FCC Issues Declaratory Ruling on NCTA’s Pole Replacements Petition

The FCC clarified Tuesday that charging the entire cost of a pole replacement to a requesting attacher when it isn't the sole cause of the replacement is "unreasonable and inconsistent" with the Communications Act Section 224. The commission issued its declaratory ruling in lieu of acting on NCTA's petition for clarification on pole replacements in unserved areas (see 2007170023). ACA Connects CEO Matthew Polka said it's one of a "series of recent decisions by the FCC to rein in investor-owned utilities' pole access practices that violate the statute and undermine broadband deployment."