Google Fiber wins vote in Nashville—next step, AT&T to sue city
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City that wants better Internet gears up for court battle against AT&T.
Jon Brodkin
The Nashville Metro Council last night
gave its final approval to an ordinance designed to help Google Fiber
accelerate deployment of high-speed Internet in the Tennessee city,
despite AT&T and Comcast lobbying against the measure. Google
Fiber's path isn't clear, however, as AT&T said weeks ago that it
would likely sue Nashville if it passes the ordinance. AT&T has
already sued Louisville, Kentucky over a similar ordinance designed to help Google Fiber.
The Nashville Council vote approved a "One
Touch Make Ready" ordinance that gives Google Fiber or other ISPs
quicker access to utility poles. The ordinance lets a single company
make all of the necessary wire adjustments on utility poles itself,
instead of having to wait for incumbent providers like AT&T and
Comcast to send work crews to move their own wires.
One Council member who opposed the ordinance asked AT&T and Comcast to put forth an alternative plan, but the council stuck with the original One Touch Make Ready proposal.
"It’s a great day for Nashville," Google Fiber said
in response to the vote. "This will allow new entrants like Google
Fiber to bring broadband to more Nashvillians efficiently, safely and
quickly."
The ordinance now heads to Mayor Megan Barry, who said she plans to sign it into law, The Tennessean reported last night.
But she is getting ready for a lawsuit. "Unfortunately, the likelihood
of protracted litigation could delay implementation of this law designed
to benefit Nashville’s consumers," she said, according to the report.
"That is why I encouraged fiber providers to work together on a solution
they could all agree upon, which they were not able to do. My hope now
is that any potential legal disputes over this new law can be resolved
quickly, and we can move forward with expanding fiber access throughout
the city.”
Google Fiber owner Alphabet offered to share the company's attorneys with Nashville to fight a lawsuit. AT&T said last month that it expected the ordinance's passage would "result in litigation."
AT&T and Comcast both expressed
disappointment in last night's vote. AT&T said the ordinance "is not
a good solution for faster deployment of infrastructure," while Comcast
said, "we thank the council members who were willing to take a deep
look at the risks associated with, and inaccuracies of ‘One Touch’ and
stand up for a better solution that is beneficial for all consumers."
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