FCC Chairman Ajit Pai continued along with his rural broadband road trip Friday, spending it in South Dakota, according to his Twitter feed Thursday and Friday. Thursday, Pai met with tribal leaders from South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma and Wisconsin at South Dakota’s Rosebud Indian Reservation, he tweeted. "Received thoughtful input from Tribal members on everything from Treaty of Laramie in 1868 to FCC's Tower Construction Notification System,” said Pai. Friday, Pai visited broadband providers Golden West Telecom and Midco and landmark Mount Rushmore, he said on Twitter. "Inspiring to see etched visages of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln,” he said. Pai is expected to end his Great Plains Twitter travelogue in Wyoming (see 1706020053).

The nation’s 5G future and resulting economic benefits “are imperiled by a patchwork of burdensome and inconsistent local siting requirements that impact a carrier's ability to effectively deploy new towers and small cells,” the Competitive Carriers Association said in a paper released Thursday. “Unless federal regulations keep pace with the rapid growth of consumer data consumption and the need to build a broadband infrastructure capable of meeting those needs, challenges will continue to leave many Americans on the wrong side of the digital divide.” CCA said a focus must be limiting fees charged by tribal governments as part of the historic review process. Members “have faced fees ranging from $250 to $1,650 per Tribe per location” this and last year, the paper said. “That is an average of more than $6,300 per project.”

The nation’s 5G future and resulting economic benefits “are imperiled by a patchwork of burdensome and inconsistent local siting requirements that impact a carrier's ability to effectively deploy new towers and small cells,” the Competitive Carriers Association said in a paper released Thursday. “Unless federal regulations keep pace with the rapid growth of consumer data consumption and the need to build a broadband infrastructure capable of meeting those needs, challenges will continue to leave many Americans on the wrong side of the digital divide.” CCA said a focus must be limiting fees charged by tribal governments as part of the historic review process. Members “have faced fees ranging from $250 to $1,650 per Tribe per location” this and last year, the paper said. “That is an average of more than $6,300 per project.”

The latest legs of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s tour of Plains states to talk rural broadband brought him to Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota, according to his tweets Wednesday and Thursday. In Minnesota Wednesday, Pai visited a fiber-to home company, watched workers wire a neighborhood, and spoke with the Minnesota Telecom Alliance. In Iowa, Pai visited two facilities that deliver broadband to small communities there. He also met with the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce in Sioux City to discuss broadband access and spoke about the issue on local KELO(AM) Sioux Falls, his tweets said. In South Dakota Thursday, Pai visited an Indian reservation. “Going to Rosebud Sioux Reservation to listen to, learn from Tribal leaders,” said Pai’s tweet. He's expected to visit Wyoming for the last leg (see 1706020053).

The latest legs of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s tour of Plains states to talk rural broadband brought him to Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota, according to his tweets Wednesday and Thursday. In Minnesota Wednesday, Pai visited a fiber-to home company, watched workers wire a neighborhood, and spoke with the Minnesota Telecom Alliance. In Iowa, Pai visited two facilities that deliver broadband to small communities there. He also met with the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce in Sioux City to discuss broadband access and spoke about the issue on local KELO(AM) Sioux Falls, his tweets said. In South Dakota Thursday, Pai visited an Indian reservation. “Going to Rosebud Sioux Reservation to listen to, learn from Tribal leaders,” said Pai’s tweet. He's expected to visit Wyoming for the last leg (see 1706020053).

The FCC should move forward on rules to speed siting of wireless infrastructure, said Wireless Infrastructure Association President Jonathan Adelstein in a meeting with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai last week. “WIA emphasized the importance of the FCC’s current efforts to reduce regulatory barriers … and the opportunity to encourage investment in innovative 5G services and Internet of Things solutions,” said a filing in docket 17-79. WIA said streamlining wireless infrastructure siting rules would lead to better broadband deployment on tribal lands. Illinois' DuPage Mayors & Managers Conference said, meanwhile, the FCC must allow flexibility. Illinois state law gives city governments “extensive discretion” on permitted uses, special uses and variances for land uses, it said. “This discretion is rooted in the variety of urban, suburban, and rural small and medium communities, and in how land use planning impacts each type of community differently.” Different land uses within a municipality are based on different siting and aesthetic requirements, “for example undergrounding or camouflage along main commercial routes,” the group said. “These specific needs must be addressed in the application process and require municipalities to examine applications on an individual basis to ensure collocation requests are structurally sound and aesthetically appropriate given the location.” Comments were filed in docket 17-84.

