FCC Right to Simplify Siting Rules, TechFreedom Says
The FCC was right to finalize a revised national programmatic agreement streamlining (see 1608080061) the approval process for small cells and distributed antenna systems (DAS), TechFreedom said Tuesday. Carriers face “a staggering backlog in getting permission from local governments for…
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building and upgrading 4G towers,” said Tom Struble, TechFreedom policy counsel, in a statement. “That process has to be simplified for Americans to enjoy faster 5G service.” The approval process makes “some sense for major projects, like siting a traditional cell tower,” he said. “Small cells and DAS, by contrast, typically just attach a small antenna atop existing infrastructure, and thus are unlikely to pose any significant impact on historic sites.” The FCC has more to do to further streamline the process, he said. “The FCC has been so busy trying to seize new regulatory powers, it’s not paid nearly enough attention to problems like this one,” Struble said. “But better late than never.”