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Thursday, July 6, 2017 Volume 5 | Issue 131

Lawsuit May Deflate Google’s Project Loon

UPDATE Inside Towers reported on Google’s Loon Balloon project a fewmonths ago; the project aims to provide high-speed internet connectivity to ruralareas by flying giant balloons in the air at an altitude of 12.5 miles, covering anarea of 50-miles in diameter. Essentially, this program could provide internetaccess to half the world’s population that lacks connectivity. But now, Project Loonis facing a lawsuit.

Phoenix, Arizona-based Space Data sued Alphabet’s “moonshot” X division last summer over Project Loon. SpaceData alleged patent infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, and breach of contract related to a failedacquisition bid in 2008, reported WIRED. And then last month, they upped the ante, convincing the U.S. Patent andTrademark Office to cancel most of Project Loon’s foundational patents.

Alphabet has over 36,000 patents and has never had any of them overturned to date, according to the account.Alphabet is now on the defensive against claims that it stole trade secrets. This puts a damper on Google’s plans tobring connectivity to the world, technology they heralded as “breakthrough.” Astro Teller, the X division’s Captain ofMoonshots, wrote to WIRED, “Back in 2011, we had a hunch that balloons flying freely on the winds could becontrolled just enough to act like floating cell phone towers in the sky.” Continue Reading

CaliforniaInflux of Towers Prepares State for Next Internet RevolutionProposed state legislation could finally allow carriers to provide the wireless networks necessary for 5Gtechnologies. California cities could see the arrival of up to 50,000 towers if SB 649 is approved, says KPIX News.

Steve Carlson, representing CTIA-Wireless Association, said additional infrastructure is necessary if Californiaexpected to remain a technological leader. He explained, “California was the epicenter of the last internet revolutionand can and should be the epicenter of the next one.”

The bulk of the cell towers will be placed on existing public structures – such as street lights or rooftops of publicbuildings. The bill will make it easier for telecoms to place equipment without severe hindrances from localmunicipalities. It will also limit the amount local governments can charge telecoms to $250 per antenna. Findinformation about the bill, including its current text, here. Nokia Completes Acquisition of ComptelNokia has completed its acquisition of Finland-based telecommunications software company Comptel Corporation.The acquisition was announced February 9. Nokia says the deal advances its strategy to build a standalonesoftware business at scale by expanding and strengthening its software portfolio and go-to-market capabilities.

Comptel bolsters Nokia's software portfolio by adding capabilities that help digital service providers bring newcommunications services to market faster, master the orchestration of services and order flows, capture data-in-motion and refine decision-making. When combined with Nokia's Operations Support Systems, Business SupportSystems, analytics, security and cloud technology, Nokia says it will be able to offer the software intelligence andreal-time network information to deliver better digital experiences and operations in a cloud environment.

Ericsson Board Chair to Step Down, No Successor So FarEricsson’s Chairman of the Board of Directors Leif Johansson will not seek another term; the announcement comesas the company says its platform will help speed IoT deployment in China.

Johansson has been board chair since 2011. New Ericsson CEO Börje Ekholm presented a new and “morefocused” business strategy to the board in the first quarter, creating a “solid foundation” for realizing the company’spotential, according to Johansson.

“The company now enters a new phase, with focus on execution, and we also have a new ownership constellation,”said Johansson. “It is natural to let the owners jointly propose a chairman and well ahead of this I want to announcethat I will not be available for a next term.” The Nomination Committee has begun searching for his replacement intime for the 2018 annual shareholder’s meeting.

Meanwhile, the company is proceeding in its new direction with the launch of an open IoT platform by Ericsson andChina Telecom to support that country’s “One Belt One Road” strategy. Ericsson underpins China Telecom’splatform which offers enterprise customers reliable connectivity based on service-level agreements and a common,unified overview of devices and access networks.

Minnesota

Base Jumpers ArrestedThree base jumpers were arrested by police in Wyoming, Minnesota on Sunday night after leaping from the AT&Tcell phone tower, according to KMSP-TV.

