NCTA Seeks FCC Pole Attachment Ruling

pole replacement cost process holds broadband providers back when demands from COVID-19 compel them to move forward, NCTA blogged Friday. The American Public Power Association "stance remains that one-size-fits-all, model pole attachment regulations are unwork­able for public power utilities," a spokesperson emailed. The group opposes "any effort to weaken or gut the exemption for public power utilities from federal pole attach­ment regulations." Cable operators face regulatory challenges that could increase costs and delay rural broadband deployment, Charter blogged Tuesday. Cable wants the FCC to eliminate eligible telecom carrier requirements (see 2006300010). "If we are successful in the auction, the result could be an expedited, multi-billion-dollar build-out" of its broadband network to millions of people, Charter said. The cabler could add an estimated $9.3 billion to the value of its footprint if it places winning Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I bids for some 2.2 million locations at the edge of its network, New Street's Jonathan Chaplin wrote investors Friday. "They would likely rather double down on the pace of footprint expansion than cede it to a competitor." Analysis of eligible census blocks "suggests the expansion opportunity may be even bigger" for other cable companies, the analyst added. The FCC plans to award up to $16 billion from Phase I (see 2001300001).