The rhetoric between San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr over small cells is ratcheting up. In his own Op Ed in the San Jose Mercury News yesterday, “How San Jose’s 5G Approach Blocks Broadband,” Carr writes: “instead of embracing 5G, Mayor Sam Liccardo taxed it.”
Beginning in 2015, San Jose sought up to $3,500 per year per small cell, which compares to $100 in Phoenix and $50 in Indianapolis, according to Carr. Those cities, about the same size as San Jose, have “leapfrogged it in terms of small cell deployment,” he writes. “This record of broadband failure sits in stark contrast to cities across the country that saw better coverage while San Jose residents fell behind,” states Carr.
Last week, Liccardo wrote in his Op Ed about the “landmark” deals the city brokered with carriers to speed small cell deployment. Liccardo said the small cell order the FCC passed in September “eviscerates” the ability of cities to craft their own deals for broadband.
The change, set to take effect in January, sets limits on how long municipalities can take to review carriers’ infrastructure applications and how much they can charge. 20 municipalities and counties have sued the FCC in court, hoping to block the order. Comments? Email us.
November 15, 2018
