November 16, 2017
Background: Today the Federal Communications Commission approved a Report and Order on Replacement Utility Poles that eliminates a requirement for a historic preservation review of a replacement utility pole as long as the original pole wasn’t a historic property and the replacement will be placed in the same spot and look like the original. It also approved a separate Report and Order addressing pole attachment policies aimed at speeding broadband deployment, including the establishment of a 180-day shot clock for resolving access complaints.
This statement is attributed to USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter:
“The FCC’s actions are another in a series of common sense regulatory reforms by this Commission. If a replacement utility pole uses the same hole and looks like the original, there seems to be little sense in requiring a historic preservation review. The agency’s pole attachment changes will make it faster and easier for broadband providers to expand the availability of their services. Speeding up the pole replacement process to support next-generation wireless services is a smart, consumer-centric move.”