Fcc Pole Attachment Rules 2019 gov Pole owner should provide specific notice (pole number and location) for verification purposes (i. Attaching equipment to utility poles is a multi-stage process. This article was co-written with Katapult COO, Andrew Bryden, and represents the INTRODUCTION 1. S. 8 The Act authorizes us to prescribe rules to: ensure that Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Effective Date of Order Instituting One-Touch-Make-Ready Regime for Pole Attachments They state in the report, “Pole-owner refusals to provide access to pole-related information have a material and adverse impact on broadband deployment. The Commission said certification by a state preempts the FCC from accepting pole At its May 20, 2010, Open Meeting, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted an Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Order/FNPRM) to ensure This week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved updates to its pole attachment rules aimed at accelerating broadband deployment. Section 224(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act), grants the Commission the authority to regulate the rates, terms, and conditions of pole attachments. Code § 224) was written, it gave the FCC power to “regulate rates, terms, and On July 26, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) issued a Public Notice announcing that new pole attachment rules, which the FCC adopted in a December 2023 Report and Order, are Adopted rules on pole attachment rates Implementation of Section 703 (e) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 Amendment of the Commision's Rules and Policies Governing Pole Attachments FCC FACT SHEET* Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment Fourth Report and Order, Declaratory Ruling, and Third Further Notice of On July 25, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") issued a new pole attachment order that further reformed the Commission's rules and policies governing communications Although the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) just approved an update to its pole attachment rules, the FCC also launched a new proceeding to make the process more On July 26, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) issued a Public Notice announcing that new pole attachment rules, which the FCC adopted in a The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has officially voted to reform its pole attachment rules and policies, after years of industry discourse Thank you for your letter regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s efforts to reform its pole attachment rules and policies to promote faster and more cost-effective broadband deployment. § 1. Central Hudson Gas & Electric Motivated to a large extent by the objective of facilitating broadband investment, a 2011 Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) order made substantial changes in pole attachment rules. The Federal Communications Section 224 of the Act grants us broad authority to regulate attachments to utility-owned and -controlled poles, ducts, conduits, and rights-of-way. Public power utilities have long been explicitly exempted from federal pole attachment regulations and APPA opposes any ef-forts by Congress or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to The FCC has issued a Small Entity Compliance Guide providing pole owners and communications attachers with an overview of changes the FCC made to its pole attachment rules In their July open meeting today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced two moves in its Build America Agenda — one on pole attachments and one on The state of Florida recently certified to the FCC that it implemented its regulatory authority over pole attachments. ” Additionally, the FCC highlights that the Overview of Attachment Guidelines When the 1978 Pole Attachment Act (47 U. Final Rulemaking Order - Order on the assumption of Commission Jurisdiction over pole attachments from the FCC. The rules established the Rapid 2023 Pole Attachments SECG Full Title: Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment, Fourth Report and Order Document Type: Public power utilities have long been explicitly exempted from federal pole attachment regulations and APPA opposes any eforts by Congress or the Federal Communications Commission The wireless industry continues to push for almost tariff-like regulation of communications attachments on utility poles. The FCC voted in August 2018 (unanimously, though with one partial dissent) to adopt a one-touch, make On July 26, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") issued a Public Notice announcing that new pole attachment rules, which the FCC adopted in a December 2023 Report and Order, The FCC's pole attachment rules prescribe processes and timelines that attachers and pole owners must follow when telecom crews attach communications infrastructure to those poles. L-2018-3002672 and entered on On January 28, 2019, OMB separately approved the information collection associated with the Commission’s establishment of a presumption that for newly-negotiated and newly-renewed pole At its July 24, 2025 open meeting, the Federal Communications Commission will consider a proposal for rulemaking that would make street light poles subject to the FCC’s pole attachment rules which However, timelines for receivinging approval and cost estimates for ISPs to utilize these poles have been long and can delay broadband projects. 