Telecom/Electric
Underground Construction and Related Industries Respond to Coronavirus
While much of North America hunkers down to wait out the coronavirus pandemic, essential workers at companies throughout the underground construction industry are continuing to deliver vital services to customers.
Complicated Cable Boring in Boston Harbor
ECI Drilling International (ECI) recently completed two horizontal directional drilling (HDD) installations in Boston of conduits for cable that replaced old power cable service at an essential wastewater treatment plant. The channel bore also was a step in preparing for construction of major Boston Harbor improvements.
2020 Outlook and Utility & Communications Construction Update
The United States construction market is steady and growing slightly amidst the second-longest period of sustained economic expansion since 1964. Despite fears of an impending slowdown, FMI Research projects that construction put-in-place will increase year-over-year by slightly less than 1 percent in 2019 (down from 3 percent in 2018).
euNetworks Adds New High Density Fiber Networks in Milan and Madrid
euNetworks Group Limited (“euNetworks”), a Western European bandwidth infrastructure company, has announced that it has undertaken further network investment in Europe, building duct based, high fiber count networks in the cities of Milan and Madrid.
Michigan Offers Grants for Rural Industry, Infrastructure
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is offering grants supporting land-based industries and infrastructure that benefit rural communities.
Australian Fiber-Optics to Bring High-Speed Internet to East Timor
Australia on Friday announced a new maritime security agreement with East Timor in which the fledgling democracy will gain naval infrastructure and an undersea internet link with the world as China increases its influence in the region.
Utility & Communications Construction Update
Mixed revenue and profitability results marked the second quarter of 2019 for the utility and communications industry, particularly among the publicly traded members of the Utility & Communications Construction Index (UCCI). Quanta Services continues to increase both its revenue and profitability. UCCI companies are near all-time highs of revenue, but experienced declines in profit margins during the quarter.
First Infrastructure Bill Emerges in Congress
House Democrats have introduced the first infrastructure package in Congress that would make significant new investments in broadband deployment and drinking water systems, among other areas. All 31 Democrats on the House Energy & Commerce Committee sponsored the LIFT America Act (H.R. 2741), which had a hearing in front of that committee on May 22, 2019.
Trenching In Tennessee
Cleary Construction is involved in a major project to relocate and replace utility lines in Smyrna, Tenn. Moving the utilities is necessary due to a road widening project to improve traffic flow in this growing community located about 20 miles southeast of Nashville.
Pennsylvania Counties Using Fiber Optics to Improve 911 Capabilities
For years, fiber-optic cables have been the gold standard in speed and reliability for telecommunication networks. Not only do they provide much faster internet data speeds for homes and businesses, they allow for larger and more complex data sets to be transferred at no loss to speed or quality.
MTA to Build First All-Terrestrial Fiber Line From Alaska to Contiguous U.S.
MTA Fiber Holdings, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MTA, Alaska’s best choice for technology and communications products, announced today that it plans to build AlCan ONE (Alaska Canada Overland Network), the first and only all-terrestrial fiber network connecting Alaska to the contiguous United States and beyond.
Perma-Liner Provides Ultimate Fiber-Optic Protection
Perma-Liner Industries LLC., a leading manufacturer and supplier of trenchless pipeline rehabilitation equipment and materials in North America, introduced its newest product. The Manhole Edge Protector (MEP) offers ultimate fiber optic protection and is produced in sizes to accommodate any manhole ..
West Virginia Governor Announces Infrastructure Grants
Gov. Jim Justice says West Virginia has secured $3.4 million in federal grants to help improve broadband and wastewater infrastructure in McDowell County.
Herrenknecht’s E-Power Pipe Nominated for Major International Award
Herrenknecht was nominated for the bauma Innovation Award 2019 in the “Machine” category. The company’s E-Power Pipe technology is a trenchless method for the economic and environmentally friendly installation of underground cables.
National Safe Digging Month Highlights Importance of Calling 811
(UC) - As the calendar turns to April and spring temperatures arrive, home improvement and construction work steadily increases. Since these projects often require digging and excavation, it is appropriate that April is designated as National Safe Digging Month. This nationwide public safety initiat..
CASE Announces Fourth-Annual Dire States Equipment Grant
CASE Construction Equipment has issued the call for entries for the 2019 Dire States Equipment Grant. Submissions can be made at DireStates.com/Grant. The 2019 entry deadline is March 31, 2019, and the winner will be announced in April 2019.
Call or Click for Safe Digging
Calling 811 before any digging begins starts the process of identifying and marking buried utility lines in the United States and preventing the damage, service disruption, injuries, potential fines and costly repairs that result from unintentionally hitting them.
