The FCC has voted to make changes to rules and policies for pole attachments, adopting a Fourth Report and Order, Declaratory Ruling, and Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. With these new rules, the FCC has created an intra-agency rapid response team to quicken the pole attachment dispute resolution process. The rules also allow attachers to obtain pole inspection reports from utilities, in the hopes of increasing transparency for broadband buildouts. The FCC’s Declaratory Ruling clarifies several issues, such as “red tagging,” the obligation to share easement information, and timelines for processing attachment requests for 3,000 or more poles. Lastly, the FCC has proposed new timelines for large pole attachment applications and is seeking comment on how to quicken the approval process for pole attachment applications.
