Fitch, Chrisman to Address Wisconsin Launch
Mike Fitch, president and CEO of PCIA—The Wireless Infrastructure Association and Nancy Chrisman, director, PCIA’s State Wireless Association Program, will be the keynote speakers as the Wisconsin Wireless Association (WiWA) holds its Inaugural Luncheon July 9 in Delafield, WI.

WiWA will be the 22nd state association and Wisconsin will be the 33rd state to be represented by a state wireless association. State wireless associations began to be formed in 2001 with the inception of the Tennessee Wireless Association.

“I think we are making really great strides to have essentially two-thirds of the United States covered by wireless associations,” Fitch said in a phone interview. “In a perfect world all the states would have associations, but since they are absolutely local and independent organizations, there has to be a critical mass of interest to do the volunteer work. And it takes a heck of a lot of work –– outreach, solicitation and funding –– to organize a state wireless association.”

With the rising number of state associations, PCIA sees a potent political force. “Clearly, the reason PCIA is interested in the state associations is to work with them and through them to improve the regulatory environment for the industry state by state,” Fitch said.

PCIA works on regulation and legislation at the national, state and local levels. At the local level, however, there are too many jurisdictions for a national organization to manage, according to Fitch, and siting is seen as a local issue among federal agencies. Therefore, he sees the most promise at the state level.

“In the last few years our feeling has been that the best opportunity to make significant improvement is with state legislation. It is a practical vehicle. States tend to be less NIMBY-esque than the localities,” Fitch said. “States have a broader sense of economic needs and benefits of competition than a locality may have. That has made the states a more attractive target on the regulatory level to try to achieve some improvements.”

Fitch believes state associations also can be effective playing a role on the local level. “All or most of the members of the state associations live and work in the communities in that state,” Fitch said. “That gives them a good base to speak on the issues. It is their neighbor not someone who flew in from out of town and will leave after the hearing.”

As for PCIA’s involvement with the state associations, it is interested in listening and learning from what is a growing number of memberships. “We are encouraging people to identify what needs to be changed, the potential solutions and strategies on how to get there,” Fitch said. “It is really important to focus more specifically on action steps that would help in each of their jurisdictions.”