Fiber on Fire
Deployment of fiber optic cable directly to homes in North America continues at a steady pace, surpassing DSL in 2018 to become the second-most-common connection for home internet after cable,
PCCA Looks Forward to Busy 2019
The Power & Communications Contractors Association plans to follow a productive year with a 2019 focus on advocacy, educational initiatives and programs that help its members run more successful businesses.
Return to Google Land? Public Demands Broadband Alternatives
Remember back in 2010 when Google announced its entry into the broadband network market? To much fanfare, Google Fiber was born with Kansas City serving as its first major construction project. Google’s promise to deliver true high-speed internet services (as much as a gigabyte) captured the interes..
American Augers/Trencor Launch New Website
American Augers/Trencor, a Charles Machine Works company and leading manufacturer of horizontal directional drills, auger boring machines and large-scale trenchers and surface miners, launched a newly designed website. Bringing together the two brands with the message – “Two Brands. One Commitment” ..
2018 Drilling Fluids Guide
BENTONITE Baroid Industrial Drilling Products, (281) 871-4613, baroididp.com Aquagel: Premium grade Wyoming sodium bentonite used as viscosifier and filtrate reducer in freshwater drilling fluids. Meets the requirements of API Specification 13A, Section 9. NSF/ANSI Standard 60 certified. Bore-Gel..
Rise of the Internet and Loss of the Human Touch
Robert Carpenter | Editor-in-Chief I’ve spent some frustrating times both calling companies and getting on their websites the past few years. Now, I’m getting downright infuriated – and that goes for both general markets and underground infrastructure companies. Quick, responsive customer service h..
Energy Web Atlas Launches World Pipeline Dataset
Gulf Energy Information has added the World Pipeline layer to its Energy Web Atlas (EWA), the ESRI-based GIS platform introduced earlier this year that tracks detailed data – including operators, shareholders, pipeline route and pipeline specifications – for more than 3,670 natural gas pipelines glo..
Vermeer Introduces MUD Hub Slurry Solidification System
The new Vermeer MUD Hub slurry solidification system helps control the costs, time and complexity of drilling fluid management. Using the Vermeer ST2000 slat tank and the Surface to Surface (STS) FL-243 solidification mixer, MUD Hub helps create stackable material for convenient transfer and disposa..
Challenges of Leak Detection on Produced Water, Crude Gathering Networks
Oil producers laid hundreds of miles of gathering pipelines to keep pace with the shale boom across North America from 2009 to 2017. As a result, produced water production has increased exponentially with oil and gas production. Produced water is a byproduct along with the oil and gas. Oil and gas r..
Mobile App Provides Information, Training for Contractors, Utilities
Verocomm Network has introduced a new mobile app that provides information and training content to employees in the field. The cloud-based Verocomm app is a secure, easy-to-use platform for delivering critical communications, training and safety on mobile devices, said Lawrence Martel, CEO of Aclip..
Customers Experience New Equipment, Technology at Annual Seminar
Customers worldwide traveled to the Perry, Okla., headquarters of Ditch Witch, a Charles Machine Works Company, to participate in the annual Equipment Seminar in April. More than 300 dealership employees and their customers experienced an up-close look at customer-driven equipment enhancements and n..
NineStar Connect to Acquire Gem Water Utility, Expand Fiber Service
NineStar Connect, a smart utility providing water, sewer, electric and high speed fiber services, has entered into an agreement with the town of Cumberland to acquire Gem Water Utility, which the town has owned since 2010. Gem Water serves approximately 500 water customers in a territory that lies b..
WSSC Awards Contract to Transform Sewage into Renewable Energy
The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) has approved the first phase of a $250 million project that will turn poop to power by transforming sewage into renewable energy. The $44 million contract awarded to PC Construction Company will allow WSSC to begin design and early construction of ..
- Trench collapse kills one construction worker in Houston, Texas
- Intrepid Fiber breaks ground on fiber optic network in Superior, Colo.
- Excavator collides with I-95 overpass in Henrico, Va., causing multi-vehicle crash
- Shrewsbury, Mass., expands sewer inspections and cleaning efforts
- Construction worker killed in trench collapse near Prosperity, S.C.
- Final construction phase kicks off for Indianapolis deep rock tunnel
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- Trench collapse kills one construction worker in Houston, Texas
- WES tunnel boring machine retrieved from Oregon river after seven-month project
- Illinois overhauls Peoples Gas pipeline program, mandates focus on high-risk pipes