WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 19, 2025 – INCOMPAS, the competitive communications and AI infrastructure association, yesterday filed reply comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging immediate action to address state and local permitting barriers that are preventing critical broadband infrastructure deployment across the United States. The filing highlights widespread industry consensus that excessive delays, unreasonable fees and discriminatory practices are materially inhibiting the deployment of wireline telecommunications infrastructure needed to connect millions of Americans and support AI development.
“The record in this proceeding tells a clear and troubling story, permitting barriers are preventing Americans from receiving the high-speed connectivity that industry and Congress have invested billions of dollars to deliver,” said Staci L. Pies, INCOMPAS Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Policy. “From rural cooperatives to urban fiber builders, providers across the competitive spectrum are documenting the same fundamental problems: permits that take months or years instead of weeks, fees that bear no relationship to actual government costs and conditions that make projects financially impossible. These aren’t isolated incidents; they’re systemic barriers that require immediate Commission intervention.”
INCOMPAS is calling on the FCC to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that establishes clear shot clocks for permit review, creates safe harbor fee levels based on actual costs, prohibits discrimination between providers and requires transparency in all permitting requirements. The filing emphasizes that with federal funding deadlines approaching, urgent action is essential to ensure that federal broadband investments reach the communities that need them most. “The legal authority is clear, the factual record is extensive and industry stakeholders are aligned on solutions. Now is the time for the Commission to act decisively to unlock the broadband infrastructure that America’s economy and national security depend upon,” Pies added.
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