The last few yards now have emerged as a central issue. Senior FCC officials see rooftops as the new bottleneck to competition, along with internal wiring and the phone closets that hold the circuitry. The commission's proposed rules would force landlords to provide access at negotiated rates. Texas and Connecticut already have adopted such rules and California is considering a measure. As real estate interests see it, the rules strike at their basic right to wring dollars from properties.
Utility companies have sprouted telecom ventures using their rights of way, they argue.
Auto manufacturers are moving to build wireless Internet links into cars. The competitive marketplace is working just fine. But the rules are generally supported by most local carriers who compete with the Bell companies, noting that the former local monopolies enjoy building access for free. In filings to the FCC, the Association of Local Telecommunications Services, which lobbies on behalf of such carriers, claims that landlords often seek exorbitant lease fees or simply deny access. They dicker over the rent and demand clauses protecting them from lawsuits.