On Friday, October 17, the FCC adopted an Order to promote the deployment of wireless infrastructure, which had been a multi-year effort spearheaded by PCIA. This Order aims to facilitate the building and upgrading of wireless networks by updating the federal regulatory framework, streamlining regulatory compliance, and eliminating obstacles to rights-of-way access. “The FCC’s action will ease the ‘wireless data crunch,’ accelerate the build-out of world-class wireless networks, create U.S. job and economic growth, and strengthen America’s global competitiveness,” said President and CEO of PCIA Jonathan Adelstein. “This is one of the most significant and comprehensive initiatives in the history of the FCC to expedite on-the-ground deployment of wireless broadband infrastructure.” This Order will clarify the rules for upgrading technology on exiting sites, streamline environmental and historic preservation review processes for smaller antenna facilities, and tighten the FCC’s shot clock that sets time periods for state and local government siting application review. “The U.S. wireless infrastructure industry is more than doing its part,” Adelstein said. “We’re investing $35 billion annually, using private capital to strengthen and expand our networks to meet the wireless data crunch head-on. More infrastructure is indispensable to keep America’s wireless networks up to speed, especially with the spectrum constraints that we face for years to come.”
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