Texas cities want the FCC to reconsider how it defines 'reasonable' fees for utility pole access

A coalition of Texas cities has asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to rethink its rules for how much local governments can charge telecom companies to attach equipment to utility poles. The cities argue that the current rules make it too hard for them to recover their actual costs for managing these attachments.

Local governments own many utility poles. Telecom companies need to attach their equipment to these poles to expand internet and phone service. The FCC sets rules for how much cities can charge for this access. If cities cannot cover their costs, they may slow down approvals or neglect maintenance, which then slows down network expansion. This petition is part of a long-running fight over who pays for the infrastructure that enables new services.