FCC Rules Cutting Telco, Cable Pole-Attachment Rates To Take Effect April 1

FCC pole-attachment rules to cut telco rates and restrain cable rates take effect April 1 after being published in Wednesday's Federal Register. The commission issued the rules in November in an order in docket 07-245 that was approved unanimously (see 1511240071). In response to an NCTA petition for reconsideration of a 2011 order, the FCC adjusted cost allocators for telecom carriers covering "poles with 2 attaching entities (0.31 percent of costs) and 4 attaching entities (0.56 percent of cost)," the order said: "When the average number of attaching entities is a fraction, the percentage cost allocator will be located between the whole numbers at the point where it most closely approximates the cost used in the cable rate formula." The FCC said the flexible cost allocators should more fully realize its intent in 2011 to bring parity to pole-attachment rates at the cable rate formula level. "The Commission also adopts this definition of cost to prevent pole owners from charging cable operators that also provide telecommunications service (including broadband Internet access service) pole attachment rental rates that can be approximately 70 percent higher than the cable rate under its existing rules," the order said.