PUC Moves to Support Accelerated Broadband Deployment Across Pennsylvania by Adopting New Federal Pole Attachment Regulations
New Rules Cut Dispute Resolution Timelines over Pole Attachments, Supporting Faster Broadband Rollout Across the State
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved the adoption of two new federal regulations designed to expedite broadband deployment across the Commonwealth, ensuring that unserved and underserved communities gain quicker access to critical high-speed internet services.
The Commission voted 4-1 in favor of a motion offered by PUC Chairman Stephen M. DeFrank, to adopt a pair of recent federal regulations from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) focused on disputes between the owners of utility poles and entities seeking to attach infrastructure to those poles and sharing cyclical pole inspection reports. The new FCC regulations became effective at the federal level on July 25, 2024.
“The adoption of these FCC regulations will help expedite the ongoing efforts to ensure Pennsylvanians, particularly in rural and underserved areas, receive the broadband services they need for education, healthcare, economic development, and more,” said PUC Chairman Stephen M. DeFrank. “By streamlining dispute resolution and increasing transparency,…