Cell-Tower Fatalities: 3G iPhones at Any Price?

Is AT&T (T) pushing tower-climbing workers too hard as it rolls out its 3G data network in preparation for the launch of the next iPhone? Philip Elmer-Dewitt at Apple 2.0 notes a curious rise in cell-tower deaths over the past five weeks. Since April 12th, six cell-tower technicians have fallen to their deaths, and at least three of them were working on AT&T projects. During the four months before that, there were zero cell-tower fatalities.

An AT&T spokesperson denies there is any connection, telling DeWitt that the $20 billion upgrade of AT&T’s data network requires no more than a “software upgrade” at the base of each tower. Yet surely there are times when the towers need to be climbed to troubleshoot the new set-up, place testing equipment on the tower, or remove old equipment that is no longer needed.

When Apple 2.0 previously ran a story about AT&T’s rush to roll out its 3G network in 275 market by the end of June, one commenter from North Carolina named Duke asked:

At what costs? There has been such a rush to get the “3G” up and running that communication tower workers are pushed to their limit. As a safety manager and a communication worker I find it hard to justify the “Hurry up and be SAFE” mentality. One of the largest construction management companies preach the 0 accident policy but force you to get this done at next to nothing in a obserd [sic] time frame and a company who used to be raising the bar are certainly not sharing all of the info. Check http://www.wirelessestimator.com to get an updated list of 3G fatalities. I am sure that the companies in question will state they require a 100% tie off but when push comes to shove get the job done.

Apple (AAPL) is expected to announce its 3G iPhone in June. Hopefully, nobody else will have to die for AT&T to be ready for it.

Original post

Comments

[wallawallab...:]

Puhleeeese, way too much melodrama!

Are you trying to imply Apple is somehow responsible?

Really vile, inane 'reportage'...

2008 May 28 01:09 PM

[citetez:]

"Since April 12th, six cell-tower technicians have fallen to their deaths, and at least three of them were working on AT&T projects. During the four months before that, there were zero cell-tower fatalities."

The "four months before that" were, of course the period commonly known as "winter," when one would generally expect less work on the outside lines if avoidable. How about a comparison to the same time frame last year? I bet more people have also been injured working on phone lines during daylight hours conclusively proving that it is safer to work at night.
Half the workers injured were working on ATT "projects". That means half weren't. Do we have any basis to believe that the injured individuals were doing anything related to 3G? Or do you assume that all ATT "Projects" are 3-G related. How can you make an APPLE connection?

2008 May 28 01:24 PM

[jmmx:]

This reporting is pathetic.

Absent any real evidence of wrong doing, it is merely sick perpetration of groundless innuendo.

You want to report on this? Go do a real investigation, like a real journalist would do. If people fell 200 feet from bad reporting practices, you would be 6' under!

2008 May 28 01:32 PM

[jmmx:]

not to mention that the same hand-wringers would scream bloody-murder if OSHA were to regulate.

2008 May 28 01:34 PM

[rexquondamr...:]

These SA articles are truly pathetic. I continue to be amazed that Yahoo has any relationship with this sorry excuse for journalism.

2008 May 28 01:41 PM

[bemink:]

I agree. Not too many facts or comparisons here.
With this shoddy journalism, think the only metrics to use going forward are how many subscribers are you going to lose ???

The comments above are what we all look for...what are the dynamics, metrics, comparisons ? Is there a real issue or are you trying to fill a page with meaningless drivel....?

2008 May 28 02:05 PM

[wallawallab...:]

This would be construed as an insult to our intelligence if it weren't inadvertent and the writer unaware.

2008 May 28 02:10 PM

[King Solomon:]

I think someone should write an article about how my iPhone (on vibration) fell off my coffee table and hit my dog in the head. Is the vibration mechanism that AAPL inserted to strong? Is there a connection to its stock? Erick Schonfeld please report back in no less than 5 thousand words.