The FCC should move forward on rules to speed siting of wireless infrastructure, said Wireless Infrastructure Association President Jonathan Adelstein in a meeting with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai last week. “WIA emphasized the importance of the FCC’s current efforts to reduce regulatory barriers … and the opportunity to encourage investment in innovative 5G services and Internet of Things solutions,” said a filing in docket 17-79. WIA said streamlining wireless infrastructure siting rules would lead to better broadband deployment on tribal lands. Illinois' DuPage Mayors & Managers Conference said, meanwhile, the FCC must allow flexibility. Illinois state law gives city governments “extensive discretion” on permitted uses, special uses and variances for land uses, it said. “This discretion is rooted in the variety of urban, suburban, and rural small and medium communities, and in how land use planning impacts each type of community differently.” Different land uses within a municipality are based on different siting and aesthetic requirements, “for example undergrounding or camouflage along main commercial routes,” the group said. “These specific needs must be addressed in the application process and require municipalities to examine applications on an individual basis to ensure collocation requests are structurally sound and aesthetically appropriate given the location.” Comments were filed in docket 17-84.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., favors some elements of paid prioritization, he said Monday during a radio interview alongside FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “You might need a fast lane within that pipeline so that those [medical] diagnoses can be transmitted instantaneously, not held up by maybe a movie streaming,” said Johnson during a conversation on WTMJ (AM) Milwaukee. Johnson is a Commerce Committee member, and Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., previously pushed to legislate a ban on paid prioritization deals. Pai’s visit with Johnson is part of a road trip to five northern plains states this week, with future stops planned in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and Wyoming (see 1706020053). Pai “will be meeting with many rural broadband providers,” an FCC advisory said Friday, promising an event with Thune. “He will also participate in a Tribal consultation on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation. His trip will conclude with a speech at the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters Convention.” During Monday’s radio interview, Pai called legacy rules requiring telecom companies to maintain copper a possible burden for companies and suggested “modernizing” rules to recognize changing demands. Companies must have “a strong incentive to invest,” Pai said. Johnson said industry needs “the economic incentive to risk capital” and cautioned against what he judged the over-regulation of Communications Act Title II classification of broadband. “I know it’s a good slogan,” Johnson said of net neutrality. “All we’ve done over the last month or so is start a public conversation,” Pai said of the Title II proceeding, citing “great IT staff” who will ensure the commission can keep receiving comments. The FCC released a photo Monday showing Pai and Johnson meeting with the CEO of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., favors some elements of paid prioritization, he said Monday during a radio interview alongside FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “You might need a fast lane within that pipeline so that those [medical] diagnoses can be transmitted instantaneously, not held up by maybe a movie streaming,” said Johnson during a conversation on WTMJ (AM) Milwaukee. Johnson is a Commerce Committee member, and Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., previously pushed to legislate a ban on paid prioritization deals. Pai’s visit with Johnson is part of a road trip to five northern plains states this week, with future stops planned in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and Wyoming (see 1706020053). Pai “will be meeting with many rural broadband providers,” an FCC advisory said Friday, promising an event with Thune. “He will also participate in a Tribal consultation on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation. His trip will conclude with a speech at the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters Convention.” During Monday’s radio interview, Pai called legacy rules requiring telecom companies to maintain copper a possible burden for companies and suggested “modernizing” rules to recognize changing demands. Companies must have “a strong incentive to invest,” Pai said. Johnson said industry needs “the economic incentive to risk capital” and cautioned against what he judged the over-regulation of Communications Act Title II classification of broadband. “I know it’s a good slogan,” Johnson said of net neutrality. “All we’ve done over the last month or so is start a public conversation,” Pai said of the Title II proceeding, citing “great IT staff” who will ensure the commission can keep receiving comments. The FCC released a photo Monday showing Pai and Johnson meeting with the CEO of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.

One of the biggest questions raised in the FCC April NPRM on wireless infrastructure is whether the agency should say an application can be “deemed granted” if a state or local agency responsible for land-use decisions fails to act on it by the shot clock deadline. Industry officials said the FCC might not be able to reach consensus, especially given concerns raised by Commissioner Mike O’Rielly. Meanwhile, Chairman Ajit Pai said Friday he will soon hit the road for a series of meetings with the tribes, sometimes seen by industry as a stumbling block to wireless deployment.