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The Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) oversees approval of the use of streets to set up cell phone and internet access throughout the city.

Approved companies can set up and operate mobile telecommunications equipment on:

  • Street light poles
  • Traffic light poles
  • Certain privately-owned wooden utility poles

This equipment provides wireless services, such as cell phone reception and wireless broadband.

Each pole set up consists of:

  • A box containing a provider's radio equipment
  • An antenna atop the pole

There can only be one installation on a pole.

The equipment must be painted to match the color of the pole. 

Small rectangular mobile telecom equipment attached to poles along a city street.

OTI approved these companies to set up and maintain equipment for their own private networks: 

  • Crown Castle Solutions, LLC
  • Crown Castle NG East, LLC
  • Crown Castle Fiber, LLC
  • CSC Wireless, LLC
  • ExteNet Systems, Inc.
  • Mobilitie, LLC
  • New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC
  • New York SMSA Limited Partnership
  • Transit Wireless, LLC
  • ZenFi Networks, LLC

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sets the permissible RF emissions level standards. 

Approved companies must comply with RF emissions standards and all other applicable laws and regulations.

Email Poletopinquiries@oti.nyc.gov with questions or comments about mobile telecom installations. These can be about existing or proposed installations.