CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The Public Service Commission of West Virginia issued an order Tuesday concerning who must bear the cost of replacing poles used to carry broadband communications across the state.

The 2.5 million poles in West Virginia are owned primarily by power and telephone companies. This order deals with others who want to add attachments to those poles, in this case broadband.

This is part of the Commission’s efforts to accelerate the expansion of broadband communications.

Those pole companies, primarily electric utilities, cannot charge a third party the full cost when one of the poles must be replaced, the Commission said. “This means that companies with poles already slated for replacement – regardless of why – should not automatically saddle new attachers with th

See Full Page