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Planning for cell site success

T-Mobile is proud of our pro-active approach of working with communities and local jurisdictions on siting. We are committed to providing planners and other public officials with useful information on siting and 5G, well done permit applications and complete information when submitting documentation for reviews and approvals.


Federal laws and regulations

Federal laws dovetail with state & local requirements

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was the first major overhaul of telecommunications law since the 1930s and set forth standards and regulations all wireless carriers must follow. Since then, multiple changes have been made to federal, state and local laws, and new regulations have been enacted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that reflect the importance of wireless communications.

New Federal Rules

The FCC published extensive new rules that take critical steps to promote and streamline the deployment of wireless infrastructure while making sure local jurisdictions have ample time to approve permit applications. The federal courts just clarified FCC rules in 2020.


Section 6409 of the Spectrum Act

The FCC and the Federal courts also created streamlined rules for modifying existing cell sites, creating a process to determine whether a site is eligible and the timeframe for local review.

ALL CELL SITES
For all cell sites, the order clarifies the standard for determining what constitutes an effective prohibition under the Federal Communications Act, codifies existing shot clocks, and confirms that both fee and non-fee provisions can materially inhibit services.
SMALL CELLS
For small cells, the order provides guidelines for fees (including stablishing presumptively reasonable levels,) creates new shot clocks, and provides specific guidance on non-fee provisions in the small cell context.

In January 2015, the FCC published extensive new rules that take critical steps to promote and streamline the deployment of wireless infrastructure while making sure local jurisdictions have ample time to approve permit applications.

State and local regulations

As we continue to deploy our nationwide 5G network across the country, T-Mobile closely adheres to laws and ordinances created by state and local governments and regulatory authorities. We work with planners and public officials to enhance local coverage, streamline deployment, and submit well-crafted permit applications and documentation.

Resources

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