5G Forces a Local Control Struggle

Local governments are fighting control after federal regulators removed some of the regulatory protections that could slow private companies from grabbing land in an effort

1 minute read

October 11, 2019, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell

Lisic / Shutterstock

"Anxiety around the deployment [of 5G wireless Internet technology] has only been heightened in the wake of a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision handed down last year to accelerate approval times and cap fees that cities could charge for installing small cells, the infrastructure needed for 5G," reports Chris Teale.

"While some have turned to litigation to try and overturn the ruling — a bill pending in Congress would do the same — some experts suggest cities prepare a strong roll out plan for 5G."

Teale is sharing insights into just what form such local plans could take, shared by participants at the recent Smart Cities Connect conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

Previous coverage from Planetizen provides background on the ongoing debate between local governments and the federal government on the rollout of 5G technology.

Feds Streamline Approvals for 5G Infrastructure (March 2018)
Cities Sue Feds Over 5G Rules (October 2018)
2019 Already a Big Year For 'Smart City' Evolution (April 2019)
4 Regulatory Complications of 5G Infrastructure Development (May 2019)
U.S. Falling Behind in Smart City Deployments and Key 21st Century Infrastructure (July 2019)

FULL STORY: Cities are facing 'an absolute land grab' from telecoms in wake of 5G

Wednesday, October 9, 2019 in Smart Cities Dive

Government / Politics Infrastructure Land Use Technology United States 5G 5G Cellular Networks Local Control Federal Communications Commission Small Cells View More

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