Telecom Business Alert -- Vol. IX Issue 20
FCC to Provide Guidance on New ASR Environmental Notification Procedures
Last week, the FCC released a Public Notice providing new guidance on revisions to its environmental notification process for registering antenna structures. Under the new rules, applicants seeking to construct a tower that requires an Antenna Structure Registration ("ASR") number from the FCC must provide local notice of the proposed tower through publication in a local newspaper or other appropriate means and submit a partially-completed FCC Form 854 to the Commission for notification purposes. The Commission will post the partially-completed Form 854 on its website in searchable form for 30 days. If no objections are raised, the FCC will issue an ASR number after the notice period. The Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau will host a live and webcast demonstration of the changes to the filing system on May 21, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. Please contact Wes Wright (202.434.4296; wright@khlaw.com) with questions.
Wireless Attachment "Game Changer?"
NextG Networks and other distributed antenna system (DAS) companies recently characterized the FCC's April 2011 Pole Attachment Order as a "game changer" that makes their requests to attach wireless antennas to utility poles much easier. Copies of the filings are available by clicking here and here. As pole owners, however, some electric utilities continue to express concerns regarding safety, reliability and engineering of some DAS attachments. If you have questions about FCC rules governing the wireless attachment process, please contact Keller and Heckman partner Tom Magee (magee@khlaw.com; 202-434-4128).
Corporate Counsel Corner: Negotiating Wireless Services Agreements
The final entry of the series "Ins and Outs of Telecommunications Services Agreements" is now available on Keller and Heckman's Beyond Telecom Law Blog. The series assesses the standard wireline and wireless agreements of the major carriers, offering strategies and suggestions for enterprise customers to balance the persistent one-sidedness in these agreements. Please contact Doug Jarrett (202.434.4180; jarrett@khlaw.com) with questions.
Keller and Heckman at Industry Events
Keller and Heckman LLP attorneys Jack Richards, Doug Jarrett, Greg Kunkle, Tracy Marshall and Wes Wright will be attending the ENTELEC 2012 Conference and Expo in Houston, TX, May 15-17, and presenting the "Washington Roundtable" on Thursday, May 17. Keller and Heckman attorneys Tom Magee, Greg Kunkle and Tracy Marshall will be attending the Utilities Telecom Council conference in Orlando, Florida the following week. On Sunday, May 20 at 9:30 a.m., Mr. Magee will be speaking about Joint Use/Pole Attachment Issues. Ms. Marshall will be discussing Data Security Developments at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 21. On Tuesday, May 22, Mr. Kunkle will participate in a panel providing tips on how to Navigate the FCC's Secondary Markets for wireless spectrum. Please stop by booth 728 to visit. On May 22, Mr. Magee will be speaking on "Issues and Challenges from the FCC's Pole Attachment Order" at the Rocky Mountain Electric League's Spring Management Engineering and Operations Conference in Omaha, Nebraska.
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