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Welcome to our weekly collection of all the top cell tower news stories, where we cover global, national, regional, local and distributed antenna system stories. It’s the first full week back to work of the new year and it seems that news is happening everywhere. This week’s edition is jam-packed with more stories than any previous cell tower news update. A cell tower fire broke out in Texas; Solid and CommScope continue to up their DAS game; and Crown Castle is now operating is a real estate investment trust. But what exactly does that mean? For this answer and more, click on the news stories below and enjoy:
National/global news:
- A spark from a welder’s torch caused a cell tower to catch on fire in Brownsville, Texas.
- As of Jan. 1, Crown Castle is now operating as a REIT.
- T-Mobile US and Verizon Wireless will swap spectrum in a deal valued at $3.3 billion.
- The Federal Communications Commission looks to update RF exposure rules.
- Who’s to blame? A year after a tragic tower climber fall, no one is willing to take the responsibility. Read this fascinating article that examines each party.
- AGL posted an article on why this will be a strong year for smaller cell tower companies.
- Vertical Consultants will be participating in a Strafford webinar on Jan. 9 to discuss rooftop cell tower leases.
- Inside Towers explains how recent studies show that broadband and tower jobs are driving employment in this country.
- This article shows why the new FCC rule requiring cell signal boosters to be registered is a great opportunity for integrators.
- Activists in Mumbai, Africa, want what’s considered the cell tower radiation “norm” to be more strict.
- GME Supply posted a “2013 Year in Review” article on their blog. Lots of great numbers and statistics.
DAS news:
- Solid, a prominent DAS provider, joined the Panduit Technology Ecosystem.
- CommScope posted a blog examining the cost of DAS for enterprises.
- Great article about the explosion of DAS systems across the country and its benefits.
Regional/local news:
- The New England Wireless Association has posted details of their Sixth-Annual Ski & Snowboard event.
- The Kentucky Wireless Association’s Annual Golf Outing for 2014 was announced.
- Two men posing as the power company were charged with stealing more than $8,000 worth of batteries from cell phone towers in Covington, Ga.
- AT&T wants to build a new tower on school grounds in Northfield, Mass.
- An amendment to a special permit application for Verizon Wireless to alter its design to erect a cell phone tower in Dalton, Mass., was approved.
- Plans for a new cell tower in Flintstone, Md., are going ahead as proposed.
- The idea of a new cell tower in Mt. Washington, N.H., is causing a lot of local debate.
- Firefighters and residents in Seymour, Conn., strongly oppose a new replacement tower AT&T wants to build on firehouse property.
- A new cell tower in Ruidoso, N.M., is believed to help increase police protection.
- Citizens of Brookfield, N.Y., will discuss a proposed new cell tower on Feb. 3.
- An old “H tower” in Noyac, N.Y., will be replaced with a monopole by Verizon in the coming months.
- Residents rejoice after zoning body denies AT&T’s request for a cell tower in Mobile, Ala.
- Activation of a cell tower in Washington Township, N.J., has been delayed.
Weekly cell tower news is brought to you by Towercrews.net.
