Clearwire is Getting Much Clearer

As you’ve read on these pages, I’ve been perplexed by how Clearwire is deploying its system, at least in Southern California.  I’ve been writing about Clearwire’s deployment in terms of how many of their projects hit the planning desk as Sprint/Nextel site modifications, rather than as new collocations by this new market entrant.

I’m pleased to report that Clearwire (through its outside counsel, Suzanne Toller  reached out to me and set up a face-to-face meeting to discuss their plans, their process, and their network technology.  That meeting occurred last month.

Following the meeting, which lasted two hours, Suzanne followed-up with a six page letter discussing the points we covered in the meeting.  While the letter, properly, reflects Clearwire’s views, I think it is helpful as it extend the dialog and expands on the information base.

I invite you to read ‘the rest of the story’ on a special page at my law firm web site, TelecomLawFirm.com, which you can reach by clicking here.

Jonathan

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Site Landlords: Does Clearwire or Clear Wireless Want On to Your Site?

In various markets in California, Clearwire (sometimes Clear Wireless LLC) is seeking tower site landlord authorization to add to an existing site.  Sometimes the applications or lease amendments are tendered by Sprint (which owns 51% of the legally-separate Clearwire entity), but I’ve also seen other wireless carriers ask permission to sublease their tower space to Clearwire without offering any financial benefit to the tower site owner.  Sometimes the tenant will tell the landlord that some provision of the lease requires the landlord to give permission (seems odd and in conflict doesn’t it… a lease requirement that the landlord must give a permission).

Before you sign on the dotted line, it’s worth pulling our your original lease (and any amendments you’ve signed) to see whether adding Clearwire (or any new proposed site occupant) is permitted or required under the lease, or whether this is an opportunity for you to adjust your site revenue upwards to reflect the new addition, and ‘true-up’ other open items connected with your tower lease.

Be especially careful if your wireless carrier tenant approaches you for permission to sublease to another wireless firm AND asks for a rent reduction at the same time.   Talk about galling!

I’ve had site landlords approach me recently who find themselves in one or more of the ugly positions I’ve just listed.  If you’d like legal assistance to avoid giving away potential new revenue, and to avoid giving away your current revenue, drop me an electronic note or give me a call.

Jonathan Kramer, Esq.
Kramer Telecom Law Firm, PC
Los Angeles

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Let’s Be Clear About Clearwire

I recently posted a message to a list serve run by the League of California Cities aimed at local government planners. That posting has provoked a number of comments, universally positive from local government planners and attorneys. I did receive what might be called a negative response from a wireless industry siting agent.

I’ll let you read the posting, and then the industry agent’s email incorporating my reply.  Then I’ll offer a few closing comments and invite you to reply.

I want to alert my local government planning and legal colleagues in Southern California that Sprint/Nextel is now in the process of submitting something on the order of 1,400 applications to local government planning agencies (and potentially to public works departments) for what often appear to be–but are not–modifications to existing Sprint/Nextel sites.  Rather, what is happening is that Sprint/Nextel, under its name and logo on the applications and plans, is sponsoring in applications for Clearwire Communications, a separate legal entity under separate management, which is merely 51% owned by Sprint.

Clearwire is a wireless Internet service provider. It is *not* a wireless phone company. Clearwire does *not* hold a CPUC Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. Clearwire is not entitled to access the right-of-way in the same way that Sprint/Nextel does. This is particularly important where Sprint sponsors Clearwire applications for ROW sites that really should generate revenue to local governments if the governments elect to approve such ROW incursions.

The Clearwire projects are not existing site modifications by Sprint/Nextel to its own site, but rather entirely new projects (and new RF emissions) from a new and separate legal entity, Clearwire, to be collocated on existing Sprint/Nextel sites. Where Clearwire needs a site but there is no existing Sprint/Nextel site to serve as a platform, the firm is proposing collocations on other existing cell sites. These collocations do *not* automatically occur under Government Code Sections 65850.6 and 65964. There are many triggers that must first occur prior to these code sections kicking-in to require collocation, and its very unlikely they will apply in a particular case involving Clearwire given its multiple microwave and panel antenna systems.

Where no existing sites are available, Clearwire is proposing new sites. Clearwire has indicated that they are typically planting new sites at the rate of about 2 per square mile.

