By Steven Allen Adams, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has the federal money for broadband expansion.
The applications are in from internet service providers to begin running fiber lines to areas of the state either unserved or underserved by high-speed internet. But rules for installing those fiber lines quickly on poles owned by utilities are still being developed.
A task force formed by the West Virginia Public Service Commission met for the first time last week to begin discussions between internet service providers and owners of utility poles to work out issues as the state works to expand fiber broadband.
The PSC issued an order in August initiating a general investigation and forming a task force to look at making changes to rules governing pole attachments and dispute resolution processes between internet service providers (ISPs) and utility pole owners – usually power or telecommunication companies.
The task force is also charged with reviewing how pole inspection reports are shared between pole owners and the contractors who will install the fiber as pole attachments, as well as requiring pole owners to provide periodic reporting to the PSC on compliance with its rules.
