“Hello? Can you hear me? I’ll call you back in a few minutes with better coverage.” It is the same story in the high country, pockets of Denver, the eastern plains, southern Colorado — you get the picture. No part of the state is immune. These initial conversations sparked our quest to start a Cell Phone Connectivity Interim Study Committee this past summer — to find solutions to expand wireless coverage in both rural and urban Colorado.

What’s one of the biggest obstacles we found? Delays in permitting. And that is why we introduced the bipartisan HB25-1056, and now it is time to pass it into law.

We spent months with stakeholders across the state to learn about the problem that faces every Coloradan — and to figure out how we could help remedy it. From Denver to Garfield County, Moffat County to Boulder, we heard feedback from constituents sharing, “We want a cell tower and don’t know who to call.” We heard stories of farmers carrying two phones to operate their businesses. We saw the same issues in the high country as we did in Denver and Pueblo. Each locality is different, yet one theme remains the same — applications to upgrade technology or build cell sites are many times unnecessarily delayed.

It is no secret access to fast, reliable connectivity is critical in meeting the everyday needs of our local businesses and communities. Wireless networks are increasingly displacing other communication technologies, and they serve a vital role in things like public safety and social and economic welfare. As a state, we must create a framework that allows our wireless providers to keep up with upgrades and build new sites to swiftly integrate and build on technology to provide key connectivity.

That’s where our bill comes in. HB25-1056, “Local Government Permitting Wireless Telecommunications Facilities”, provides clarity on how carriers can work with local governments to expand their wireless capabilities. It’s not reinventing the current process; instead, it is making the rules consistent and clear. The bill does three things:

• Helps expand wireless service statewide by reducing unnecessary permitting delays.
• Maintains local control to promote smart growth while cutting red tape.
• Increases economic opportunity by boosting investment in wireless networks.

With Colorado residents and businesses using mobile devices more often to connect in their daily lives, at work and for entertainment, the network capacity across the state must be upgraded to keep pace with surging demands for data. Neighborhoods are using more and more bandwidth and take necessary technology upgrades to meet demand. Smaller Colorado towns and rural areas continue to need cell sites in under-served areas. Delays can cost precious time and resources, often forcing providers to re-evaluate and eliminate a portion of their planned network upgrades. This bill looks to bring providers and local jurisdictions together to help alleviate the backlog.

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Increased connectivity across Colorado is a game-changer — when it happens. We know jurisdictions and providers are all working toward the same goal — shrinking the digital divide and bringing connectivity to all Coloradans. Modern communication networks help drive innovation and improve the way we connect with each other, with entertainment and within our communities. With the passage of HB25-1056, providers and governments can continue to work together to break down barriers to improve wireless connectivity for our whole state.

Democrat Meghan Lukens represents District 28 in the Colorado House of Representatives. Democrat Jennifer Bacon represents District 7. Republican Matt Soper represents District 54.

Democrat Nick Hinrichsen represents District 3 in the Colorado Senate. Democrat Dylan Roberts represents District 8.