Iain Gillott, VP of Innovation & Technology at WIA, joins us to draw a distinction the industry keeps blurring: AI on the network versus AI in the network.

On the network, consumer behavior is shifting — mobile data traffic that used to flow into search and streaming is increasingly flowing into AI prompts. Same bytes, different bucket, with real implications for how carriers forecast demand and where society ends up as these tools become default.

In the network, AI is changing how the network itself gets built. Iain walks through how operators are using AI to identify where capacity is needed versus where coverage is needed, and how it's reshaping RF design, deployment planning, and day-to-day network operations.

A grounded conversation about what's actually changing in wireless infrastructure — and what's still hype.

To learn more visit tifonline.org

In this episode, we sit down with Tyler Blob and Brian Bicknese to unpack their co-authored white paper on Direct-Buried Steel Corrosion & Guy Anchors — a practical guide for owners, engineers, and operators managing aging and new infrastructure alike.

Discuss

• Outlines practical approaches for site design, maintenance, and condition assessment as part of an effective corrosion management program.
• Addresses both existing and new structures, the paper highlights how owners can manage corrosion risks while complying with applicable standards, including ANSI/TIA-222 and the International Building Code.
• Focuses on anchor shafts for guyed masts—while remaining broadly applicable to all direct-buried steel- this guidance delivers industry-backed strategies for corrosion prevention and long-term asset integrity.

Link to White Paper : https://tifonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Anchor-Corrosion-White-Paper.pdf

White Paper on Direct-Buried Steel Corrosion & Guy Anchors Authors include :

• Christina Minor, Scott Wirgau – American Tower Corporation

• Glenn Bigler, Ken Hill – Crown Castle

• Mark Foster – SBA Communications Corporation

• Tyler Blob – Array Digital Infrastructure

• Aaron Pratt – Verizon

• Andrew Kurtzman – Telecommunications Industry Association

• Michelle Kang – Colliers Engineering & Design

• Scott Kisting – Proactive Telecommunications Solutions

• Brian Bicknese – NATE

To learn more visit tifonline.org

In this episode, we sit down with Tom McGarry, VP of Standards at the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), to explore the ANSI/TIA-942 standard—the Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard for Data Centers.

Tom walks us through what the standard actually covers: the minimum requirements for data center design, construction, and operation across telecommunications, power, physical security, and mechanical infrastructure. He explains the four resilience ratings that classify data centers by their level of redundancy and fault tolerance, and why those ratings matter to the people relying on these facilities.

A major focus of the conversation is TIA's certification program. Tom describes how independent verification bodies conduct certification, what motivates data center operators to pursue it, and how the process works in practice. We dig into the downstream effects too: how certification builds trust with end customers and gives regulators confidence in a facility's reliability and security.

The discussion then turns to the future. With AI driving unprecedented demand and reshaping data center requirements, Tom shares how the standard has evolved—including the recent revision C, updated to address AI workloads—and what new considerations the standards body is exploring for upcoming versions.

Finally, Tom makes a call to action: he outlines the support the ANSI/TIA-942 standards body needs to keep pace with rapid technological change, and how individuals can get involved and contribute to shaping the standards that underpin the world's data infrastructure.

To learn more visit tifonline.org