Improve the collection and availability of information regarding poles, ducts, conduits and rights-of-way

Recommendation #49

FCC Chapter: 6.4

Status: In progress

The Federal Communications Commission should improve the collection and availability of information regarding the location and availability of poles, ducts, conduits and rights-of-way.

The FCC should ensure that attachers and pole owners have the data they need to lower costs and accelerate the buildout of broadband networks.

The FCC should ensure that information about utility poles and conduits is up-to-date, readily accessible and secure, and that the costs and responsibility of collecting and maintaining data are shared equitably by owners and users of these vital resources.

Existing industry efforts to collect and coordinate data could be expanded and made more robust.

The participation of all pole owners subject to Section 224 and attaching parties in any such database effort could be regulated and streamlined.

These databases should be easily searchable, identify the owner of each pole and should contain up-to-date records of attachments and make-ready work that has been performed.

For conduits and ducts, any database should note whether there is space available.

Whichever methods are used, data must be regularly updated, secure and accessible in order to further the FCC's efforts to ensure that broadband providers have efficient access to essential infrastructure information.