Telecommunications - Broadband Access: Policy Issue

Overview

Telecommunications agreements are currently made between apartment owners and communication providers, operating in a free market that encourages competition and benefits consumers. 

NAA Position

Mandates similar to San Francisco and the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee's Model State Code interfere with private property rights and disrupt negotiations between property owners and communication service providers. Enacting such regulation harms broadband competition and encourages inefficient investment.

As an Owner or Operator, How Does this Affect My Business?

Potential government-mandated regulation has the ability to interfere with private property rights and effectively end contract negotiating power of owners and operators. Similar to an overly restrictive San Francisco law, Model State Code, passed through the FCC and can be adopted locally, grants all communication service providers the right to access and install facilities in new and renovated buildings at the apartment owner’s expense. This has the potential to cause a large financial burden to property owners, due to costs of compliance and without just compensation.

Contact Information

To learn more about this issue, please contact NAA's Government Affairs team.

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