Comcast Seeks FCC Intervention in Pole Dispute
UPDATE Comcast has turned to the FCC for help in a growing dispute with Appalachian Power Company, claiming the utility’s practices are stalling broadband projects across Virginia. The cableco argues that “unreasonable” demands for pole attachment fees are preventing the rollout of fiber broadband to thousands of homes and businesses, particularly in underserved rural areas.
The conflict centers on utility poles that Appalachian Power owns and maintains. Many of the structures already carry equipment from other providers and fail to meet current safety or engineering standards, according to Comcast. When Comcast seeks to add its fiber lines, the power company has required full upfront payment for replacing those poles, according to Cord Cutters News.
Comcast received $126 million in BEAD grants to connect approximately 13,000 unserved and underserved locations in Virginia. It says delays in attaching to thousands of poles threaten timelines and budgets for these projects.
The FCC passed updated rules in February to, among other things, help clarify cost-sharing in pole attachment disputes and speed up deployments funded by federal dollars, Inside Towers reported. The commission determined that utilities cannot force new attachers to cover the entire cost of fixing preexisting violations. Instead, new providers should pay only for incremental upgrades needed to accommodate their own equipment.
The National Cable and Telecommunications Association has called on the FCC to intervene, though it’s not clear the agency will do so. The group highlights that pole access problems represent one of the biggest obstacles to timely and affordable broadband builds nationwide, reports Cord Cutters News.
The FCC’s Rapid Broadband Assessment Team handles complaints that threaten deployment projects. By resolving disputes faster, regulators hope to prevent federal funding from going to waste and keep builds on schedule.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
