Research highlights permitting benefits, challenges, and roadmap to faster, more equitable internet access

Today the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) announced a paper created by its Deployment Specialists Committee, titled, “Permitting for Fiber Network Projects: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". The paper explores the broadband permitting landscape, categorizing its benefits, challenges, and opportunities for optimization. It finds that overly complex and inconsistent permitting processes across states are slowing down broadband infrastructure deployment and jeopardizing billions in federal investment and hindering efforts to close the digital divide.

Permitting is a necessary governmental process that serves to protect public safety, prevent damage to infrastructure, ensure fair use of right-of-way access, and preserve the environment and cultural heritage areas. However, FBA’s latest research paper points out that permitting is often cumbersome, with conflicts between stakeholders and incumbent interests, poor communications between permit seekers and government agencies, lack of financial resources, diversified regulations, and outdated paper-based processes all contributing to delays that increase project costs and postpone or stop efficient and rapid construction.

“We’re at a historic moment for broadband expansion,” said Brendan O’Boyle, Deployment Specialists Committee Chair. “But if states don’t modernize their permitting processes, they risk wasting time and taxpayer dollars. Our research shows what’s working and what’s holding us back, and it’s clear that better permitting policy is key to faster, more affordable connectivity.”

“We’re at a historic moment for broadband expansion,” said Brendan O’Boyle, Deployment Specialists Committee Chair. “But if states don’t modernize their permitting processes, they risk slowing deployment and unnecessarily increasing costs, which will limit the benefit of precious taxpayer dollars. Our research shows what’s working and what’s holding us back, and it’s clear that better permitting policy is key to faster, more affordable connectivity.”

To address these challenges, the FBA paper outlines five concrete strategies states can adopt to modernize permitting:

• Adopting statewide model ordinances
• Implementing digital permit tracking platforms
• Establishing Dig Once policies
• Standardizing pole attachment protocols
• Incorporating escrow and mediation into dispute resolution

This best practice whitepaper also advises on ensuring agency personnel are well-trained and knowledgeable about broadband technologies. Broadband permitting can be streamlined without overburdening federal and state budgets, ensuring long-term feasibility and effectiveness for a utility that desperately needs structure to ensure all citizens have proper access.

The full paper can be downloaded here. To learn more about FBA research and other initiatives, subscribe to FBA’s Fiber Forward Weekly newsletter here to stay updated.

About the Fiber Broadband Association

The Fiber Broadband Association is the largest and only trade association that represents the complete fiber ecosystem of service providers, manufacturers, industry experts, and deployment specialists dedicated to the advancement of fiber broadband deployment and the pursuit of a world where communications are limitless, advancing quality of life and digital equity anywhere and everywhere. The Fiber Broadband Association helps providers, communities, and policymakers make informed decisions about how, where, and why to build better fiber broadband networks. Since 2001, these companies, organizations, and members have worked with communities and consumers in mind to build the critical infrastructure that provides the economic and societal benefits that only fiber can deliver. The Fiber Broadband Association is part of the Fibre Council Global Alliance, which is a platform of six global FTTH Councils in North America, LATAM, Europe, MEA, APAC, and South Africa. Learn more at fiberbroadband.org.

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