News - December 13, 2023

INCOMPAS Statement on Poles Item at the FCC December Meeting

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 13, 2023 – INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering released the following statement in response to the FCC’s Poles Order and FNPRM at the FCC December Meeting:

"For INCOMPAS members, gaining quick access to utility poles at reasonable terms remains a consistent barrier to their efforts to build next-generation broadband networks, which is why today's Poles Order is a step in the right direction to address this critical issue and speed deployment. We appreciate the Commission's willingness to work with us on these issues and modify its pole attachment rules to ensure that new attachers face fewer obstacles in their builds. INCOMPAS also welcomes changes the Commission has made to the item, as a direct result of our advocacy, that will go even further to expedite builds by ensuring that the first 3,000 poles in a large pole order fall under the agency's current make-ready timelines. We look forward to continuing this conversation to ensure our competitive members have equitable and affordable access to poles so they can continue to build their networks and connect all Americans."