Status for the at&t mobility wireless technicians? 2nd levels are asking 1st levels if there are any techs nearing retirement age in various locations. Work levels are low and thanks to expense budgeting cuts and a focus an the minimal capital work available there is little to occupy a work day, depending on region. As far as a complete overlay of the existing 4G with 5G, that looks unlikely in the next few years and 1st net is simply a carrier add to the existing LTE. Looks like with a focus on automation there will be less need for the "smart hands" in the field.
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In response to SnOcznt-bipr post, you obviously did not read the original post carefully, it clearly indicates that not all regions are seeing the same field work levels and cran is coming, but will take time. New SIAD installs in our region will be nearing completion and 2nd levels are most definately calling around and asking to see if retirement eligible employees are interested in leaving. All the Nokia work, other than additional ASIA cards, are converted from ALU by Nokia contractors.
Merger techs or not, there are incompetent techs from all backgrounds that manage to keep their jobs in this union environment.
Yep the field work is going away. Agreed the office work is busy but the field support is going.
At least we see that in California and it is the OCATS group doing our work.
The reply about the mobility workers being crazy busy is from a management group person doing the support for mobility sites and doing all the work for First Net. Nice try to hide the fact the company is doing this. the group is called ATS or OCATS.
Yes the mobility techs in the office are busy but not us in the field. Between contractors and the management people we are doing almost nothing.
You really should check facts. Mobility techs are crazy busy with a ton more of work on the way. These techs you say that only inventory cellular sites are the sorry A$$ merger techs that don’t know how to tie their shoes let alone work on cellular equipment.
We are cutting over backhaul components at a dizzying pace, upgrading SIADs at every single site this year, in the middle of replacing all the LTE equipment in the ALU markets to Nokia, still doing channel ad work, call testing, and battery testing.
CRAN is on the way maybe you heard of it? And FirstNet is “only” an additional carrier (lol sponseed by the federal government) with the radio heads on the ground which means even more mobility work. All this in addition to network trouble tickets, maintenance and routines. I personally have over a 150 ticket back log.
Wireless technicians have been relagated to maintence only for anything on the ground. Radios have been moved to top of tower. Contractors or vendors do all cell site deployment activity. I could easily see them get rid of 30+% of wireless techs. Most work they do anymore is inventory of cell site equipment.
Says here AT&T is going to replace 60,000 routers at cell towers. So, maybe they want to add force, not reduce it.
https://www.rcrwireless.com/20180326/carriers/att-plans-60000-white-box-routers-tag4
Contractors
Who actually installs the 5g equipment small cells? Is that contracted out?