WTA Responds to FCC on Pole Attachment NPRM

Today, WTA filed comments with the FCC in response to its NPRM on pole attachments released in August. In its comments, WTA recommended the FCC not adopt any deadlines for completion or even commencement of attachment after the make-ready work is completed and suggested the FCC to require that attachers make a partial payment, rather than the entire payment, up-front with the remainder paid out based on make-ready work progress. WTA also expressed concerns that some utilities require the potential attacher to commit to pay the costs of determining what the estimated costs of make-ready and attachment will be without having any idea of what those preliminary “application” fees will be.