On September 30, 2025, the FCC released a Notice of Inquiry (“NOI”) seeking comment on actions the Commission could take to limit processing times and fees for state and local authorizations in the wireline deployment context. Providers willing and able to deploy wireline technologies to expand to new customers are encountering significant delays, or “red tape,” caused by state and local government requirements for obtaining authorizations to build and use public rights-of-way for their facilities.
The NOI seeks to collect data and examine the delays, fees, and conditions that providers encounter when obtaining authorizations from state and local governments to access and use public rights-of-way to provide wireline telecommunications service. Further, the draft NOI seeks comment on whether these delays, fees, and conditions prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the provision of wireline telecommunications services in violation of Section 253 of the Communications Act.
The NOI was adopted at the September Open Meeting.
Comments are due November 17, 2025.
Reply comments are due December 17, 2025.
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