Clearwire’s network design in nearly every case dictates that it use three or four microwave antennas to interconnect each of its sites with that many more other sites, yet the applications I have seen submitted to my government clients are usually coming in one at a time. This piecemeal filing approach raises CEQA questions as Clearwire’s method of submitting individual applications masks the fact that each site is part of a much larger and unified project that cannot operate without the multiple sites communicating with each other, and back to the Clearwire Internet access node (called the POP or point of presence).

For those communities that bar microwave antennas for site-to-site or site-to-switch interconnection because they are unnecessary visual elements, consider whether granting microwave dishes to Clearwire (which is a cost-saving issue for them) will interfere with your future ability to bar or limit microwave antennas to wireless telephone companies.

I recommend that the planning desk look for Sprint/Nextel plans with site numbers formatting like CA-XXX-YYYY, where XXX are three letters related to the county or market where the project is to be located, and YYYY is the specific four digit site number. The site number may be followed by a single letter. If these projects come across the desk, consider whether you are dealing with a single site, or (far) more likely a project, and to proceed with due caution. At the least, consider issuing an incomplete letter and requiring Clearwire to come in and disclose all of their project sites and interconnections, and then consider whether your agency wants to evaluate the entire project under CEQA. More and more governments are now taking that cautious approach.

I have photos of a few Clearwire sites in Portland, Oregon and Modesto, California posted to the government planners wireless example gallery at www.celltowersites.com/gallery/

-Jonathan

The industry member’s response, with my embedded reply back shown in italics, is below:

Hello Jonathan

A colleague of mine forwarded your statement below to me. After reading it, I feel compelled to reach out to you with my own comments. Not entirely clear as to what your objective is, perhaps business is slow for you as with many of us as of late.

JK: As a municipal and private attorney, an RF engineer holding many licenses; and as a contract wireless planner and planning instructor for many governments, my goal is to to ensure that my constituency (governments and selected private entities) is aware of this deployment and the legal and practical considerations that attach to the deployment. Business is just fine, thanks.

Whatever the case may be, your message below is startling and in my opinion, somewhat predatory in nature.

JK: Predatory is defined in the Encarta Dictionary (http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861737372/predatory.html) as:

1. greedily destructive: greedily eager to steal from or destroy others for gain
2. relating to predators: relating to or characteristic of animals that survive by preying on others
3. ruthlessly aggressive: extremely aggressive, determined, or persistent

I respectfully disagree with your opinion that my message suggests predatory behavior. I have no desire to destroy, or the other things in the definitions. Rather, my desire is that my constituency properly understand what is happening with the Clearwire deployment, and why it raises legal and procedural issues that should be addressed as applications are being tendered and considered. As a wireless planner working for governments for the past 17+ years, I believe that most of those on the private site who regularly deal with me would reach a softer or different characterization of my actions.

Your statement regarding ROW is valid. However, this is not applicable to the majority of sites that Clearwire is working on in the Southern California area. Perhaps limiting your message to ROW issues only would have been the better approach here.

JK: I appreciate your recognition of the ROW issue, but is merely one element that permitting agencies need be aware of. Some of the drop/swaps will be proposed for the ROW; many will not. It would not make sense for me to limit my comments to just the ROW since the deployment will likely be in both arenas.

Further, whether the proposal is for a mod to Sprint’s own facility or not, the fact is that on land not located in the public right of way jurisdictions should consider these proposals as a colo/cohab modifications or new-build project regardless of the entity name or CPUC status and review the request on it’s own merit with consideration to the degree of intensification and/or design relative to the land development standards in effect at the time of application.

JK: This is an area where each jurisdiction will evaluate a project against their local municipal code rules, as well as CEQA, and the PUC. Since we’re dealing with different legal entities, and addressing your non-ROW discussion, how the project is understood by the local agency is important to the proper application of the local code. Also, under some local government municipal codes, it does make a difference whether Sprint is proposing a mod to its own site, or if the proposal is really for a new and different occupant that is subject to its own permit process.

