Fiber permits are everywhere and nowhere.
Every fiber run, small cell, and cable drop starts the same way: as a permit filed at a city or county office. The problem is that telecom work hides inside millions of generic building, electrical, and right-of-way records, described differently in thousands of jurisdictions. One town calls it "OSP fiber." Another says "conduit install." A third buries it in an electrical permit.
If you wanted a national view of who's building telecom infrastructure and where, you had to piece it together yourself.
So we built a telecom tag. One filter, and the whole picture comes into focus.
The quick version
The telecom tag identifies permits related to telecommunications infrastructure across our entire permit database. We applied it retroactively, so it works on historical records as well as every new permit we process.
As of the July 2026 release, 1,513,665 permits are tagged telecom.
What gets tagged
If the work builds or touches telecom infrastructure, it gets the tag. That covers:
- Fiber
- Phone and cable drops
- Utility right-of-way installs
- Cell towers, small cells, and antennas
- 5G buildouts
- Cable installation
- Conduit, trenching, and boring
- Related supporting infrastructure
In short, if it's helping move a signal, it's probably tagged.
Why we built it
Customers kept asking the same question: Where are service providers building?
Carriers, ISPs, and fiber providers want to track competitor activity, plan network expansion around real construction, and identify the markets worth entering next. The data already exists in public records. It's just scattered across thousands of permit systems with no consistent way to find it.
The telecom tag changes that. Instead of searching thousands of jurisdictions, you can answer the question with a single filter.
Putting the telecom tag to use
It’s no surprise that telecom companies and homebuilders will find this tag useful. We’ve had many conversations with these segments and have taken their input to heart. Here are a few common use cases that have surfaced:
Spot new demand early. New neighborhoods and commercial developments appear in permit data months before residents or businesses request service. Combine the telecom tag with location or new construction permits to prioritize network expansion where demand is headed.
Track competitor activity. See where other carriers and ISPs are pulling permits over time, and spot expansion into new markets before construction begins.
Find the fastest jurisdictions. Approval timelines vary dramatically from one city to the next. Compare permitting speed across markets and prioritize deployment where projects move fastest.
See what's coming before permits. Pair the telecom tag with Shovels Decisions to track franchise agreements, right-of-way discussions, and broadband initiatives months before construction permits are filed.
Protect existing infrastructure. Monitor permit activity near existing fiber routes to coordinate joint trenching or reduce the risk of accidental cable strikes.
How to get it
The telecom tag is available anywhere you access Shovels data: Shovels Online, the Shovels API, or an Enterprise Data License for bulk delivery. It refreshes with every data release, so your view stays current as new permits come in.
Every telecom project starts with a permit. Now, finding them is as simple as filtering for telecom.
Have questions about the telecom tag or need a custom solution? View all of our permit categories and feel free to reach out to talk to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the telecom permit tag?
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The telecom tag is a permit category that flags records related to telecommunications infrastructure across the Shovels database. It surfaces work like fiber, small cells, cell towers, conduit, and cable drops that would otherwise be buried inside generic building, electrical, and right-of-way permits. One filter returns a national view of telecom construction.
- How many permits are tagged telecom?
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As of the July 2026 release, 1,513,665 permits are tagged telecom. The tag was applied retroactively across the full permit history and refreshes with every data release, so the count grows as new permits come in.
- What kinds of work get the telecom tag?
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Any permit that builds or touches telecom infrastructure qualifies. That includes fiber, phone and cable drops, utility right-of-way installs, cell towers, small cells, antennas, 5G buildouts, cable installation, and conduit, trenching, and boring. If the work helps move a signal, it is likely tagged.
- Does the telecom tag apply to historical permits?
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Yes. The tag was applied retroactively, so it works on historical records as well as every new permit Shovels processes. That means you can analyze long-term trends in telecom construction, not just recent activity.
- How can I access telecom-tagged permits?
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The telecom tag is available anywhere you access Shovels data: Shovels Online, the Shovels API, or an Enterprise Data License for bulk delivery. It refreshes with every data release, so your view stays current as new permits are added.