en.Wedoany.com Reported - The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new rules aimed at accelerating the deployment of submarine cables, while also proposing measures to facilitate broadband network construction. The agency hopes to enhance connectivity required for emerging services such as artificial intelligence and strengthen the security of critical networks against geopolitical and technological risks.
Submarine cables carry the majority of global internet traffic and are considered strategic infrastructure for commercial, government, and defense communications. However, in the United States, submarine cable deployment faces lengthy regulatory processes due to national security reviews. Under the new rules, the FCC allows certain submarine cable authorization applications to be deemed exempt from full review by the Telecommunications Team (Equipo de Telecomunicaciones), an interagency administrative body responsible for analyzing potential national security risks. The exemption applies to operators that can demonstrate a history of cable operations without relevant incidents, meet high national security requirements, and accept ongoing oversight and monitoring mechanisms. The new rules aim to reduce administrative time and provide greater predictability for submarine infrastructure projects without eliminating security controls.
In addition to expediting approvals, the FCC has introduced controls over submarine line terminal equipment—components that connect submarine cables to US land-based facilities. Under the new rules, owners and operators of such equipment must obtain licenses, enabling the commission to exercise stricter oversight over what is considered one of the most vulnerable parts of the system.
Meanwhile, the commission has proposed a regulatory initiative aimed at limiting obstacles at the state and local levels, which, according to the agency, delay or increase the cost of deploying modern fixed infrastructure. The initiative seeks to establish more uniform rules for the permits required by operators to build networks, including fiber optics and other broadband technologies. Proposed measures include: stipulating that when state or local governments take more than 120 days to process authorization requests, it may be presumed to constitute an effective prohibition of service; limiting right-of-way usage fees to direct and reasonable costs; prohibiting additional requirements on the grounds that telecommunications infrastructure may also be used for other services; establishing rate levels considered "safe harbors"; and assessing whether in-kind compensation demanded by local governments falls within rate limits. The FCC believes that lengthy administrative processes, high fees, and additional requirements have led some providers to reduce investment or abandon projects, resulting in reduced connectivity access in certain areas, and the new measures aim to address this issue.
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