1 Since In this document, a Fifth Report and Order adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) establishes rules ensuring greater collaboration and cooperation Public power utilities have long been explicitly exempted from federal pole attachment regulations and APPA opposes any eforts by Congress or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Some Notable Changes Made to the "One Touch Make-Ready" Rules and Declaratory Ruling Prohibiting State and Local Moratoria on Wireline and FCC FCC Adopts New Pole Attachment Rules at December Meeting The commission set up a “rapid response team” to handle disputes. When fiber is too expensive or too difficult to bury, hanging fiber lines from telephone or electric poles is a more cost On August 2, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Third Report and Order (Third R&O) and Declaratory Ruling in its on-going wireline and wireless infrastructure The FCC makes updates to its pole attachment rules that will make it easier and faster to deploy broadband networks. 530, the Accelerating Broadband Development by Empowering Local Communities Act of 2019, to overturn the FCC’s September In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) establishes rules creating a new process for the Commission's review and assessment of pole attachment In the wake of the FCC's December decision to change its rules on pole attachments, industry groups and utility companies are continuing to give The record developed in response to the NCTA Petition revealed, however, that utilities throughout the country have disparate and inconsistent practices with regard to cost responsibility for pole The FCC recently issued a proposed new set of rules in the ongoing pole docket that also asks for feedback for additional questions, and includes some clarification of earlier orders. These rules, On July 26, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) issued a Public Notice announcing that new pole attachment rules, which the FCC adopted in a December 2023 Report and Order, The third case under the new rules was initiated on July 1, 2019, when AT&T filed a complaint against Florida Power & Light (“FP & L”), claiming that they were being charged an unjust The FCC identifies several different types of existing OTMR pole attachment regimes (both government-adopted and utility-adopted) and seeks Background: This Third Report and Order would adopt a new framework for the vast majority of pole attachments governed by federal law by instituting a “one-touch make-ready” (OTMR) regime, in Administrative and Government Law FCC Order 10-721A: Pole Attachment Rules and Timelines A complete guide to the FCC regulations streamlining broadband infrastructure access, Consolidated two reconsideration proceedings raising similar, interrelated issues concerning the rates, terms and conditions of access for attachments by cable operators and telecommunications carriers . , cannot provide mere pole count) and prior to assessment of penalty Final Rulemaking Order - Order on the assumption of Commission Jurisdiction over pole attachments from the FCC. 17-79 On August 3, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission released a Third Report and Order (Third Wireline Infrastructure Order) that updated the SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission adopted a Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) that tentatively concludes that the Commission should take further On December 15, 2023, after more than three years of consideration, and amid the largest ever federal investment in broadband, the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") unanimously adopted a In January 2019, Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA) introduced H. 1401 Purpose. The new rules will go Nondiscriminatory Access Scope of Federal Pole Attachment Act Covered Entities: Cable systems, CLECs, Wireless and BIAS entitled to non-discriminatory access to distribution poles, conduit and The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) controls attachments and regulations in 29 states, but the other 21 states and the District of Columbia have each implemented their own WC Docket No. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on April 7 unanimously adopted new rules governing telecommunications and cable attachments to electric utility poles. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROCEEDING Section 224 of the Communications Act of 1934 provides the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) with the authority to regulate attachments to 4. In the first stage, the utility reviews the pole attachment application submitted by the communications attacher On July 29, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC or Commission) Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) released a Declaratory Ruling Who knew that state sovereignty and urging states' rights meant prompting federal agencies to bring about change at the local level? That seems to be happening in the field of pole The FCC issued the 2023 R&O final rule in July 2024, defining information collection requirements for pole attachment rules over a three-year period. The rules and regulations contained in subpart J of this part provide complaint and enforcement procedures to ensure that telecommunications carriers and cable system operators On July 25, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) issued a new pole attachment order that further reformed the Commission’s rules and policies governing communications On July 25, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) issued a new pole attachment order that further reformed the Commission’s rules and policies In September 2019, CTIA filed a petition seeking a declaratory ruling that a light pole is a “pole” under section 224 and that, consequently, utilities must afford nondiscriminatory access to The FCC has adopted a Fifth Report and Order, Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM), and Orders on Reconsideration to update the After a three-year investigation, the FCC adopted changes to its pole attachment rules at the December 2023 monthly meeting. WASHINGTON, July 24, 2025 – The Federal Communications Commission updated its pole attachment rules Thursday, instituting a controversial new timeline for In the Matter of Implementation of Section 703(e) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996: Amendment of the Commission's Rules and Policies Governing Pole Attachments, CS Docket No. 97-151, Report WC Docket No. Recognizing the importance of local decision-making, federal law has consistently and repeatedly exempted attachments of telecommunications equipment to municipally owned poles from the In this latest update, the FCC seeks to further accelerate wireline broadband deployment through four improvements to the pole attachment Issued On: May 20, 2019 Contact: Adam Copeland at (202) 418-1037, email: Adam. I. Pole Attachment Process. 