You state that “..Sprint/Nextel is now in the process of submitting something on the order of 1,400 applications to local government planning agencies (and potentially to public works departments) for what often appear to be–but are not–modifications to existing Sprint/Nextel sites. Rather, what is happening is that Sprint/Nextel, under its name and logo on the applications and plans, is sponsoring in applications for Clearwire Communications, a separate legal entity under separate management, which is merely 51% owned by Sprint”. Further, you claim that the microwave dishes being proposed is merely a “cost saving issue”. Unless you have some proof of this, I would tend to believe that the statement is unfounded.

JK: A wireless mesh network for backhaul is a cost saving consideration. A WiMax provider could use redundant fiber or multiple T1 network to achieve the same results, but those alternative would involve different capital and recurring cost considerations.

Jonathan, you seem to be suggesting that Sprint/Nextel and Clearwire is acting less than honest about their intent by maintaining the Sprint and/or Nextel name and logo on the plans. I am not entirely comfortable with your statement and am disappointed in you as a “telecom lawyer” for publicly making such accusations.

JK: The fact is that Sprint/Nextel is a separate entity. The firms are managed differently. There are other partners involved. See: http://newsroom.clearwire.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=214419&p=irol-newsArticle_Print&ID=1141157&highlight=

I do not suggest that Sprint/Nextel’s sponsorship of the applications is dishonest, but rather that some may governments and others may see the bold letters at the top of the plans and on the applications that say Sprint/Nextel, and miss the important little letters that disclose that Clearwire is the actual owner of the project. It is not an accusation; but rather a fact that important to properly understand who is requesting what.

Based on my exposure to your work over the years, I think you have done a reasonably good and thorough job representing your public sector clients.

JK: Thank you.

This is why I am so startled by your message below. Your message implies that you have factual information relative to the relationship between parties and their intent as well as the objectives of their site designs relative to cost.

JK: The information regarding the ownership is public record. Their deployment intent is clear from reading the information they have released, and disclosed in public meetings.

You are potentially encouraging local jurisdictions to question the intent of the wireless applicant to a degree that could possibly be prohibitive and questionably illegal relative to legislation that supports such endeavors.

JK: I am encouraging local jurisdictions to ensure that they understand who the actual applicant is and what the rights and duties are of that applicant. Asking for factual and accurate disclosures to permit the local agency to determine the proper course under its local code is neither prohibitive nor illegal in this sense.

Clearly, with 1,400 sites planned (per you), the intent is to provide improved wireless telecommunication service, whether it be for Clearwire or Sprint/Nextel or both. Whether it be for telephone or internet or both, what is the problem here?

JK: Again, the rights that must be respected flow from the legal status of the real applicant. Cell phone companies have rights that are different from Internet-only providers; which are different from, say, trunked radio system operators. Real problem can arise if the rights asserted by an applicant are not the rights as granted to that applicant, and if a permitting agency mishandles an application as, for example, a standalone project rather than as part of a larger multi-site project.

The overall feeling that I have after reading your message is that Sprint/Nextel and/or Clearwire is up to something unethical and potentially illegal.

JK: I respect your right to your feelings, but nowhere in my message did I say or suggest that the actions are either “unethical or potentially illegal.”

The potential for confusion regarding the applicant and its rights I’ve discussed is based on how the applications are already coming in. The comments I’ve received from local governments confirms that the confusion already exists. But confusion does not rise (or sink) to the behavior you incorrectly read into my words.

If I were a city decision maker and after reading your statement I would be very concerned and as such, I may be compelled to question the validity of every Clearwire/Sprint application. In fact, I may even be compelled to question any wireless application more so than I would under normal circumstances.

JK: City decision makers are by and large very smart people, just as you are. As a planner in this area, I’m sure you understand that wireless planning is different and more detailed that planning a building, or permitting a business to conduct a conditional use. Special state rules come into play, as do federal rules and court decisions, when considering wireless site applications. Again, that’s why understanding who the applicant is and their real rights is key to ensuring compliance with the regulatory and judicial framework that controls in this area. Being compelled to question any application more than normal is a personal decision for a planner which is, I believe, largely based on trust factors. This is an area where accurate knowledge prevents the planner from falling into the “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me” trap.

Your statements may cause discomfort with the local jurisdictions and will likely result is undue delays in processing time as well as cast a negative light on the wireless entities that have every right to build or modify their wireless network in the most efficient and expeditious manner.

