Pole Attachments
High Pole Costs Harm Broadband Deployment
Overview
Deploying broadband networks to rural and remote areas is a massive undertaking, and often relies on the availability and costs of access to utility poles. Internet service providers usually must work with utility pole owners that provide electric or telephone service in order to extend their broadband networks. The rates these pole owners charge to access the poles is often excessive and can stop a broadband provider from being able to provide service to an area that lacks it. To bring broadband to unserved areas we need transparent and reasonable processes that ensure a fair distribution of costs between pole owners and entities seeking to use the poles.
Runaway Pole Costs
Regulated:
Co-Op Owned:
Muni Owned:
What's Next?
Our Recommendations to Spur More Rural Broadband Deployment
Eliminate the exemption from Section 224 pole attachment regulation for municipal and cooperative electric companies that enables high pole costs.
Require all utilities to make poles available using the federal rate formula. This will ensure pole owners are reasonably compensated and make it more likely that broadband providers can provide service.
States should require utilities accepting broadband funding to make poles available using the federal rate formula.
Urge the FCC to clarify its rules so that utility pole owners cannot require broadband providers to pay the full cost for a pole replacement in areas that are unserved by broadband.
Connecting Rural America: St. Francis, Kansas
When Eagle Communications turned the small town of St. Francis, Kansas, into a gigabit community, it opened up more opportunities than ever before and brought its residents to the cutting edge of technology.
