TMCnet News
Cell Tower Siting Approval Process Must be Fair, Transparent and Timely(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) WASHINGTON, July 10 -- The Competitive Carriers Association issued the following news release: Today, Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) filed an Amicus Curiae brief with the Supreme Court of the United States in T-Mobile South, LLC v. City of Roswell, Georgia (Case No. 13-975). CCA filed the brief in support of T-Mobile's request that the Supreme Court resolve a split among the U.S. Courts of Appeal as to what information state and local authorities are required to provide wireless carriers when denying facilities siting requests. In a statement, CCA President & CEO Steven K. Berry said, "Carriers depend on wireless infrastructure to provide mobile broadband services to their customers; building and improving towers is a major part of carriers' business plans. Before building a tower or even a minor modification, carriers must obtain wireless siting approval from state and local authorities, and it is absolutely critical that the approval process be timely, fair, reasonable and transparent." Berry continued, "More and more Americans--particularly those who are low-income or are a part of minority communities--rely on mobile broadband as their primary or only means of accessing the Internet. Recent reports show that more than forty percent of U.S. households have no wireline telephone and rely solely on wireless connectivity. A fair and transparent approval process is critical to maintain that access, especially for carriers with smaller amounts of low-band spectrum or that serve rural and hard-to-reach areas. Congress and the Executive Branch agree that competition is critical for a healthy wireless industry; it benefits consumers, the economy and spurs innovation, and a clear and fair tower siting approval process plays a significant role in carriers' abilities to compete. CCA, the sole amicus curiae that supported T-Mobile's petition for review of this decision, is committed to ensuring our members have the opportunity to compete and thrive in the industry." [Category: Telecommunications] CC AutoTriage10PkS-140711-30TacordaCheng-4794017 30TacordaCheng (c) 2014 Targeted News Service [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] |