JK: Processing of planning applications is governed by various state laws (for example the PSA). If an application comes in that may misstate material information, then the delay…if any…will be due to the entity misstating the information, don’t you agree? And if an entity misstates material information, then who is casting the light you speak of? I do not suggest that Sprint, Clearwire, or anyone else is misstating material information, but confusion does already exist.

The cost of such endeavors should not be such a concern to local planning departments when considering the proposal. Further, when considering the equipment needed to reach the coverage objective, the applicant should use the least intrusive and reasonable means possible.

JK: The cost issue isn’t core. There are many cases where microwave backhaul is appropriate, and I have stated that in various project reviews I have conducted over the years. There are other considerations, however, that come into play in wireless siting within and outside of the right-of-way including, as just two examples, CEQA and ADA compliance.

From what I have witnessed, Sprint and/or Clearwire has made more than reasonable efforts to adhere to this approach. Causing any level of prohibition to this approach is, at a minimum, unfair.

JK: I accept that this is your belief, but I do not adopt or reject it for myself. I’m not sure what you mean by “any level of prohibition” either functionally or legally.

The expectation that I have for someone of your professional stature and experience is to maintain a healthy balance between applicant and jurisdiction and use methods of practice that are proactive and most importantly, fair. Local jurisdictions that enter into contract with you expect that you will review applications for wireless facilities with the intent of making sure that the proposal is consistent with all applicable rules defined in Telecom Act. That stated, perhaps you could take a softer and more cautious approach when advising your public-sector colleagues. I believe that fostering trust among all parties is the better way to do business for all of us.

JK: The Telecom Act may or may not apply; the state collocation laws may or may not apply; various provisions of the local municipal code may or may not apply. There are many considerations, beyond the Telecom Act, that must be factored into proper planning.

I agree with you that fostering trust among the parties is a better way to do business. Trust springs from honesty, so the more honest we are, the greater then trust that we should be accorded.

Over the nearly 20 years I’ve been doing wireless siting work, I have developed a reputation for calling it like I see it, and trying to bring parties together. The wireless industry calls on me to help them develop that trust when they ask me to lecture at industry meetings (as I have several times this year at my own expense, and in previous invited by unpaid trips to lecture at national PCIA conferences, for example).

I am a charter member and public supporter of CalWA and the educational outreach it promotes. I frequently recommend that government officials join CalWA to learn and hear more about the industry. Twice this year, at government conferences that I have coordinated, I have invited CalWA wireless industry professionals to attend and present. My efforts are based on developing a better relationship between the various stakeholders…call it trust…

I would be open to discussing this matter further should you wish. If in fact, if you do possess factual documentation that supports your claims, I would gladly review the information and if valid, consider retracting some of my above-opinions.

Thanks for taking the time to read my comments and consider my suggestions.

JK: Hopefully I’ve addressed the bulk of your comments and concerns. I don’t ask that you change your opinions, but merely that you consider mine as I’ve further explained them in this reply. I’ve taken the time to respond because I found your comments thoughtful, even where I disagree with them. That’s just part of the interplay between peers who clearly respect either other, but may have cause to disagree with each other.

Warmly,

Jonathan

I’ve posted this because I want to make it clear (no pun intended) that as I’ve already said on another of my sites, I look forward to Clearwire’s deployment in SoCal, and I hope to use their static IP service as a back-up at my office.

It’s important to local governments that the material elements of a project be properly disclosed during the review process.  This ensures that the applicant is accorded the proper processing, rights, and duties under the local code.  Accuracy and transparency are, therefore, key to achieving those results.

As I’ve recently used as an analogy, Sprint/Nextel’s sponsorship of Clearwire projects is akin to opening up a set of drawings for a commercial office building and the name splashed across the top of each page in bold letters is “United States of America, General Services Administration” yet the small print shows that the true legal owner will be “AIG Insurance” rather than GSA.  Well, yes, the U.S. is the majority owner (at least for now) of AIG, but the legal rights and duties of each are very different.

I also want to make it clear that as a telecom attorney and wireless planner working for local governments, it is common for us to alert our peers to issues that we uncover, and that are likely to impact our peers.  We share this information to ensure that we all have the benefit of what others have learned, developed, determined, uncovered, etc.

