Local and state governments haven't raised objections on a pending order streamlining parts of the wireless infrastructure rules, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said in an interview. The order is to get a vote at commissioners’ March 22 meeting (see 1803010047) and it may be OK'd 3-2 (see 1803070044). “This order only deals with federal process,” Carr said. “There’s nothing in the changes that we’re doing right now that’s going to greenlight any particular deployment. Every deployment would still have to go through the appropriate state or local review process.” Also Monday, the National League of Cities heard in Washington that fighting is unlikely to end soon in state and federal efforts to pre-empt local authority over broadband infrastructure deployment (see 1803120051).

With the FCC’s next wireless infrastructure order set for a vote March 22 (see 1803010047), FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said he made visits to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia last week and heard from people there about the need for better broadband. “I got to see first-hand how the FCC’s proposed order will result in more broadband and in turn greater economic opportunity and jobs for communities across the Commonwealth and the country,” Carr blogged. Carr was tasked by Chairman Ajit Pai to lead the FCC on wireless infrastructure. The order set for a vote by commissioners will help, he said. “For traditional large cells, the order streamlines certain federal historic and environmental reviews, while leaving in place appropriate local review,” he said. “For small cells -- deployments that have a much different footprint than those 100-foot towers associated with traditional, macrocell deployments -- the order updates our approach by excluding these types of deployments from those federal historic and environmental review procedures.” Meanwhile, the National Association of Towns and Townships filed a letter at the FCC raising concerns about FCC moves on wireless infrastructure. The group said in a filing in docket 17-79 it told FCC staff that the Telecom Act of 1996 “created a uniform framework for the relationship between local governments and telecommunications providers and that the intent of the Act was to balance protecting local decision-making authority and reducing barriers to deployment of telecommunications services.” It said it “noted that local governments have legitimate concerns with recent legislative and regulatory proposals that could change the public-private relationship to strongly favor telecommunications providers, thereby reducing the ability of local governments to ensure the safety and reliability of facilities located in the public rights-of-way.” The Delaware Tribe of Indians questioned the proposed changes to infrastructure rules. "Under the proposed changes private contractors would not be required to obtain written responses from tribes indicating tribal consultation, they no longer recognize the tribes right to request compensation for services rendered," the tribe said. "This would create an unfunded federal mandate which would place the financial burden on tribes. In other words, we would have the right to consult but we would need to use our tribal resources to consult on federally supported programs that would potentially impact our historic and cultural properties."

With the FCC’s next wireless infrastructure order set for a vote March 22 (see 1803010047), FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said he made visits to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia last week and heard from people there about the need for better broadband. “I got to see first-hand how the FCC’s proposed order will result in more broadband and in turn greater economic opportunity and jobs for communities across the Commonwealth and the country,” Carr blogged. Carr was tasked by Chairman Ajit Pai to lead the FCC on wireless infrastructure. The order set for a vote by commissioners will help, he said. “For traditional large cells, the order streamlines certain federal historic and environmental reviews, while leaving in place appropriate local review,” he said. “For small cells -- deployments that have a much different footprint than those 100-foot towers associated with traditional, macrocell deployments -- the order updates our approach by excluding these types of deployments from those federal historic and environmental review procedures.” Meanwhile, the National Association of Towns and Townships filed a letter at the FCC raising concerns about FCC moves on wireless infrastructure. The group said in a filing in docket 17-79 it told FCC staff that the Telecom Act of 1996 “created a uniform framework for the relationship between local governments and telecommunications providers and that the intent of the Act was to balance protecting local decision-making authority and reducing barriers to deployment of telecommunications services.” It said it “noted that local governments have legitimate concerns with recent legislative and regulatory proposals that could change the public-private relationship to strongly favor telecommunications providers, thereby reducing the ability of local governments to ensure the safety and reliability of facilities located in the public rights-of-way.” The Delaware Tribe of Indians questioned the proposed changes to infrastructure rules. "Under the proposed changes private contractors would not be required to obtain written responses from tribes indicating tribal consultation, they no longer recognize the tribes right to request compensation for services rendered," the tribe said. "This would create an unfunded federal mandate which would place the financial burden on tribes. In other words, we would have the right to consult but we would need to use our tribal resources to consult on federally supported programs that would potentially impact our historic and cultural properties."

Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, led Thursday filing of the Inmate Calling Technical Corrections Act, which would update rules for inmate calling services rate settings and clarify FCC authority to adjust the rules in the future. Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel, along with Capitol Hill Democrats and others, meanwhile, voiced concerns during a Thursday Voices for Internet Freedom Coalition event about FCC policy direction on ICS, net neutrality and changes to the USF Lifeline program.

Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, led Thursday filing of the Inmate Calling Technical Corrections Act, which would update rules for inmate calling services rate settings and clarify FCC authority to adjust the rules in the future. Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel, along with Capitol Hill Democrats and others, meanwhile, voiced concerns during a Thursday Voices for Internet Freedom Coalition event about FCC policy direction on ICS, net neutrality and changes to the USF Lifeline program.

The Senate Commerce Committee said Wednesday it plans a series of hearings next week on President Donald Trump's infrastructure legislative proposal, some of which will touch on the plan's broadband aspects. The package, released last month, proposes $50 billion in federal funding for rural infrastructure projects allocated via state block grants (see 1802120001). Senate Democrats meanwhile unveiled a $1 trillion infrastructure proposal of their own that includes $40 billion in direct funding for broadband projects.

The Senate Commerce Committee said Wednesday it plans a series of hearings next week on President Donald Trump's infrastructure legislative proposal, some of which will touch on the plan's broadband aspects. The package, released last month, proposes $50 billion in federal funding for rural infrastructure projects allocated via state block grants (see 1802120001). Senate Democrats meanwhile unveiled a $1 trillion infrastructure proposal of their own that includes $40 billion in direct funding for broadband projects.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s proposed order streamlining wireless infrastructure rules could be headed for a 3-2 vote at commissioners’ March 22 meeting (see 1803010047), FCC and wireless industry officials told us. Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel are expected to dissent, or partially dissent, given concerns about the order, particularly by Native American groups, the officials said. Little definitive word is likely from either office before the meeting, and both are said to be still looking more closely at the order with two weeks to go. Rosenworcel has been on travel nonstop since the order circulated, an aide said. The FCC didn’t comment.

The FCC released a draft order that would streamline wireless infrastructure rules in keeping with the push that started in the early days of the Ajit Pai chairmanship. Pai blogged Thursday that the changes are critical to 5G. Commissioner Brendan Carr, heading the FCC’s wireless infrastructure push, already highlighted many of the changes in a speech Wednesday (see 1802280031). A key American Indian group raised initial concerns. Among other items up for a vote at the March 22 meeting, as expected, are a Further NPRM on the 4.9 GHz band, changes to cell booster rules and deregulation for when satellite stations' parents have ownership changes. The meeting will start at 9:30 a.m., an hour earlier than normal.

Commissioner Brendan Carr said FCC members will vote at their March 22 meeting on changes to rules on historic and environmental reviews of small cells and larger macro towers. More details will be available Thursday when Chairman Ajit Pai is expected to release items for the meeting. Carr and industry officials discussed 5G at a CTA event Wednesday. Many industry groups applauded the proposed changes.