Regulators hang up on cell tower backup rules

The White House Office of Management and Budget has rejected proposed changes by the Federal Communications Commission that would require all cell phone towers to have at least eight hours of backup power. OMB ruled that the FCC failed to get public comment before passing the regulations last year and didn't show that the information required from wireless companies would actually be useful. It also said the FCC hadn't demonstrated that it had enough staff to analyze the hundreds of thousands of pages of documents that the wireless industry said its members would likely have to produce as part of the regulations. A federal appeals court put the rules on hold this summer pending a review by the OMB, which is tasked with overseeing federal regulations. FCC officials said they were considering their options, which could include changing the proposed regulations or voting to override the OMB's decision. The court would still have to rule before any regulations went into effect.