2008 May 28 02:14 PM

[tylakewalker:]

Erick

You are well informed on the wireless industry. This is huge problem that I can't talk about because of what I do for a living.

2008 May 28 02:39 PM

[wobatus:]

Wow, touchy apple holders. I own shares but still found this sobering. Some of the longs here come off like flippant jackasses. I don't think this is apple's fault, but I wouldn't shoot the messenger for bringing this up.

2008 May 28 03:04 PM

[kidrazor:]

Ha! Wow Eric, you must be really desperate for that 40 cents per blog word. I'd expect this drivel on Blogging Stocks, not Seeking Alpha.

2008 May 28 03:57 PM

[TanToday:]

I believe they invented SAFETY harnesses a few DECADES ago.

www.ussafetyequipment....

Maybe the frazzled workers find them uncomfortable, I know I would...but parachutes are bulky and awkward too, but when you NEED one, it is certainly nice to have one on.

HINT.

2008 May 28 05:30 PM

[wallawallab...:]

Let's examine the chain of culpability here:

Apple is somehow guilty, because a partner, ATT, might have a deadline to meet, because some folks who may not have practiced proper safety precaution fell.

What a stretch.

Look out below, Schonfeld.

Definitely in the running for the Eric Savitz Award for Crappy Blogism

2008 May 28 06:03 PM

[nycDem:]

This article doesn't belong on SA. Maybe there's a story here, maybe not. But how this is relevant to the investment community is beyond me.

There needs to be more editorial oversight on SA.

I don't normally like to bash...but Erick, please. You've just lost a lot of cred.I will ignore your articles in the future.

- nyctrax

2008 May 28 09:08 PM

[rud-yard:]

WORKED FOR AT&T FOR 40 YEARS. PERIODIC AND CONTINUOUS
SAFETY MEETINGS DURING MY CAREER IN ALL THOSE YEARS.

"NO JOB IS SO IMPORTANT,OR SERVICE SO GREAT, THAT WE CANNOT DO OUR JOB SAFELY."

LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER BIT OF SENSATIONAL TYPE REPORTING THROWING GARBAGE AT THE BIG COMPANIES. MAYBE HIS RESEARCH CAME FROM THE GREEDY TRIAL LAYERS GOING AFTER
A DEEP POCKET COMPANY WITH THE AID OF A STUPID JURY.

2008 May 28 11:03 PM

[TowerTone:]

I have been a tower worker for 11 years. The reasons most accidents occur are from either inexperience, which is the contractors fault, or from just plain recklessness from doing the same thing you have done 500 times before and you lose concentration for one minute. Think how many times you have almost had a wreck while driving. That moment of indecision is all it takes to kill you on a tower. Kind of like electricity (I am also an electrician), you have to respect it every second. And has anybody noticed how many more towers there are in the last ten years? The numbers will continue to rise until there are enough journeymen to lower the need for green new hires.

Oh, and this is VERY crappy reporting by SA. Sorry.

2008 May 28 11:06 PM

[peter02l:]

Larry Dignan, Eric Savitz, Sramana Mitra, and now Erick Schonfeld!

SA is attracting such talent.

2008 May 29 02:36 AM

[King Solomon:]

Peter021l, You forgot Barry Dean. He is the future Buffet.

2008 May 29 05:43 AM

[tom1234:]

are these towers for the sole use of the iphone----one other question ----ARE WE THERE YET---

2008 May 29 08:26 AM

[mollytjm:]

with the enormous increase in violent weather at this time of year, it's not unusual for phone pole workers to be out in larger numbers, in more dangerous conditions, and working overtime (tired). i'm sure it's not 'cost effective' for the phone companies to lose workers in this way. it's a dangerous job and conditions aren't always ideal.

2008 May 29 09:54 AM

[brewer:]

What a phenomenally spurious correlation you point out. Rape is correlated with ice cream sales, too, but it's not the cause...

One of the worst FUD pieces on Apple that I have ever read, and there are so many...

2008 May 29 11:43 AM