USTelecom Defends 2020 Dark Fiber Order

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2024 – An association of broadband technology innovators is defending a federal order designed to deny dark fiber to local providers after the order faced opposition.

The Unbundling Modernization Order, introduced by the Federal Communications Commission in 2020, was engineered to limit competitive broadband providers’ access to the infrastructure of incumbent local exchange carriers, such as AT&T and Verizon.

The order has recently been the subject of debate by the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, which noted that competition without access to certain rivals’ dark fiber is impractical in an Oct. 9 filing with the FCC.