I’m interested in your comments, which you can voice below.

Jonathan

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US Supreme Court DENIES Cert in Sprint v. San Diego, Level 3 v. St. Louis Cases

U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Supreme Court

Today the U.S. Supreme Court denied cert in the Sprint v. County of San Diego and Level 3 v. St. Louis cases.

For local governments and telecom carriers in the 9th Circuit, this means that telecom carriers who want to challenge a zoning decision will in most ever case have to show that the local ordinance, AS APPLIED, acts as a prohibition to the provision of a telecom service.

Under the old, now overruled standard, a telecom carrier needed only to show that a local ordinance could prevent a provider from providing a telecom service (the so-called ‘facial attack’).

Tom Bunton, Esq., of the County Counsel’s office in San Diego is a hero to local governments.

Jonathan

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DOJ: 4th Amendment Should Not Apply to Cell Phone Records

Should cell phone tower data be made available to law enforcement without a warrant?  That what the US Department of Justice (DOJ) would like to see.

In an appeal filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, the DOJ says it should have the the authority to compel wireless carriers to provide cell phone switch data that is historical in nature, and without the need to first obtain a warrant.

The argument posed by the DOJ is that historical records of cell phone use and towers used by a subscriber is not akin to a pen register or trap-and-trace devices, thus no warrant should be needed.

The problem for the DOJ is that cell phone records, and specifically records of what towers were used, amount to location data, and telephone number data (as would be disclosed by a pen register).  It’s hard to understand why the DOJ thinks that the same data that would require a warrant where it in connection with a landline phone would not need a warrant if in connection with a mobile phone.  The DOJ rests its argument as follows:

Under the longstanding canon of expressio unius est exclusio alterius (“the expression of one is the exclusion of the other”), a court should presume that if “Congress wanted to include such a requirement … it knew exactly how to do so.”

This, of course, is silly since it presumes that Congress knows all technology now in existence, and what will come into existence in the unforeseeable future.  It is essentially a loop-hole way into saying that what Congress didn’t know is what it intended to omit.  Yeah, right.

For an example of how the police use cell phone tower data to assert that someone is somewhere when something is happening, look at the following excerpt from the Affidavit for an Arrest Warrant for one Donna Moonda, which is found on the US DOJ website:

With the assistance of the cellular telephone companies involved, investigators were able to map out Damian Bradford’s travel on May 13, 2005, by accessing cell tower locations  where the calls were routed. It has been confirmed that Damian Bradford was the individual utilizing the cell phone through numerous interviews with individuals who either called Bradford or received a call from him. In the early afternoon hours of May 13, 2005, that information showed Bradford moving North and Donna Moonda traveling South in Pennsylvania to a meeting location mid-way between their residences. Shortly thereafter, Donna Moonda traveled back to Hermitage and Bradford traveled back to the Aliquippa area, north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In mid-afternoon, Bradford traveled North until he eventually reached Hermitage, Pennsylvania, between 3-4 p.m. At approximately 4:30 p.m. the Moondas, along with Donna Moonda’s mother, Dorothy Smouse, left Hermitage, Pennsylvania and traveled on the Ohio Turnpike on a planned trip to Toledo, Ohio. Cell site information, along with time/distance calculations, showed Damian Bradford moving in sync with the Moondas from Pennsylvania to the Ohio Turnpike.

In the end, what the DOJ wants is a judge-made exception of the 4th Amendment.  That Amendment prohibits warrantless searches, which is exactly what the DOJ wants in connection with cell phone records.

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Sprint Nextel to release 4Q08 Results on 2/19/09

colorsprintlogo1OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Feb 06, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE:S) will release its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2008 on Thursday, Feb. 19. The results will be posted at www.sprint.com/investors at approximately 7 a.m. EST. Sprint Nextel management will host a conference call at 8 a.m. EST to discuss the results.

Sprint Nextel Conference Call Information
Date:                   Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009
Time:                 8 a.m. EST
Call-in Numbers:  Toll free: 866-763-0020 (US/Canada) –
ID Required: 83732306

International: 706-902-1194 – ID Required: 83732306

Please plan on gaining access 10 minutes prior to the start of the call.

