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 transitioning from copper lines — that aim to modernize networks and improve their efficiency.
The new pole attachment rules aim to make it easier and faster to deploy networks by streamlining the processes that attachers and pole owners must follow when attaching communications infrastructure to the poles. This is particularly important, the FCC says, as increased telecom funding has enabled large numbers of new deployments.
The process, which has been an issue for the FCC for years, has been made more difficult due to a lack of standard and timelines for processing large broad deployments. This has led to slow rollouts and costly disputes.
The FCC also launched a rulemaking to accelerate the transition from copper line networks to more modern technologies. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comments on revisions to network change disclosure rules and section 214(a) discontinuance processes to eliminate regulatory barriers and costs.
The FCC says that it is considering deregulatory options through this proceeding in an effort to encourage providers to build, maintain, and upgrade their networks in a manner that enables consumers and businesses to access newer technologies.
“We’re ensuring that Americans get the modern, high-speed networks they need and deserve,” FCC Chairperson Brendan Carr said in a press release. “And we are doing all of that while keeping our eye on strong consumer protection measures—thus ensuring that no one will lose access to emergency services, like 911, as a result of the transition from aging networks to modern ones.”
The pole attachment and copper actions are part of the FCC Build America Agenda, which Carr outlined early this month in a speech in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Last week, the FCC announced that three items on the agenda for the August 7 open meeting will be protection of submarine cables, its obligations under the National Environmental Protection Act, and ground-station-as-a-service to help fill out the Build America Agenda.