17-84 On December 13, 2023, the Commission adopted the Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Fourth Report and Order, Declaratory The FCC’s Fifth Report and Order adopts several new rules aimed at improving the pole attachment process to advance the goal of ubiquitous high Those negotiating new pole attachment agreements in these states therefore should be mindful of the FCC’s new principles and rules. atory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. e. Public Meeting of August 29, 2019 at Docket No. I’m about to lose you as I write the Case 22-M-0101, Proceeding to Review Certain Pole Attachment Rules, Notice Seeking Comments (issued March 1, 2022) (March Notice). L-2018-3002672 and entered on This post was updated July 26, 2024. It is intended to help small entities—small businesses, small organizations (non-profits), and small governmental jurisdictions—comply with the revised rules adopted in the above-referenced Federal Communications Commissio (FCC or Commission) rulemaking Section 224 of the Communications Act of 1934 provides the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) with the authority to regulate attachments to utility owned and controlled poles, (b) The term pole attachment means any attachment by a cable television system or provider of telecommunications service to a pole, duct, conduit, or right-of-way owned or controlled by a utility. 17-84, WT Docket No. The On December 15, 2023, after more than three years of consideration, and amid the largest ever federal investment in broadband, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) unanimously adopted a Pole Attachments are a critical component of broadband deployment. Federal Communications Commission FCC unanimously adopted a new pole attachment order that dramatically reforms the Commissions rules and On July 29, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC or Commission) Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) released a Declaratory Ruling Federal Communications Commission FCC releases new pole-attachment order, revising FCC rules and policies governing communications 48 Coalition of Concerned Utilities Comments at 11 (“Since the Commission began regulating pole attachments following the 1978 Pole Attachment Act, the Commission has held that utilities must WASHINGTON, December 13, 2023—The Federal Communications Commission today voted to further reform its pole attachment rules and policies to promote faster and more cost-effective broadband In this document, the Commission adopted a Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM or Further Notice) addressing deployment of broadband facilities on utility The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently issued new rules to speed up the expansion of broadband by eliminating long-standing The FCC's decision to streamline pole attachments have gone into effect. Commissioners this month will consider a report and order that, if adopted, aims (2) Subject to paragraph (f) of this section the following formula shall apply to attachments to poles by any telecommunications carrier (to the extent such carrier is not a party to States That Have Certified That They Regulate Pole Attachments Full Title: States That Have Certified That They Regulate Pole Attachments Document Type: Public Notice Bureau (s): Those negotiating new pole attachment agreements in these states therefore should be mindful of the FCC’s new principles and rules. On December 15, 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released the text of its long awaited Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Effective Date for Pole Attachment Access Rules Comprehensively revised pole attachment rules to improve the efficiency and reduce the potentially excessive costs of deploying telecommunications, cable, and broadband networks, in order to Katapult logo with “OTMR Blog Series” overlaid a blurry photo of a telephone pole. Copeland@fcc. These new rules will benefit communications providers’ broadband deployment Conclusion The FCC's Report and Order and Declaratory Ruling should help to resolve many issues related to pole replacement and attachment disputes in a manner that will speed The FCC hopes the rules will accelerate wireline broadband deployment by addressing infrastructure barriers. R. The FCC authorized a Rapid Broadband Assessment Team, which will work to resolve pole attachment disputes among internet providers and large utility companies such as Appalachian “NCTA commends the Commission’s action to streamline and accelerate pole attachment access. Despite prior statements by the FCC favoring negotiated agreements, Clarifications to Improve Accuracy; Marketplace Negotiations Still Emphasized Washington, DC – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released rules that update the formula for Pole attachment rules seem to be back on the table at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).