About Us

Advocacy

DAS operators must navigate through a complex maze of regulatory entitlements and approvals in advance of construction. This adds uncertainty to the DAS permitting process. To promote consistency and certainty in DAS deployments, The DAS Forum actively advocates before federal, state and local governments, and serves as an educational forum for information about this wireless deployment tool.

Recent Proceedings:

The DAS Forum filed comments at the Federal Communications Commission in response to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau’s request for comment on the state of mobile wireless competition (WT Docket No. 11-186).

 PCIA and The DAS Forum highlighted the robust competition in the wireless infrastructure industry. Competition in the wireless infrastructure industry is characterized by many deployment options, a vibrant macro site market and a growing and competitive DAS market.  PCIA and The DAS Forum also described how today’s wireless infrastructure market enables competition among wireless service providers and thereby enhances investment and innovation throughout the entire wireless industry.   Finally, we reiterated the argument  raised in our comments and reply comments filed in response to the Commission’s Broadband Acceleration Notice of Inquiry that, despite the importance of wireless infrastructure, there remain barriers to wireless infrastructure deployment that are frustrating the development of the wireless industry as a whole.

The complete comments can be found here: Comments for 16th Competition PN FINAL 12511.

FCC Pole Attachment Regulation

DAS Forum Statement:

FCC Issues Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration on Pole Attachment Proceeding

We are pleased that the FCC has resolved this long and complex proceeding. This important ruling should expedite deployment of the vital infrastructure needed to provide consumers with wireless broadband services and provide support for emerging technologies and innovative network topologies. As the wireless infrastructure association, PCIA and its membership section The DAS Forum have led the effort for this regulatory fairness and certainty since the FCC began this proceeding in 2007.

The order removes significant barriers that DAS and other wireless providers have faced when deploying antennas on utility poles. Non-discriminatory access to pole tops, regulated rates, and timely access to utility poles are important to wireless providers and critical to DAS providers. DAS is an important wireless network strategy that provides crucial capacity, precise coverage, and spectral efficiency, thereby greatly enhancing the reliability and quality of the wireless network. Accordingly, the ultimate beneficiaries of today’s decision are the hundreds millions of wireless subscribers who depend on robust wireless services.

Essentially, the order:

• Set a maximum timeframe of 148 days for utilities to complete make ready work for pole attachments in the communications space, and 178 days for pole top attachments. It allows an extra 60 days for requests of between 300 and 3,000 poles.
• Confirm that wireless providers have a right to access pole tops.
• Clarify that a denial to a request to attach must explain the specific capacity, safety, reliability, or engineering concern.
• Confirm that wireless providers are entitled to the same rate as other telecommunications carriers. The telecommunications rate will be near the rate paid by cable companies.