On April 13, 2017, the Texas Public Utilities Commission will hear oral arguments on the issue whether companies with certificates of public convenience and necessity from the Commission may place their facilities in local rights-of-way and provide wireline backhaul and Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) service without additional local authority or the obligation to pay fees.   DAS providers say “yes” while local governments contend that such companies must negotiate separate license agreements and fees with individual cities to access their rights of way.  The Commission will be considering the recommendation of two Texas administrative law judges to side with the companies.
Continue Reading ExteNet v City of Houston: Who pays for access to Texas rights-of-way?