Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke's communications practice group represents and provides legal counseling to Tribes, municipalities and providers throughout the country on a broad range of communications matters, including cable television, common carriage, telephony, fiber optics and wireless technologies, with particular emphasis on issues pertaining to the deployment of state-of-the-art broadband networks. DWGP routinely represents clients before the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") in all phases of regulation and regulated transactions, including licensing, spectrum assignments and leasing, adjudication, rule making, and regulatory compliance, and has extensive experience in the financing, development and implementation of communications networks, including franchising, rights-of-way and pole attachment matters.
Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke provides a full range of legal services to telecommunications providers, regulators and users that includes:
- legal and business support for the financing, development, deployment and expansion of broadband fiber optic communications systems, with significant experience in municipal and utility affiliated broadband networks
- obtaining approvals from the FCC for Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) status
- negotiating and preparing agreements for telecommunications asset purchases, spectrum leases and indefeasible rights of use (IRU) agreements for fiber, including for the provision of smart grid applications
- obtaining approvals from the FCC for Special Temporary Authority
- advising municipalities and municipal electric utility clients on the application of new communications technologies
- advice, analysis and negotiation respecting cable television franchising, franchise renewal, rate regulation, implementation and enforcement of customer service standards, signal carriage, and related issues that arise under federal, state, and local laws
- providing advice, analysis and negotiation respecting pole attachment, conduit occupancy, rights-of-way use, private easement and building access agreements, and related environmental, permitting and performance bonding concerns
- advocacy before the FCC, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Congress, and state and local government bodies on the unique interests of municipal and utility affiliated and other competitive broadband communications providers
- representation of bidders in FCC auctions
Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke assists providers, regulators and users of communications services, including state and local governments, and municipal and cooperative utilities, with all of their communications regulatory and business needs.