Frontier asks West Virginia Public Service Commission to rule on fiber dispute

In a dispute that could affect Internet prices and service in West Virginia, Frontier Communications says it has no obligation to lease unused fiber-optic cable to its competitors if those companies use the fiber to provide high-speed Internet service to their customers. Frontier has asked the state Public Service Commission to rule that Citynet, a Bridgeport (WV)-based Internet provider, has no right to lease unused fiber -- called “dark fiber” -- and use Frontier’s network to expand broadband service to Citynet customers, according to a recent filing. Frontier asserts that Federal Communication Commission regulations -- including the FCC’s “Net Neutrality Order” issued in March -- don’t require companies to lease fiber to competitors. But Citynet alleges that Frontier has misinterpreted the FCC order.

Citynet argues it should be allowed to lease Frontier’s extra fiber as needed -- to provide any telecommunication service, whether it would be telephone or high-speed Internet. But Frontier says being required to lease the fiber would discourage large companies like Frontier from investing millions of dollars to expand Internet networks only to “be forced to allow its competitors to share in the benefits of these facilities without participating in the risk inherent in such large-scale capital investment,” the company told the PSC in a recent filing.