The following statement may be attributed to Free State Foundation President Randolph May:
“I am pleased the FCC has proposed to begin a new rulemaking proceeding seeking comment on questions concerning the allocation of pole replacement costs and the resolution of pole attachment disputes. FSF filed comments in September 2020 urging the FCC to begin such a proceeding, and it is important that the agency now do so and complete it in an expeditious manner.
As we said in our earlier comments urging Commission action, issues surrounding pole attachments 'are increasingly important and quickly resolving them in a pro-deployment, pro-consumer way can make a real difference.’ The reality is that pole attachments are a critical component of the infrastructure that supports more ubiquitous broadband deployment. Unless the costs of pole replacements are equitably apportioned so that would-be attachers are not charged above-market rates, and an efficient process is put in place to quickly resolve disputes, then overall broadband deployment to currently unserved areas will be slowed. This is a problem at any time, but especially now that the federal government is disbursing massive amounts of money in efforts to close digital divides, including in presently unserved rural areas.
So I urge the Commission to initiate the proposed rulemaking proceeding and to complete it in an expeditious manner."
Posts
