Mediacom Seeks to Halt Google Fiber Build in West Des Moines, Citing Favoritism

Mediacom Communications subsidiary MCC Iowa LLC filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission seeking review of the rights-of-way management practices of the city of West Des Moines and what the company calls the city’s exclusive relationship with Google Fiber. It focuses on what MCC Iowa says is a $50 million taxpayer financed conduit network that the city is building for the exclusive use of Google Fiber. Mediacom filed a suit, which is ongoing, against the City of West Des Moines and the West Des Moines City Council in Dec 2020. The filing with the FCC claims that West Des Moines is imposing discriminatory burdens on competitors and denying residents in developing areas of the city and elsewhere access to low-cost broadband choices. The petition claims that the agreement materialized “shortly after Google’s primary Iowa lobbyist took his seat on the West Des Moines City Council” and that the service provider retained the mayor’s real estate company to secure office space. Mediacom is asking the FCC to take steps including advising the city to halt construction of the conduit network pending its review and to amend the agreement between the city and Google Fiber to remove exclusive design, financial and permitting preferences and rights.