Policy
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is mulling over proposed steps to streamline permitting rules for wireline infrastructure builds.
By Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
June 3, 2026 — Local and state permitting processes can tie up network deployment projects in delays and red tape but new steps being considered by the FCC could change everything.
Chairman Brendan Carr, who has been spearheading a broader deregulation effort during his chairmanship, is behind the new proposal.
He said Americans won’t get the connectivity they need if network deployment projects are buried in paperwork.
“It is clear from the input we’ve received in the public record that in far too many cases, America’s broadband builders are facing excessive fees and unnecessary delays,” Carr said in a June 3 release. “We need to streamline and modernize permitting rules to build networks that work for the American people.”
If the FCC moves forward with Carr’s proposal, the agency will eventually seek comment on rules that would give state and local governments 120 days to process infrastructure authorization requests.
Building the case
The Carr-led FCC has been building its case behind the streamlining of network deployments for some time now.
In September of 2025, the FCC began investigating whether state and local governments were prohibiting the provision of wireline telecommunication services.
According to the June 3 release from Carr’s office, such prohibitions would be in violation of Section 253 of the Communications Act.
What else is being proposed?
Carr’s proposed rules also seek to limit government-imposed fees that impact deployment projects.
His proposals additionally seek to prohibit the imposition of additional requirements on wireline telecommunications infrastructure deployments and would count in-kind compensation demanded by state and local governments toward any safe harbor fee levels, the June 3 release stated.
The proposals are in the same bend as other proposed rules from Carr on Wednesday, which seek to streamline the deployment of submarine cable networks for operators in good standing.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated on June 4 to reflect that the release announcing this news came from Brendan Carr’s office.
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