AGENDA TITLE:
title
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing City Manager to Execute Telecommunication Pole Attachment License Agreement with Race Communications, LLC of San Francisco (EU)
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MEETING DATE:
January 15, 2025
PREPARED BY:
Hasan Shahriar, Engineering & Operations Manager
recommendation
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a Telecommunication Pole Attachment License Agreement with Race Communications, LLC of San Francisco.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The use of the internet by the public increased significantly in recent years as streaming of video and audio became commonplace among users of household and wireless devices[SC1][MP2].
Race Communications, LLC (Race) utilizes fiber optic cable to provide reliable and high-speed internet and advanced communication at an affordable price. Working in partnership with the California Public Utilities Commission and many non-profit community advocacy groups, Race focuses on improving connectivity in communities that larger carriers have long ignored.
Race has thousands of miles of fiber network already built in various California locations, including Merced, Stanislaus, Kern, Tulare, Sutter, Mono, Butte, Colusa, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, and Los Angeles counties. Race proposes to extend their fiber optic service network to Lodi by attaching infrastructure to Lodi Electric Utility (LEU) owned poles. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandates rules governing pole attachment practices, including fair access to poles and setting standards for fees. State and local governments cannot take actions that effectively prohibit telecommunications deployment. Public utilities cannot deny access on a discriminatory basis but can deny pole attachments under specific circumstances like when there is insufficient capacity on the pole, safety concerns, reliability issues, or if the attachment would violate engineering standards.
LEU's process to...
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