On Wednesday March 7, 2012 from 11:00am to 2:00pm, the Virginia Wireless Association held its 1st Quarter Educational Seminar at the Hilton Richmond Short Pump. The subject of the seminar was “Why Co-lo By-Right is Essential in Virginia.” (Photos from the event)

Our subject matter experts on the panel were:

• Jonathan Campbell, Director of Govt. Affairs, PCIA
• Donald Hoover, Project Manager Dominion Virginia Power
• Joseph Divis, Executive Director, AT&T Mobility
• William Pirtle, VP Sales & Marketing Shenendoah Telecommunications Co.
• Susan Rabold, Consultant to Virginia governments, CityScape Consultants, Inc.
  

Moderator: Ed Donohue, President Virginia Wireless Association & General Counsel, Donohue & Stearns

Several states such as Georgia and New Jersey have recently enacted laws aimed at ensuring the timely deployment of wireless services by streamlining the review process for the modification and collocation of telecommunication facilities. The seminar focused on why a similar approach is critical to the deployment of wireless services in Virginia and on the approaches necessary for enabling such action at the State level.

While this is a topic is of high interest to the wireless industry, the more rapid and efficient deployment of wireless service also will benefit the citizens of Virginia and allow Virginia’s localities to more efficiently process telecommunication proposals with fewer resources. Virginia Wireless Association's next call to action is to draft a bill for co-lo by right, noting detailed specifics which will be beneficial to the Virginia wireless industry.