UTILITY POLE SPACING MAKING BROADBAND EXPANSION TOUGHER

The West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council may have to step in to iron out space rights issues on power poles.  Without a place to run the broadband Internet cables, it will remain very difficult to extend access into rural areas of the state.  There is currently a case before the Public Service Commission between First Energy and Frontier Communications regarding utility pole attachments, and the lease rates.  These agreements continue to hold up the American Rescue Plan Act billion-dollar project.