NRECA has filed Reply Comments regarding the Federal Communications Commission's proposals around pole attachments. NRECA praised the Commission's efforts to “promote rapid broadband deployment," and encouraged pursuit of this goal “with a focus on protecting electric grid reliability and safety and ensuring that electric customers are not unduly burdened with broadband expansion costs." Although attachments to the distribution poles owned by NRECA's electric cooperative members are not regulated by the Commission, the issues raised are important to all pole owners. NRECA's Reply Comments support commonsense measures like timely installation after make-ready, removal of unused attachments and better planning by attachers.  NRECA opposed proposals that jeopardize safety or reliability, including one-touch make-ready in the power space, contractor onboarding shortcuts and limits on cost recovery.

NRECA's electric cooperative members serve the most rural, remote, and high-cost communities in America – many of which lack adequate broadband service. NRECA supports meaningful efforts to enhance broadband deployments and to remove barriers to full deployment without putting additional burdens on utility pole owners or jeopardizing electric grid reliability and safety.