Louisville, Kentucky, which is one of the cities that is currently under consideration to get the Google Fiber 1Gbps Internet service, is now facing a lawsuit from a competitor, AT&T. The company claims that Louisville’s city government exceeded its authority in changing laws that could make it easier for Google Fiber to be deployed.
The Louisville Metro Council passed an ordinance earlier in February that cut down the process of a competitive Internet service wanting access to the city’s utility poles from six months to just 30 days. It also gave those competitors the right to move the equipment operated by other carriers, but made the moving party libel for any damages.
40 percent of Louisville’s utility poles are actually owned by AT&T, and in their lawsuit that was filed on Thursday, the company said the city didn’t have the rights to make decisions on who can use their poles. Louisville Business First received a statement from an AT&T spokesperson:
“Louisville Metro Council’s recently passed ‘One Touch Make Ready’ Ordinance is invalid, as the city has no jurisdiction under federal or state law to regulate pole attachments. We have filed an action to challenge the ordinance as unlawful. Google can attach to AT&T’s poles once it enters into AT&T’s standard Commercial Licensing Agreement, as it has in other cities. This lawsuit is not about Google. It’s about the Louisville Metro Council exceeding its authority.”
This move will more than likely delay, or perhaps even cancel, any plans Google might have had for deploying Google Fiber in Louisville.
Source: Louisville Business First; Via: DSLReports
