In a much ballyhooed action on September 26, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) took another stride in its effort to clear away regulatory and administrative obstacles to 5G cell site construction via the issuance of a Declaratory Ruling and Third Report and Order in a proceeding titled “In the Matter of Accelerating Wireless...… Continue Reading
The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) was originally envisioned as a true people’s broadband radio service – one that would be either free or highly affordable for small, locally-based operations of limited breadth and duration. The paradigm was a conscious break from the Metropolitan Statistical Area – or- larger sized service areas with 10-year renewable...… Continue Reading
(But Doesn’t Offer Much Explanation as to Details or Guidance for Future Acceptable Action) On April 10, the FCC released Orders and associated Consent Decrees resolving investigations into alleged violations of the site registration and/or pre-construction environmental review procedures by Sprint and Mobilitie. In the past, the Commission has made it clear that it means...… Continue Reading
The Federal Communications Commission has taken a very tiny step toward eliminating unnecessary obstacles to the installation of communications facilities on existing structures without triggering historic review obligations. For the last year, the FCC has been reviewing the various regulatory obstacles that are hindering, delaying, and making more expensive the process of establishing new cell...… Continue Reading
The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) has not even been born yet, but already major industry players want to change its basic character. CBRS, as its name implies, was conceived and approved by the FCC a couple of years ago as a broadband service for locally-focused businesses. The regulatory paradigm included both a large swathe...… Continue Reading
(Commission is looking for ways to streamline the site permitting process) At its April 2017 meeting, the FCC finally adopted a long awaited Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry addressing the many frustrations faced by tower builders, wireless carriers, and others who have run the painful and often lengthy gauntlet of getting...… Continue Reading
The FCC looks to plug loopholes in advance of the Incentive Auction. One never fails to marvel at the ingenuity of man. No matter what program, policy or rule the FCC adopts to further some worthy public interest goal, a clever gamesman inevitably figures out a way to manipulate the system to garner a benefit … Continue Reading
Some rules may be tightened, others loosened. The FCC is looking for expedited input about its auction rules governing Designated Entities (DEs). If you have any interest in DE-related matters, heads up: you’ve only got until May 14 to ge...
Benchmarks established, other policy aspects clarified in response to T-Mobile petition The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau has given the wireless industry an early Christmas gift by granting T-Mobile’s Petition for Declaratory Ruling regardin...