A simultaneous webcast will be available at www.sprint.com/investors. Please note that questions may only be submitted through the conference call option. Replays of the conference call will be available shortly afterward by calling 800-642-1687, and entering the code: 83732306.

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Why do I have to Place the FemtoCell Near a Window?

The various femtocells being marketed by the major carriers require that they be place near a window.

Huh? They need a good view to not feel along all day?

Actually, it’s because the femtocells need to know where they are installed so that the carriers can (try to) meet the E-911 location requirements.

Femtocells have built-in GPS receivers that tell the wireless switching center, call the Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO for short) where it is installed.  That would be inside your home.  Then, if someone makes a 911 call through your femtocell, the MTSO can use your GPS location (latitude and longitude) to help E-911 dispatchers get help to the caller.

So, to parrot the line from Sprint, “Can you find me now?  Good!”

=Jonathan=

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Important Court Decision Restores Local Govt. Control on Zoning for Wireless

(Note from Jonathan: This article was written by my colleague Robert Smith, and published at Planetizen.com.  I’m reprinting the article here with Robert’s permission to ensure a wider readership.  Note, however, that the decision reported here does not mean everything you might think it does.  For example, local zoning controls in Section 332 are recognized by the Court, but that does not mean that a local government can prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the provision of a telecom service.  If you’re not a telecom law who knows this stuff, check with one that is. -onathan)

Important Court Decision Restores Local Govt. Control on Zoning for Wireless

Robert E. Smith, AICP, explains the impact of recent court decisions on the ability of local governments to control the placement of wireless towers in their communities.

Photo: Robert E. Smith

Sprint V. San Diego County

On September 11, 2008, culminating 5 years of battle in the federal courts, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals released its decision in the Sprint V. San Diego County litigation – dramatically reversing that circuit’s direction and interpretation of the 1996 Telecommunications Act (TCA). This decision brings meaningful clarification for local governments that have been grappling with how to frame their wireless ordinances.

The 9th Circuit’s en banc decision, unanimously approved by all eleven judges who heard the appeal, changes several important points of law:

First, the 9th Circuit has thrown out is prior interpretation of TCA Section 253(a)

Section 253(a) of the TCA is intended by Congress to ensure that local governments cannot prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting a telecom service. The 9th Circuit originally decided in 2001 that section 253(a) was worded in such a way as to allow a ‘facial challenge’ to local zoning codes by telecom providers. Arising out of a case called City of Auburn v. Qwest Corp (2001), the federal court originally determined that section 253(a) was worded in such a way that a telecom carrier’s challenge to a local ordinance could be brought simply by showing that the ordinance might create a prohibition or barrier to the provision of a telecom service. The facts underlying a particular challenge of a local telecom ordinance were not really the focus of the court’s hearing. Rather, under Auburn, a federal judge was only to look at the words in the ordinance to determine if, under virtually any scenario, a prohibition of a telecom service might result. If so, then the judge would be obligated to invalidate the ordinance, and in most cases, order the local government to grant the permits sought by the plaintiff carrier.

Other federal Circuits (the 1st, 2nd, and 10th) followed suit, and opened the door for similar ‘facial challenges’ to local telecom ordinances across the US.

The 9th Circuit’s Auburn decision empowered industry to legally challenge local zoning ordinances facially – before any zoning decisions are rendered or alleged damages could occur. By allowing a facial challenge to the ordinance and interpreting 253(a) to include potential prohibitions, the Auburn decision made it easier for industry to challenge local zoning codes — arguing that the code, on its face, might create a prohibition of service or barrier to the market. Given the lower threshold and standing necessary to initiate facial litigation, well-heeled challenges began surfacing in strong wireless markets where zoning controls were perceived by industry to hamper their deployments.

The 8th Circuit, in a case called Level 3 v. City of St. Louis, went in a different direction regarding Section 253(a). In so doing, it announced what would become the generally accepted approach to interpreting Section 253(a). The 8th Circuit held that the plain words in the Telecom Act required that a plaintiff (usually the wireless carrier) must show actual or effective prohibition of service or barrier to the market – not merely a possible or potential prohibition or barrier. In it’s Level 3 decision, the 8th Circuit criticized the 9th Circuit’s interpretation of Section 253(a) setting the stage for the 9th Circuit to reverse itself when the Sprint case came up on appeal.

