It’s billed as the premier conference and trade show for the communications and media infrastructure industry.
NATE Unite 2026 is hosted by NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, and it takes place Feb. 23–26 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.
The organization expects approximately 3,000 attendees from all 50 states, along with international visitors. This year, the show includes several live tower safety demonstrations.
Radio World asked organizers which NATE Unite sessions attendees who maintain broadcast tower sites might want to block out on their conference schedule.
Up close and personal
The show offers both business and technical educational tracks. NATE launched a mobile app for attendees to map out their schedules, and the association recommends the app to navigate the more than 25 sessions available across the two tracks.
The conference exhibit hall is open on Tuesday and Wednesday. On a designated tower stage, there will be three different hands-on demonstrations using a real section of a tower, allowing showgoers to observe equipment, techniques and safety practices.
The National Wireless Association hosts a 30 minute session on the tower stage Tuesday, designed for anyone interested in pursuing an NWSA certification.
On Wednesday on the tower stage, “Rumble on the Tower” features John Martinez and Michael Flynn of Verità Telecommunications Corporation, where they promise to “climb their way to victory.”
Communications offerings
For attendees with radio-related interests, there are several educational sessions featuring companies that our readers might recognize.
On the first day of the conference, Monday, Feb. 23, “Tower Guy Evaluation — Inspection, Maintenance and Retirement” is hosted by Timothy Klein of WireCo and will focus on guy wire design, inspection and maintenance procedures.
“Observation to Innovation: Advancing Safety with NATE STAR and Beyond” will include Kathy Stieler from NATE and Gabriel Dahl, director of software engineering with Renexus Technologies, discussing how technology is helping to simplify compliance and safety for tower crews, contractors and companies.
On Tuesday, “Building Careers, Not Just Compliance” includes speakers Ben Bowman from Safety LMS/Comtrain, Reagan Holley from American Tower, Jonathan Lark at SBA Communications and Danielle Pineault at Crown Castle. They will discuss implementing practical training programs that align with both NATE’s and regulatory standards.
The Safety Equipment Manufacturers committee will also present insights from its rope grab testing event on Tuesday, with a focus on the proper selection and use of rope grabs on antenna supporting structures.
NATE Unite’s keynote speaker on Tuesday is James Lawrence, known as the “Iron Cowboy.” Originally a high school wrestler and later a mortgage professional, he gained attention in 2015 for setting the former world record for the most ironman-distance triathlons completed within a single calendar year. Lawrence topped that record in 2021 by completing 101 in 101 consecutive days.
Day three of the conference, Wednesday, will include a session on “Navigating the ANSI/ASSP Z359 Fall Protection Standards,” featuring Thomas Kramer, senior fall protection consultant at LJB Inc. It promises to provide actionable ideas to strengthen safety, compliance and productivity at height.
