Cities Challenge FCC Over 5G Ruling

More than 20 cities and counties asked a federal appeals court to block a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule limiting what local authorities can charge telecom companies for installing 5G wireless networks.

Three separate lawsuits were filed Wednesday and Thursday by nearly two-dozen cities, including Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles; and San Jose, Calif.

According to The Hill, the new rule limits municipal authorities to charging $270 per cell site per year, which the FCC argues will free up $2 billion in capital for wireless providers to use in underserved areas like rural communities.

But critics charge that the rule amounts to a massive handout to telecom giants, with no incentive or requirement for them to use the funds on deployment to new areas.