The 9th Circuit’s repudiation of its Auburn decision now brings us back to a more conventional way to look at local ordinances – now, under the 8th and 9th circuits standards for evaluating Section 253(a), in order to challenge a local zoning ordinance a telecom carrier must show that the application of the local ordinance in a particular case, resulted in the actual or effective prohibition of a telecom service. This is commonly known as an “as applied” challenge, which requires the court to look at the facts underlying the prohibition claims.

The 9th Circuit reversal of the Auburn decision is important for local governments because it ensures that any challenge in court will be resolved through a rational review of the facts and an evaluation of the ordinance and codes as they were applied to the situation. Since this approach is rooted in fact finding and the determination of an actual prohibition or barrier to the provision of a telecom service, according to Judge Gould in his concurring remarks in the Sprint case, “Cases of a pre-empted zoning ordinance will doubtless be few and far between…”

Photo: Wireless towers
Wireless towers in the landscape.

Second, the 9th Circuit Announced that Sections 253(a) and 332(c) are Basically the Same When it Comes to Barriers and Prohibitions

Through the Auburn decision, the 9th Circuit interpreted Section 253(a) to allow facial challenge to local codes, but it did not do so for section 332(c) which is, in relevant part, worded identically to Section 253(a). In Metro PCS v. City of San Francisco (2005), the 9th Circuit decided that Section 332(c) required an evaluation of the actual effect of the City’s ordinance; not just the potential effect of the ordinance. Both sections 253(a) and 332(c) share common wording and the same meaning across this concept, and therefore should require the same standard of legal review. Prior to the Sprint decision, section 253(a) was accorded different treatment – effective a higher status than Section 332 – in that the court indicated that Section 253 provided a basis for facial challenge to local ordinances. Now the 9th Circuit has reversed that interpretation, indicating that the language in both sections are the same; have the same meaning; and require the same standard of legal review – namely “as applied”.

The reversal of Auburn and harmonizing the interpretation of Sections 253 (a) and 332(c) will yield consistency and order to the court decisions to follow – as Judge Graber stated –
“Our holding today therefore harmonizes our interpretations of the identical relevant text in 253(a) and 332(c)(7)(B)(i)(II). Under both, a plaintiff must establish either an outright prohibition or an effective prohibition on the provision of telecommunications services; a plaintiff’s showing that a locality could potentially prohibit the provision of telecommunications services is insufficient.”

Ripples in the pond

Traditional advocacy efforts in the wireless infrastructure industry are changing. In the past, the industry sector participated in local ordinance revision efforts, worked to pass state legislation to streamline permitting processes, and pressed litigation using facial challenges to local codes – in an effort to revise the local regulatory landscape to a more industry friendly posture. Traction in local ordinance revisions has proven elusive, and the passage of state legislation has been difficult to achieve for both political and intra-industry sector reasons. The recent decision from the 9th Circuit, and the revisions it will create across other circuits, will cap the industry’s advocacy strategy – one can almost hear echoes from industry corporate offices calling for change.

A hint at this might be glimpsed in the CTIA’s petition to the FCC to federally limit the time allowed to localities to consider zoning applications for wireless land uses. The CTIA’s petition would impose a federal, 45 day time limit after which, if no zoning decision is reached, the project is deemed approved. While opposing comments from local governments, agencies and professional associations have flown thick and fast, the CTIA’s petition still has yet to reach the end of the FCC petition process. Given everything else the public has witnessed in the last year, it’s hard to have faith in the fed or its agencies – but hope springs eternal. We’ve also witnessed some industry sector players, possibly frustrated with the permitting process in general, apparently bypass the zoning process by simply ignoring it. Several installations across California have been found without permits, in localities that have always required permitting. The California PUC is now involved, and it will be interesting to see the repercussions. The burgeoning growth of the State Wireless Associations across the US gives the industry sector a possible launch pad for a new approach and some new advocacy, and we hope to see less conflict laden approaches which focus on solid community planning concepts – again, hope springs eternal.

Photo: Billboard with wireless towers
Billboard with wireless towers.

