Small Wireless Facilities
Small wireless facilities, a type of broadband infrastructure, are critical to delivering wireless access to advanced technology, broadband and 9-1-1 services to homes, business, and schools within the City.
Small Wireless Facilities in the public rights-of-way will take the form of small antennas placed on streetlight or utilities poles using concealment technologies. The term “small” references the antenna systems coverage area, not their physical size and they deliver high transmission speeds at low ranges. The antenna are low-powered cellular radio access nodes that operate in licensed and unlicensed spectrum. Because of the heightened transmission speeds and capacities, telecoms state that the Small Wireless Facilities are critical to the wireless deployment of 5G services, as fewer macrocell sites/towers are being built.
Small Wireless Facilities are regulated at the Federal, State and local level.
Telecoms wishing to use the public rights-of-way for Small Wireless Facilities are required to have a Permit to operate in the City of Albuquerque (pursuant to Part 5-10-1 of the Cod of Ordinances). Telecoms must apply for a Permit from the City Planning Department. If you are a telecom interested in applying for a Permit, see the bottom of this page for the Standards and Regulations, which includes procedures for applying for a Small Wireless Facility Permit. Additionally, the application and agreement for the permit is also at the bottom of this page.