Looking to speed the deployment of next-generation 5G wireless technology, the Federal Communications Commission will soon vote on a plan to streamline the regulatory requirements that apply to wireless infrastructure deployments.
Speaking on Feb. 28 at the Consumer Technology Association's 5G Day, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said the FCC's March 22 meeting will include a vote on an item that would exclude small wireless facilities, or small cells, from the environmental and historic review procedures required under the National Historic Preservation Act. According to Carr, these legal requirements were originally designed for large, macrocell deployments. Small cells are cellular base stations and antennas that are frequently the size of pizza boxes, though technically, the size of these cells can vary greatly.
Carr said that if the federal historic and environmental review procedures are streamlined, the change could reduce the regulatory costs of small cell deployment significantly and cut months off of deployment timelines.
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The FCC's plan, according to Carr, would also revise the FCC's approach to environmental reviews by adopting a shot clock for the commission's processing of Environmental Assessments. Additionally, for deployments in floodplains, the plan would clarify assessments do not need to be filed for deployments at least one foot above the base flood elevation.
Finally, the plan also tackles the historic review procedures that will continue to apply to larger wireless deployments by updating the tribal consultation process. The commission intends to address up-front fees, clarify the consultation process and adopt a timeline for deployments when a Tribe does not respond. These reforms will only apply to deployments located off of reservation boundaries.
In a Feb. 21 filing, Sprint Corp. recently estimated the costs it has incurred in connection with tribal historic reviews for new pole installations in rights of way. Over two years, Sprint's average costs for tribal review per constructed site was $8,251, though this figure does not include collocations where equipment is put on shared poles or installations that did not require a complete review. By comparison, Sprint said the total cost of a small cell installation is roughly $35,000 on average, meaning that tribal review fees comprise 24% of the total cost of a site. And in areas with high review fees, these fees can sometimes exceed 40% of the total cost, according to Sprint.
"While Sprint respects the need to protect tribal interests, small cell deployments do not present the same concerns that were being addressed when the FCC's rules ... were approved in an era of macro cells and broadcast towers," Sprint said.