It’s not all wine and roses, but there is a silver lining

The circumstances that many localities and planning departments are suffering in the current economic winter will no doubt generate stress on administrations and service levels. The economy, combined with the housing bubble, has dealt a double blow to local budgets and revenue streams. The ICMA finds that city and county managers are taking action – 55% are freezing vacant positions, 39% are reducing service hours, 36% are sharing services with other local governments, and 34% are eliminating delivery of non-required services. Almost 70% have increased or added user fees, and almost 40% are not pursuing approved capital expenditures – in general, many localities are buckling down for a rough ride, and it may be time to explore alternate or creative mechanisms for service delivery. (ICMA – Local Governments Gear Up to Deal with Economic Downturn)

The role wireless infrastructure plays in many localities is multi-faceted, and almost always positive.

• It is a force multiplier, empowering people to work and communicate anytime, anywhere. Communications, and particularly wireless communications for the rural areas, is important to local economic development. It’s one of the more important assets in the new economic development paradigm. The new economic development game is all about empowering the community to develop local business that can compete nationally and globally – and good communications
infrastructure is essential to achieving that objective.

• Wireless communications infrastructure is green – reducing VMT and carbon footprint. The APA recently adopted national policy related to global warming which encourages telecommuting and wireless communications. Necessary to that policy is the wireless infrastructure that must be present to deliver service to the community.

• Wireless infrastructure can enable enhancements to training, education and health care which improve productivity and quality of life.

• It also enables improvements to public services – from normal operations and service delivery to public safety – New York now has the ability to accept pictures sent via cell phone to 911, and then send them to the responding personnel, and California has implemented public warning systems that send messages to cell phones. Across the country, many areas have the ability to send Amber Alerts to cell phones.

Conclusions

What does this mean and how will it affect the wireless communications issues that roll across the US?

• In the wake of the 9th Circuit decision, localities should realize that a rational, balanced review of ordinances and permit decisions has returned to the courts — and localities should feel free to improve land use standards and controls which might have been postponed because of the industry’s facial attacks which were enabled by the 9th Circuit’s earlier interpretations.

• It is also important for localities to maintain balance and flexibility in their codes – the community relies on this infrastructure, and needs it to be robust and flexible in order to support an improved quality of life, and enhanced public services, education and health care.

• Despite the economic circumstances and difficulties, it’s time for localities to creatively engage this infrastructure in the planning process, update their land use controls and look towards a future of wireless benefits and appropriate infrastructure deployment. An investment in such efforts now, will yield positive benefits to the community which will help to heal some of our economic woes, while also providing better protections for our aesthetics and community character.


Robert E. Smith, AICP is a recent veteran of the tower industry. Serving the nation’s largest tower company as National Zoning Manager, Mr. Smith engaged zoning conflicts and litigation across the US, shaped industry advocacy, co-authored industry friendly legislation in several states and participated in hundreds of local ordinance revision efforts. His prior career was in public service, as City Manager and as Directors of Planning and Economic Development across several communities and Councils of Government from California to North Carolina. He recently relocated to Wilmington, NC to launch Anvil Partners, LLC — combining the experience and skills garnered from both careers to help local governments better engage and regulate wireless infrastructure.

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President-Elect Obama: Can we see your records now? Good!

Personal Cell Phone Account Of President-Elect Obama Accessed By Unauthorized Employees

11/20/2008

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — Verizon Wireless President and CEO Lowell McAdam made the following statement today:

“This week we learned that a number of Verizon Wireless employees have, without authorization, accessed and viewed President-Elect Barack Obama’s personal cell phone account. The account has been inactive for several months. The device on the account was a simple voice flip-phone, not a BlackBerry or other smartphone designed for e-mail or other data services.

“All employees who have accessed the account – whether authorized or not – have been put on immediate leave, with pay. As the circumstances of each individual employee’s access to the account are determined, the company will take appropriate actions. Employees with legitimate business needs for access will be returned to their positions, while employees who have accessed the account improperly and without legitimate business justification will face appropriate disciplinary action.

“We apologize to President-Elect Obama and will work to keep the trust our customers place in us every day.

Yup.  The criminal and Secret Service investigations are just starting.  Maybe someone will check those records, too.

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