Ajit Pai tries to kill San Francisco’s attempt to spur broadband competition

The Federal Communications Commission will vote on whether to preempt a San Francisco city ordinance that was designed to promote broadband competition in multi-unit buildings. San Francisco's Article 52, approved in December 2016, lets Internet service providers use the existing wiring inside multi-unit residential and commercial properties even if the wiring is already used by another ISP that serves the building. San Francisco's Board of Supervisors and then-Mayor Ed Lee approved it in order to spur competition in multi-unit buildings where occupants often have only one option for Internet service. The ordinance only applies when the inside wiring belongs to the property owner. Under the rule, property owners who have outfitted their buildings with Internet wiring cannot deny access to ISPs, making it harder for them to strike exclusive deals with Internet providers. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's new proposal would preempt San Francisco's rule to the extent that it requires sharing of in-use wiring in multi-tenant buildings and complexes. Chairman Pai claimed that the city's rule "deters broadband deployment."