On May 28th, 2024, T-Mobile announced as part of its acquisition of UScellular operations, it would “enter into a new long-term Master License Agreement on a minimum of 2,015 incremental towers owned by UScellular and extend...more
Local Governments Eligible To Compete for These Funds -
As part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Congress created the $14.2 billion Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP provides eligible households...more
Local Government Voices Have Been Heard -
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted a Report and Order to establish rules for the $14.2 billion Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP provides eligible...more
Localities Should Take Advantage of Grant Programs Before Application Deadlines Close -
California has launched a new $6 billion Broadband Program to fund broadband internet access service (BIAS) infrastructure in response...more
Oversight of Satellite Dishes and Certain Antennas Curtailed -
The FCC’s over-the-air reception devices (known as OTARD) rules (47 C.F.R. §1.4000) limit local governments’, homeowner associations’ and condominium boards’...more
Public Agencies Using Robocalls Have New Limitations/Obligations -
The FCC issued two new orders placing additional limits on robocalls and outlining phone companies’ obligations to help in that effort. The orders,...more
Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Public Agencies -
The FCC approved an Order on Reconsideration on Monday that clarifies that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act’s prohibition against robocalls applies to...more
Ninth Circuit Takes on FCC Small Cell Orders -
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals handed local governments some wins in a decision last week arising from the court’s consolidation of five appeals from three FCC 5G...more
8/18/2020
/ 5G Network ,
Appeals ,
Arbitrary and Capricious ,
Cell Towers ,
FCC ,
Infrastructure ,
Local Aesthetic Regulations ,
Municipalities ,
State and Local Government ,
Telecommunications ,
Telecommunications Act ,
Wireless Industry
How Communities Can Respond -
The FCC adopted a Declaratory Ruling and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("Order" and "NPRM," respectively) related to Section 6409 modification requests (eligible facilities requests) on June...more
Kari’s Law Sets New Requirements for Multi-Line Telephone Systems -
“Kari’s Law” imposes 911 direct dialing requirements on multi-line telephone systems, and those requirements are going into effect in February. Most...more
Recently enacted Texas legislation significantly reduces right-of-way fees paid to Texas cities by companies that provide telecommunications and cable services. This legislation could influence right-of-way compensation laws...more
10/21/2019
/ Cable Operators ,
Cell Towers ,
Compensation ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Fees ,
Municipalities ,
New Legislation ,
Private Property ,
Real Estate Market ,
Revenue ,
Right of Way ,
State and Local Government ,
Telecommunications ,
Wireless Industry ,
Wireless Technology
A new FCC Order updating cable franchising rules could cost local governments in every state hundreds of millions of dollars. The Order arms cable operators with the right to require existing franchise terms be modified to...more
The Federal Communications Commission has proposed an expansion of its rules for Over-the-Air Reception Devices in what it says is an effort to spur the deployment of 5G infrastructure.
The FCC’s recommended changes have...more
5/7/2019
/ 5G Network ,
Broadband ,
Comment Period ,
Emerging Technology Companies ,
FCC ,
Infrastructure ,
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) ,
Local Ordinance ,
Municipalities ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Comment ,
Public Health ,
Public Property ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
State and Local Government ,
Telecommunications ,
Wireless Facilities ,
Wireless Industry ,
Zoning Laws
The Federal Communications Commission is once again seeking to usurp local authority as part of its agenda for 5G deployment. Last week, the FCC requested comments on a proposal to expand its Over-the-Air Reception Devices...more
A pair of orders by the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in the litigation over the FCC’s controversial small cell order were issued Thursday. ...more
The FCC is poised to issued two orders: a $2 billion unfunded mandate “Small Cell” order that imposes rules akin to state small cell laws (such as SB 649 vetoed in 2017 by California Gov. Jerry Brown)....more
The FCC has banned moratoria related to wired and wireless telecommunications equipment deployment. In a party-line vote Aug. 2, the FCC adopted its Third Report and Order and Declaratory Ruling, which also creates a...more
In addition to the proposed merger between Sprint and T-Mobile and its planned consolidation of cell sites, providers such as Verizon and AT&T are trading their interests in towers and other wireless deployments. ...more
5/21/2018
/ AT&T ,
Cell Towers ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Mergers ,
Municipalities ,
Property Owners ,
Sprint ,
T-Mobile ,
Telecommunications ,
Verizon ,
Wireless Industry ,
Wireless Technology
Recently, H.R. Bill 582, known as “Kari’s Law” became federal law. Kari’s Law amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require most multi-line telephone systems to be pre-configured so users may call “911” without dialing any...more
When San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo resigned from a FCC advisory committee last week, it was a move that should alert communities around the country that they are facing the imminent prospect of new federal regulations (and...more
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo’s resignation from the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee last week signals that communities around the country are facing the imminent prospect of new federal wireless regulations (and...more
An FCC order that local governments, schools and the public have opposed for almost a decade was reversed by the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The case is Montgomery County v. FCC, which had its genesis in an FCC...more
An FCC order that local governments, schools and the public have opposed for almost a decade was reversed today by the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals....more
Does your community rent space to wireless providers on your buildings or light poles, or in your rights of way, community parks or water tanks? If so, you need to be aware that the FCC is asking...more
Additional Reporting and Compliance Requirements -
The Federal Communications Commission published a Final Rule in the Federal Register on Tuesday, imposing new reporting requirements on public, educational and...more