 24.75- 25.25 GHz) bands. Bidding for the 28 GHz begins November 14, and bidding for the separate auction of the 24 GHz licenses begins after the prior one ends.

The FCC also proposed next steps to prepare the upper 37 GHz, 39 GHz, and 47 GHz bands for auction. In particular, Commissioners said auctioning the 39 GHz and upper 37 GHz bands together is an opportunity for 5G deployment as it represents the largest amount of contiguous spectrum available in the millimeter-wave bands.

The Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposes transitioning existing spectrum holdings in the 39 GHz band (38.6-40 GHz) to a flexible-use band plan in a way the agency says will promote efficient spectrum use by incumbents and new licensees for new wireless services.

A Day-at-the-Races August 9 With the NJ Wireless Association Giddy up and join the NJWA at their Day-at-the-Races event on Thursday, August 9, at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, NJ.

Whether you pick 'em by name, silk color or actual stats, this is a day you will not want to miss. Admission includes access to the Turf Club, race program, lunch buffet, cash bar and sports betting for the entire day, $90 per individual. To register

Connecticut New Canaan Able to Announce Site Selection New Canaan will soon announce a plan to build a cell tower in the northwest part of town, according to the New Canaan Advertiser. The town will issue a statement “in a couple weeks” about a northwest area site location, First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said at a press briefing on July 26. The site will be on public right-of-way while another tower site is being considered on private property on Soundview Lane, Moynihan said.

Crown Castle Remembers the First Mass Produced Mobile Phone

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Mobile World Congress Americas is Around the Corner

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A gray frog hanging out on a tower on the Six Nations Reserve in Brant County, Ontario. Photographed by Vanessa Smith.

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Managing Editor: Jim Fryer Washington Bureau Chief: Leslie Stimson Reporter: Keara M. Piekanski Contributing Analyst: John Celantano Marketing & Advertising: Megan Reed Creative & Advertising: Cara Aston Advertising & Classifieds: Phil Cook

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