Pole owners with poles already slated to be replaced can't charge a new attacher all the costs to do that replacement, the West Virginia Public Service Commission ordered Thursday. The order was in response to petitions by the West Virginia Internet and TV Association and Citynet, which asked for clarification of the commission's August order clarifying its pole attachment rules. The state agency said its rules require that an attacher pay for an "appropriate portion" of the poles they need and not the entire cost of replacements. That's in line with FCC interpretations of its own rules, the PSC said.
The Texas Comptroller's Office said Thursday that it will accept comments on its final BEAD proposal through Wednesday. Under the plan, about 123,000 unserved and underserved locations would be connected by fiber, 66,000 by low earth orbit satellite and 54,000 locations through fixed wireless, it said.
California Public Utilities Commissioner Alice Reynolds is recommending the PUC adopt a new general order for implementing establishment of the state's universal telephone service program. The PUC has revised the previous general order several times, most recently in 2021, but since then has adopted several decisions that necessitate revising the general order again, according to a proposed decision submitted Wednesday by Reynolds, the assigned commissioner in the proceeding.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Tuesday it had signed a long-term agreement with Boingo Wireless for the company to upgrade and expand cellular and Wi-Fi networks across the agency's properties, including airports, crossings, seaport facilities and Port Authority Trans-Hudson rail stations. Under the agreement, those services will continue to be provided free for the public, the Port Authority added.
The Missouri Court of Appeals backed a lower court's decision in favor of streaming service providers that were fighting an attempt by communities to charge them video service provider (VSP) fees. In an opinion Tuesday, Judge Ellen Ribaudo upheld a summary judgment against Creve Coeur, Missouri, and other municipalities that sought VSP fees from DirecTV and Dish Network for their streaming services. While the communities argued that they were owed fees accrued before the state amended its Video Service Provider Act in 2024, Ribaudo said the amended language didn't substantively alter the description of excluded content. The amended definition of "video service" was meant only to clarify the law, and the legislature clearly didn't intend to indicate that streaming content was subject to VSP fees prior to the 2024 change.
A Massachusetts House committee this week introduced HB-4596, which would establish a commission to study a statewide credentialing program for digital navigators. Under the bill, the commission would make recommendations on ways to address digital access inequity issues by recruiting digital navigators who assist community members with individualized support for accessing affordable connectivity, devices and digital skills. The bill was introduced by the Advanced Information Technology, Internet and Cybersecurity Committee and referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.
A pair of FCC proceedings could result in significant changes to how state and local governments regulate access to public rights-of-way for broadband and telecommunications networks, Marashlian & Donahue communications lawyer Jonathan Marashlian wrote Wednesday. He said municipalities know they have leverage over time-sensitive construction projects and use permitting as a negotiation tool -- often resulting in delays and higher deployment costs. The FCC proceedings are "a direct response to these kinds of real-world friction points." A wireline infrastructure notice of inquiry asks about possible limits on how states and local governments restrict rights-of-way access, while a wireless siting NPRM seeks comment on streamlining deployment of towers and other wireless infrastructure. Commissioners approved both at the agency's September meeting (see 2509300063).
A U.S. District Court judge in Maryland issued a final judgment Wednesday that bars the state from enforcing portions of its digital ad tax law. The judgment follows a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling Aug. 4 that the law’s pass-through provisions violate the First Amendment. The Computer & Communications Industry Association, NetChoice and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce had argued that the pass-through provisions prevented businesses from communicating with customers about the tax law’s effect on prices and were thus unconstitutional. The law imposes a tax of up to 10% of revenue on digital ad services.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed AB-476 into law Monday to tighten the regulations on scrap-metal purchasers. The bill requires anyone engaged in the sale of scrap copper to be licensed by the state. Communications network operators have complained that gaps in scrap-metal regulation are a big driver of damage to their networks from thieves seeking copper cabling (see 2510070018).
Alaska, Utah and Florida have closed public comments on their draft final BEAD proposals, according to a rundown that the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society posted Friday. Those states are among the last to complete their plans, the group said. Alaska’s total BEAD allocation was $1 billion, $766 million of which will go to broadband deployment. Utah’s plan accounted for $231 million of its $317 million BEAD award, which leaves $86 million for other uses. In Florida’s plan, which Benton said has been submitted to NTIA, $291 million out of more than $1 billion in BEAD funds has been allocated for broadband deployment.