INCOMPAS welcomed the news Friday from FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel that the Commission will take action to finally open up apartment buildings, condos and other commercial multi-tenant buildings to more broadband competition, with hopes that the proposals will be bold enough to discourage commercial arrangements that result in monopoly lock ups that impact over 30% of American consumers.
“For far too long monopolies have locked out broadband competition and blocked faster speeds, lower prices and better service to a hundred million Americans who live in apartments and condo buildings. We are encouraged to hear that Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has taken action to move forward on an Order in the proceeding. We look forward to reviewing the details of the Order to ensure that more American consumers and businesses will have full access to broadband competition, which is their right under the law," said INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering.
“President Biden and former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai have championed this issue, and we look forward to working with Chairwoman Rosenworcel and the entire FCC to forge a bipartisan decision that will enable every customer to choose their broadband provider and will lead to more competition bringing faster speeds, better customer service, and lower prices.”
According to the FCC
news release, the Order and Declaratory Ruling would:
- Prohibit providers from entering into graduated revenue sharing agreements or exclusive revenue sharing agreements with a building owner.
- Require providers to disclose to tenants in plain language the existence of exclusive marketing arrangements that they have with building owners.
- End a practice that circumvents the FCC’s cable inside wiring rules by clarifying that existing FCC rules prohibit sale-and-leaseback arrangements that effectively block access to alternative providers.