According to Wyoming police, around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, an officer on routine patrol around utilities found anempty vehicle. Police later saw three men climbing the tower. The men refused police orders to climb back to theground, according to the account. The trio instead climbed to the top of the tower and jumped. They were arrestedfor trespassing, disorderly conduct and obstructing the legal process.

"These facilities aren't people's playgrounds," said Wyoming Police Chief Paul Hoppe told KMSP-TV. “Not only isthis highly illegal and dangerous but you will be arrested and names forwarded to the Department of HomelandSecurity for trespassing on a public utility site,” Wyoming police posted on Facebook.

July 5, 2017 at Close

New Page Created for Updated Repack Transition FilesIn an effort to keep television broadcasters up to date on changes to a particular station's channel and phaseassignment during the post-auction transition, the FCC added a page to its website to provide the latest version ofeach of these files. These documents will be updated within a few days of any change that has been granted by theFCC, according to the Incentive Auction Task Force and the Media Bureau. The filenames will have the followingformat to facilitate tracking once they are downloaded: “filename_MMDDYY.ext”

The agency also provides a list of the specific changes included in each update so data users can quickly identifythe stations involved. The version of these documents as of the date of the Auction Closing and ChannelReassignment Public Notice will continue to be available at its current location: Post Incentive Auction TelevisionData Files.

ConnecticutTown Council Election Hinges on Cell TowersHalf of New Canaan’s town council seats are up for grabs, and cell tower siting is proving a key issue as electionseason progresses. According to PoliticsofHope.com, six GOP candidates are seeking four Republican openings onthe 12-member council. The first debate, held on June 27, centered on the town’s efforts to improve cellular service,and the candidates’ views on siting. Candidates Penny Young, Roy Abramowitz, Tom Butterworth, Mike Mauro andRichard Townsend were in attendance, while John Engel was absent.

Previously, the utilities commission identified public land in Irwin Park and near West School as optimal locations toconstruct new towers. All agreed siting towers on municipal properties would be best, especially to keep morecontrol over the design and height of the tower in the hands of the community. Butterworth, one of the candidates,pushed for swift action. He summed up the general attitude of the candidates, “But we need to act quick because ifsomebody decides to beat us to the punch and [erect a tower] on private land, we may all regret it – it might be asugly as sin.”

MinnesotaThe Sperry Tower is Stealth of Another Color VIDEO

Sperry Communications Tower is likely one of the most unique projects STEALTH® has had the opportunity tocreate. Located in Eagan, Minnesota, this new landmark is a three-legged, 179' radial antenna concealment towerdesigned and built for use as a communications tower for city, emergency and multiple carriers to host theirequipment. All of the concealment levels were created from RF transparent panels assembled into the tower thatnow stands.

The need for a concealment came when the former Sperry water tower was removed in May of 2016. In aninterview with the Eagan Patch, Eagan Communications Director, Tom Garrison said, “This [new tower] really marksEagan as a destination, with a sense of fun and flair.” And that is does. This unique addition to their city becomeseven more captivating as soon as the sun goes down. A total of 185 LED lights (5,400 bulbs) were installedthroughout the panels. It can be programmed to run “an infinite number” of color combinations. For sporting events,the Fourth of July, Christmas or really any special event, they have a color combination or special effect tocoordinate.

According to STEALTH®, the Sperry Tower features: Continue Reading

FCC Has A Chief EconomistGeorge Mason University senior research fellow Dr. Jerry Ellig is now the chief economist at theFCC. The Commission has been working to create an Office of Economics and Data to provideeconomic analysis for rulemakings, transactions, and auctions; manage the commission’s dataresources; and conduct longer-term research on ways to improve the commission’s policies. Elligwill assist the agency in creating the new office.

