From navigating themselves through busy traffic to remotely adjusting the temperature on their homes, consumers are using their smartphones and tablets for hundreds of tasks these days.
All of that photo sharing, video downloading and data swapping can’t be done without significant wireless broadband networks and the cell towers to help deliver it.
“People are doing more from handheld (devices) … all of those things are data, and this is all about the need to have greater capacity,” said Bob Corney, an AT&T spokesman.
AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless and other major mobile carriers say they can’t build cell towers fast enough because of a protracted approval process with local governments. They are pushing a bill (House Bill 176) to limit the time local governments can review cell tower applications. If a decision on a new cell tower application isn’t made in 150 days, that request is automatically approved.
Despite the concerns of local governments, the bill unanimously passed the House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee on Wednesday.
Local governments say the 150-day window, or shot clock, “will significantly limit” their power as well as the public’s when negotiating over where cell towers should be.
“Our concern is if multiple tower applications are submitted at the same time by one or multiple carriers, the local government gets overwhelmed and has no time to act,” before the 150-day window kicks in, said Todd Edwards, associate legislative director with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia.
Local governments can reject the cell tower applications, as long as they make a decision within 150 days, said Rep. Don Parsons, R-Marietta, the bill’s sponsor. He chairs the House committee that passed the bill, known as the Mobile Broadband Infrastructure Leads to Development (BILD) Act.
“It’s plenty of time,” he said.
It takes between 18 and 24 months to research, site, permit and build new cell towers, wireless industry officials said. The Federal Communications Commission in 2009 issued a “shot clock” provision, which is being challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court.
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