FCC Speeds AT&T Access to Milwaukee COVID Medical Facility Site

By John Eggerton
published

The FCC has granted AT&T expedited environmental reviews to speed the connectivity of  some new healthcare facilities in Wisconsin being built to battle the pandemic. 

The FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau granted the request for two potential wireless cell tower sites at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in Milwaukee, where the Army Corps of Engineers is building a medical facility to teach COVID-19 patients. 

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The new towers will also be used by AT&T's FirstNet public safety broadband network. 

“It’s vital that we keep people connected during this pandemic. That includes those working at and, sadly, being cared for in medical facilities like this one,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “I’m grateful to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its remarkable work, to AT&T for finding ways to meet this important need for connectivity, and, of course, all those working in health care facilities across our country during this time of dire need." 

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.