Breaking News

FCC Announces Two Decisions Impacting Competing Provider Access to Incumbent Provider Multi-Unit Premises (MTE/MDU) Building Wiring

June 1, 2007         

            The FCC has announced two decisions impacting service providers active in multi-unit premises buildings (commonly referred to in the telecom context as multiple tenant environments or MTE buildings, and in the video context as multiple dwelling unit or MDU buildings). 

            First, the FCC announced that competitive video services providers need not cut through sheet rock walls in order to connect their own wiring to existing incumbent provider distribution (“home run”) wiring for the provision of video service to building residences.  The Commission found that wiring behind sheet rock walls is “physically inaccessible” for the purposes of the inside wiring rules, just as it had previously done for wiring behind brick, cinder block and concrete walls.  Because of this holding, a competing service provider may simply connect its wiring at the first location outside the units where the home run wiring is immediately accessible, typically at the junction boxes located on each floor or in the basement of the building.  The practical impact of this holding is to make it much easier for competitors to seize incumbent provider home run wiring.

            Second, the FCC announced that it has granted a petition for declaratory ruling requested by Cox Oklahoma Telcom regarding access to telephone inside wire subloops in multi-unit buildings.  Specifically, the FCC declared that competing telephone companies must have access to the incumbent’s inside wire subloops at the terminal block in order to install service.  The inside wire subloop typically is used by competing telephone companies to connect to individual consumers in such buildings.  This ruling should facilitate access to incumbent local exchange carriers’ unbundled inside wire subloops by competing circuit-switched providers, but is unlikely to provide any benefit to cable operators that provide IP telephony over cable television facilities in MDU buildings. 

The texts of the rulings were not released with yesterday’s announcements, but we expect release within the next couple of weeks.  If you would like copies or to be notified when the texts are released, please let us know.  We would also be pleased to answer any questions you may have regarding this or any other MTE/MDU wiring or access issue.

                     

 

Other News