Remarks Of Jay Schwarz, Wireline Advisor To FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, At The 2018 Utilities Broadband Workshop Of The Utilities Technology Council

Utilities—who are already everywhere; who have already connected this nation once with electricity—have an important role to play in the coming connected future.  I’m here today because we are every bit as excited about the prospect of utilities building out broadband networks. Utilities are ideally positioned to get more involved in the broadband game. For starters, utilities have something much more powerful than SpaceX’s 23-story-tall jumbo rockets. Utilities have poles. Utilities already own much of the infrastructure. And they already have access to the rights of way.  So how might the Federal Communications Commission and utilities partner together? Let me highlight two ways. First, we have already been collaborating on removing regulatory barriers to network deployment. The Commission formed what we call our Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee. Second, the Commission’s upcoming Connect America Fund Phase II auction should be an excellent opportunity for rural utilities to help bring broadband to their areas.