Across the United States, the rapid expansion of broadband infrastructure is being bottlenecked by one stubborn, persistent issue: permitting. While historic levels of investment are fueling long-haul fiber, 5G, and wireless service deployments, telecom companies are being met with outdated processes, regulatory red tape, and municipal gridlock.
At Valhalla Industries, we understand the importance of timely, compliant, and efficient permitting. From environmental impact assessments to rights-of-way negotiations, our team works at the intersection of infrastructure and regulation. But even with the best preparation, systemic issues in the permitting process continue to impact deployment timelines and project outcomes.
The Telecom Industry Is Facing a Permitting Crisis
The telecom industry is investing billions to meet surging demand for reliable, high-speed internet access. Whether it’s fiber-to-the-home or upgrading fixed wireless networks in rural communities, these builds require complex permitting at the federal, state, and municipal levels.
Unfortunately, the federal permitting process hasn’t evolved to meet current demand. Applications must often pass through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process-even when the project has a minimal footprint. This includes environmental impact assessments, historical reviews, and multi-agency approvals, many of which take months or even years.
In areas where categorical exclusions should apply-for instance, minor site modifications or small cell additions-telecom companies still face uncertainty due to inconsistent interpretation of guidelines and a lack of standardized review procedures.
Municipalities Are Overwhelmed
Permitting isn’t just a federal problem. Local governments are also struggling. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has significantly increased broadband project volume, but many municipalities are under-resourced and operating on outdated, paper-based systems. This slows reviews for trenching, fiber conduit installation, and wireless service upgrades.
Each city or county has its own permitting standards, creating a patchwork of rules and expectations that telecom contractors must decipher project by project. This lack of consistency significantly increases time-to-deployment, costs, and the likelihood of legal disputes.
Pole Attachments & ROW Access: Long-Standing Bottlenecks
One of the most persistent issues in broadband buildouts is pole attachment access. Telecom providers often need to install fiber on utility poles-most of which are owned by electric utilities or municipalities. The resulting delays, disputes over rental fees, and lack of cooperation continue to obstruct progress.
Additionally, gaining access to public rights-of-way (ROW) for trenchless fiber runs or equipment installations often requires navigating multiple layers of jurisdictional authority. Even when federal funding is in place, local permitting issues can grind a project to a halt.
Executive Orders: Progress or Placeholder?
In April 2025, President Trump issued an executive order intended to modernize the environmental permitting process for infrastructure projects. It introduced concepts like digital permitting tools and interagency coordination-but notably excluded the telecom sector from direct mention.
Industry observers and industry associations cautiously welcomed the order, acknowledging the potential for long-term benefits. However, without direct action on telecom-specific pain points like regulatory compliance for small cell deployments, the EO is largely seen as a missed opportunity.
Moreover, the executive order doesn’t address the conflicting landscape of regulatory compliance at the local level or the limitations that state laws place on municipal broadband efforts.
Federal Reforms in Motion-but Not Fast Enough
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has implemented several policies to accelerate telecom permitting:
- Shot clocks: Local agencies must approve or deny applications within 60–90 days.
- Small Cell Orders: Preempt some local regulations and cap excessive fees for 5G infrastructure.
- Rapid Response Teams: Created to mediate pole attachment and access disputes.
While these efforts help, they’re not enough to counteract the volume of permitting requests or the systemic fragmentation of permitting responsibilities across federal, state, and local levels.
Why It All Matters?
Every permitting delay represents more than a slow project-it’s a missed opportunity to bridge the digital divide, especially in rural, Tribal, and underserved areas. Communities without modern broadband lack access to remote work, online education, telehealth, and economic growth opportunities.
For contractors and ISPs, these delays also impact revenue, increase costs, and disrupt workforce scheduling. Worse, inconsistent interpretations of regulatory compliance standards often introduce legal gray areas that stall progress even further.
How Valhalla Industries Helps Navigate Permitting Complexities?
At Valhalla Industries, we don’t just build networks-we help manage them from the ground up. That includes supporting clients with:
- Comprehensive pre-construction planning
- Permit acquisition and regulatory strategy
- Environmental and historical compliance
- Pole access coordination
- Local municipality engagement
With deep experience in long-haul fiber construction and a commitment to regulatory excellence, we help providers deploy infrastructure more efficiently-even in the most challenging permitting environments. We proudly serve clients across multiple regions, including Billings, MT, Port St. Lucie, FL, Coeur d’Alene, ID, Wilderville, OR, and Thornton, CO.
FAQs: Telecom Permitting & Project Delays
1. Why are telecom permits taking so long to process?
Permitting offices are overwhelmed by demand and often lack digital tools or adequate staffing to manage the volume of broadband projects.
2. What is NEPA, and why does it affect telecom builds?
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires environmental reviews for infrastructure projects. Even minor telecom projects may need to comply, adding significant time and complexity.
3. What role do executive orders play in telecom permitting?
Executive orders, like the one issued by President Trump in 2025, aim to streamline federal permitting. However, without direct mention of telecom, their impact on broadband deployment is often limited.
4. Why are pole attachments such a problem?
Utility poles are critical for deploying fiber and wireless infrastructure. Access is often controlled by third parties, leading to delays, disputes, and high costs.
5. What can telecom companies do to speed up the permitting process?
Working with experienced contractors like Valhalla Industries helps mitigate delays by ensuring compliance, anticipating regulatory hurdles, and streamlining documentation and submission.
Build Faster, Smarter, and More Compliantly with Valhalla
At Valhalla Industries, we help telecom clients overcome the permitting challenges that are stalling broadband progress nationwide. Our team understands the intricacies of regulatory compliance, ROW negotiations, and environmental permitting. If you’re navigating a complex build-especially one involving long-haul or last-mile fiber-contact us today to keep your project moving forward.