Everybody in cable seems to be on board with the FCC’s plans to clear up regulations about pole attachment fees in the interest of promoting broadband availability, but the American Cable Association (ACA) is keeping the pressure on to make sure any new rules don’t leave its members at a disadvantage.
The ACA reminded the Federal Communications Commission that it strongly opposes any increase in attachment rates that cable operators currently pay for providing commingled video and Internet services.
“To maintain leadership in deploying broadband in rural America, ACA members need to access poles at low and stable prices in order for the price of high-speed Internet access to remain affordable for all consumers. An increase in pole fees will have a financially punishing and disproportionate impact on rural broadband providers, which rely on poles far more than urban providers and have fewer subscribers to absorb the impact of rising fees,” ACA President and CEO Matthew Polka said.
In comments filed Aug. 16, the ACA explained that pole attachment fees, both current and projected, heavily influence broadband deployment schedules in rural markets. If the FCC permits pole fees to rise, the economic case for driving broadband facilities deeper into rural markets is harmed, leaving those consumers without access to the fast Internet transmission speeds that are commonly available in big cities.