Ellig will “lend his talents to the FCC as we continue to integrate economic analysis into ourdecision-making and create an agency culture that supports big-picture economic thinking once

again,” said Chairman Ajit Pai in making the announcement about the posting. Pai cited Ellig’s record of“distinguished scholarship and prior government service” that “makes him the right person for this job.”

Currently, Dr. Ellig’s work focuses on the role of economic analysis in the U.S. regulatory process, competitionpolicy in telecommunications, broadband and electronic commerce, and performance management in governmentagencies. Most recently, he published a series of papers that assess the quality and use of regulatory impactanalysis in both executive branch and independent agencies. These papers identify best practices, shortcomings,and reasons for variation in the quality of agencies’ analysis.

He’s been with George Mason University since 1996; previously, Ellig was deputy director of the Office of PolicyPlanning at the Federal Trade Commission (2001-03) and a senior economist at the Joint Economic Committee ofthe U.S. Congress (1995-96).

Apple Rolls Out Wireless CarPlay In-Dash ReceiverAlpine Electronics of America is shipping what the company says is the firstaftermarket in-dash receiver dedicated to wireless Apple CarPlay and somethingApple users have wanted. iPhone owners can use CarPlay to make and receivecalls, access text messages, play music, and get directions optimized for trafficconditions in a way that allows them to stay focused on the road.

The iLX-107 is an in-dash AM/FM receiver with a 7-inch capacitive touch screenand LED backlighting. Users access CarPlay through the radio’s touch screen orthrough Siri voice control, and the resulting music, driving directions, messages,

and phone calls are played through the vehicle’s speaker system. The iLX-107 wireless Apple CarPlay system listsfor $900 at Alpine dealers.

MinnesotaSmall Cell Technology Scrimmages Before Super Bowl LII

New small cell technology is being installed on street lights and flagpoles all overMinneapolis in areas where there’s a high demand for data, in preparation for the 2018Super Bowl, reported Pressreader. Due to recently passed legislation capping rental fees to$150 a pole and preventing local officials from banning small cell infrastructure in the publicrights-of-way, telecoms can bring better connectivity to high demand data areas. The

technology will support 4G for now and the legislation also applies to 5G, when it’s ready.

“Our customers are demanding this, whether they’re in Hudson, Stillwater, Minneapolis, or Eden Prairie. Many

times, you don’t even know they’re there,” said Minnesota AT&T President Paul Weirtz. AT&T spent $40 million inupgrades prior to 2017’s Super Bowl in Houston, Texas. Continue Reading

Tower-Pro.com, Inside Towers’ companion Buyer’s Guide has over 3,500 listings in 130+ categories. Eachmonth we will be featuring one of our primary categories. This month, we’re highlighting Safety Training.

Should your company be in one of these categories?See if you’re listed and if you only have a basic listing, find out why you should upgrade here.

We will be randomly highlighting our enhanced listings in Inside Towers for added exposure.Email us with questions or for assistance.

Latest posting from the FCC 7/5/17

NATE Webinar: OSHA Final Walking/Working Surfaces Rules July 10, 2017, 10:00 a.m. CDT

Mark Lies, a Labor and Employment Law attorney and Partner with Seyfarth Shaw LLP, will beconducting a live NATE webinar entitled OSHA Final Walking/Working Surfaces Rule. The webinarwill discuss OSHA’s new fall protection regulation for General Industry which became effective onJanuary 17, 2017. It will discuss the various compliance deadlines within the regulation whichextend out for twenty years. The program will cover the training components as well as the fall

arrest on ladder safety devices that will be required. In addition, it will review particular compliance issues that willbe encountered within the tower erection and maintenance industry. The webinar will include a discussion of thecivil and criminal penalties for non-compliance as well as recommendations to be taken in an OSHA inspection. Formore information, click here.

Controller/CFO Job OpportunityA well-established full service turnkey wireless telecommunications company is seeking a controller/CFO.A minimum of 4 years construction experience is preferred. Click here for more information.

Wind River Mountian Range, Wyoming contributed by Jake Wright via Instagram!

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