[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 233 (Monday, December 6, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 68053-68054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31497]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Chapter I

[CC Docket No. 96-98; FCC 99-266]


Implementation of Local Competition Provisions of the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission analyzes petitioners' 
requests for reconsideration or clarification of the access 
requirements the Commission implemented pursuant to Section 224 of the 
Communications Act, as amended by the 1996 Telecommunications Act, 
including capacity expansion, the exercise of eminent domain, 
reservation of space, utilities' access obligations, worker 
qualifications, the timing and manner of notification of modifications, 
allocation of modification costs, and state certification of access 
regulation. The general requirements are designed to give parties 
flexibility to reach agreements on access to utility-controlled poles, 
ducts, conduits and rights-of-way, without the need for regulatory 
intervention.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Stevenson, Cable Services Bureau 
(202) 418-7200, TTY (202) 418-7172.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Commission's Order 
on Reconsideration in CC Docket No. 96-98, FCC 99-266, adopted October 
20, 1999, and released October 26, 1999. In the Order on 
Reconsideration, the Commission analyzes petitioners' requests for 
reconsideration or clarification of the access requirements contained 
in the First Report and Order (61 FR 45476-01), implemented pursuant to 
the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (61 FR 18311) and Section 224 of the 
Communications Act, as amended by the 1996 Telecommunications Act. The 
complete text of the Order on Reconsideration is available for 
inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC 
Reference Center, and may also be purchased from the Commission's copy 
contractor, International Transcription Service (``ITS, Inc.''), (202) 
857-3800, 1231 20th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036. In addition, the 
complete text of the Order on Reconsideration is available on the 
Internet at http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Orders/1999/fcc99266.txt.

Synopsis of the Order on Reconsideration

    1. Section 224 of the Communications Act, as amended by the 1996 
Act, imposes upon all utilities, including local exchange carriers 
(``LECs''), the duty to ``provide a cable television system or any 
telecommunications carrier with nondiscriminatory access to any pole, 
duct, conduit, or right-of-way owned or controlled by it.'' The Local 
Competition Order adopted general rules and guidelines regarding access 
to utility-controlled poles, ducts, conduits, and rights-of-way. The 
Order on Reconsideration analyzes petitioners' requests for 
reconsideration or clarification of the access requirements of the 
Local Competition Order.
    2. Key findings:
    Access to electric transmission facilities: Use of any utility 
pole, duct, conduit, or right-of-way for wire communications triggers 
access to all poles, ducts, conduits, and rights-of-way owned or 
controlled by a utility, including those not currently used for wire 
communications. To the extent an electric transmission facility is a 
`pole, duct, conduit or right-of-way,' the facility would be subject to 
the access provisions of section 224.
    Eminent domain: The right to exercise eminent domain is generally a 
matter of state law, exercised according to the varying limitations 
imposed by particular states. Neither the statute nor its legislative 
history offers convincing evidence that Congress intended for section 
224 to compel a utility to exercise eminent domain. Accordingly, the 
Order on Reconsideration finds that section 224 does not create a 
federal requirement that a utility be forced to exercise eminent domain 
on behalf of third party attachers.
    Capacity Expansion: The principle of nondiscrimination established 
by section 224(f)(1) requires a utility to take all reasonable steps to 
expand capacity to accommodate requests for attachment, just as it 
would expand capacity to meet its own needs. Before denying access 
based on a lack of capacity, a utility must explore potential 
accommodations in good faith with the party seeking access.
    Reservation of Space: Attaching parties may use a utility's reserve 
space until the utility has an actual need for the space. A utility may 
recover the reserved capacity for its own use, based upon its actual 
need for the reserved capacity. Capacity that is allocated or planned 
for emergency purposes in a utility's contingency plan should not be 
subject to the access obligations of reserved capacity in general. A 
utility may reserve capacity to carry core utility communications 
capacity that is essential to the proper operations of the utility 
system.
    Use of utility facilities for wire communications: Use of any 
utility pole, duct, conduit, or right-of-way for wire communications 
triggers access to all poles, ducts, conduits, and rights-of-way owned 
or controlled by the utility, including those not currently used for 
wire communications. In addition, internal communications are 
considered ``wire communications'' that trigger access obligations.
    Use of non-utility employees: While utilities may ensure that 
individuals who work in proximity to electric lines to perform pole 
attachments and related activities meet utility standards for the 
performance of such work, utilities may not dictate the identity of the 
workers who will perform the work itself.
    Notice of modifications: Under most circumstances, a utility should 
be able

[[Page 68054]]

to give 60-days' notice to attaching parties before facility 
modifications are undertaken, even in instances where a government or a 
government agency requires service to new customers in less that 60 
days.
    Allocation of costs: The statute does not require that an attaching 
entity receive compensation for modification costs it incurred that 
create excess rights-of-way that are later sold to other entrants by 
utility.
    State certification: States that have previously certified their 
regulation of rates, terms and conditions of pole attachments need not 
re-certify in order to assert their jurisdiction over access. However, 
if a state that has not previously certified its authority over rates, 
terms and conditions wishes to begin to assert such jurisdiction, 
including jurisdiction over access pursuant to section 224(f), the 
state must certify in order to assert jurisdiction.

Ordering Clauses

    3. Pursuant to sections 224, 251 and 303(r) of the Communications 
Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 224, 251 and 303(r), the Order on 
Reconsideration is Adopted.
    4. Pursuant to section 405 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, 47 U.S.C. 405, and section 1.106 of the Commission's rules, 47 
CFR. 1.106 (1995), that the petitions for reconsideration or 
clarification are Denied in Part and Granted in Part.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-31497 Filed 12-3-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P