NATE Applauds FCC Actions at October Open Meeting
For Immediate Release:
October 27, 2020
NATE Applauds FCC Actions at October Open Meeting
NATE Member Companies on Front Lines of Deployment to Benefit from 5G Fund for Rural America and Streamlined Regulatory Reviews of Modifications to Existing Wireless Infrastructure
(Washington, D.C.) – NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association commends the Federal Communications Commission for actions taken at its monthly open meeting today to help close the digital divide by enhancing broadband connectivity efforts in rural and underserved areas of the country and accelerate the deployment of next-generation networks and infrastructure by streamlining regulatory state and local reviews.
First, the FCC approved a Report and Order championed by Chairman Ajit Pai that formally establishes a 5G Fund for Rural America. The new program, which builds on the initiative he proposed earlier this year, would make up to $9 billion available in two phases to bring voice and 5G broadband service to rural areas of the United States that would be unlikely to see the deployment of 5G-capable networks without subsidies. Additionally, the 5G Fund support would be efficiently targeted to areas that need it the most by basing it on improved mobile coverage data maps that will be gathered through the Commission’s new Digital Opportunity Data Collection.
The FCC then passed a proposal advanced by Commissioner Brendan Carr that will facilitate 5G deployment by streamlining the process for state and local government review of modest modifications to existing wireless infrastructure. This initiative will eliminate siting delays, promote collocation and accelerate next-generation wireless network builds by streamlining review of requests to add limited space at the bottom of existing towers such as generators for backup power, edge data centers and small cell hubs. Under the order, excavation and deployment up to 30 feet in any direction outside of the existing site would not “substantially change” the physical dimensions of the facility and therefore would not disqualify the collocation from streamlined state and local review.
“NATE continues to strongly support proposals to expand broadband to rural, unserved and underserved areas of the country, and commends the leadership of the Federal Communications Commission for bringing its 5G Fund for Rural America across the finish line,” said Jim Goldwater, NATE’s Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs. “We also endorse efforts to facilitate 5G deployment nationwide through Commissioner Carr’s plan to efficiently utilize existing wireless infrastructure. These actions are good for the country and its vital communications capabilities, and good for NATE member companies on the front lines of deployment, which will be instrumental in performing this work,” added Goldwater.
For more information on today’s developments at the FCC, visit www.fcc.gov. To learn more about NATE, visit www.natehome.com.
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About NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association is a non-profit trade association dedicated to providing a unified voice for companies in the diverse tower and communications infrastructure construction, service and maintenance industries. Today the Association boasts over 945 member companies located throughout the United States, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, Jamaica, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and the United Kingdom. For additional information on NATE, please visit www.natehome.com.
Contact: Todd Schlekeway
(605) 882-5865
