Cities and Counties in the US Oppose FCC Proposal to Override Local Broadband Rules

<p>Cities and counties across the United States have expressed opposition to a proposal from the Trump administration that aims to override local regulations governing the deployment of wired broadband networks.</p><p>The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is currently accepting public comments on a <a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-40A1.pdf">Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</a> that seeks to preempt state and local permitting rules. The FCC contends that many local governments "excessively delay approvals and seek to extract exorbitant sums from providers, resulting in costs that render some deployments infeasible."</p><p>While the FCC's plan has received support from broadband providers, local governments argue that it would eliminate regulations designed to protect public safety. They assert that the proposal is illegal and that the FCC should focus on addressing issues related to how Internet providers hinder competition through permit-hoarding and other strategies that obstruct competitors from deploying networks.</p>