Joey Garrison, and Jamie McGee

The Tennessean

Internet providers Comcast, AT&T and Google were unable to reach an agreement concerning Metro’s pole attachment processes and broadband internet deployment in Nashville after a full day of negotiations led by Mayor Megan Barry's office.

The three corporations, each represented by several top officials, met at Metro Courthouse Wednesday with Nashville Electric Service officials and Metro attorney Jon Cooper to find a resolution surrounding delays with internet installation. Talks were spurred by Google Fiber’s ongoing attempt to pass an ordinance dubbed "One Touch Make Ready" — opposed by AT&T and Comcast — that would reduce barriers slowing the rollout of its internet service.

But by the end of Wednesday's outing, sides could not agree on a fundamental question — whether to pursue legislation or other potential methods.

Comcast has favored a non-legislative approach, and the company stood firm on that request during Wednesday’s summit. Meanwhile, Google Fiber on Wednesday rejected the idea of punting consideration of the ordinance to December or early 2017.

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"We’re disappointed that a compromise could not be reached at the meeting today,” Rich Riebeling, the mayor's chief operating officer, said in a statement. "While there was some positive progress to work on issues related to the speed at which fiber is rolled out in Nashville, there appears to be a philosophical disagreement between the parties about the need for and nature of legislation that would address the make ready process.

"Regardless of any legislation or litigation that may occur as a result of efforts to address the differences between the companies, the mayor’s office will continue to work with NES, Public Works, and all fiber providers to find improvements to the fiber deployment process that will ensure high-quality, high-speed internet service is available in all neighborhoods throughout Davidson County."

The One Touch Make Ready ordinance, backed by Google Fiber and formally sponsored by Metro Councilman Anthony Davis, would allow a company to hire a vetted contractor to move all the lines on a pole. As it stands, each existing provider on a utility pole must make a pole ready for a new line, a process that takes several months per provider. But Comcast and AT&T oppose the proposal, which also faces legal questions.

Comcast and AT&T have argued the One Touch Make Ready proposal would lead to safety issues, disrupt services and end up being less efficient. AT&T has also said its union contracts would be violated, should the ordinance pass. It has filed a lawsuit against Louisville, Ky., concerning similar legislation passed.

In a statement, Amol Naik, head of external fairs of Google Fiber’s southeast operations, thanked Barry, her staff and NES for their time and said the company came into the meeting “in good faith.”

“Improving Nashville's make-ready construction process is the key enabler for Nashville’s access to a faster Internet,” Naik said. “We continue to support Councilman Davis’ proposal for a 21st century framework, which will allow new entrants like Google Fiber to bring broadband to more Nashvillians efficiently, safely and quickly.”

Comcast Director of Public Relations Sara Jo Walker said that Comcast "came to the meeting today in a collaborative spirit with several proposals to improve the process for deploying broadband in Nashville and they were well received. We remain committed to coming to a multiparty agreement to advance broadband deployment in Nashville."

AT&T Tennessee President Joelle Phillips said she was frustrated by the lack of progress and that the meeting revealed Google "often overstates" delays on AT&T's behalf.

"Comcast, AT&T, NES and members of the Mayor's administration identified and committed to several specific proposals that would help all companies who are serious about investing and deploying broadband in Nashville," she said in an emailed statement. "We are willing to continue talking and working together. That's the way business in Nashville ordinarily makes progress."

Last week, the Metro Council, deferred the ordinance for second reading to Sept. 6 to allow time for the stakeholders to come together and address both NES permitting and make-ready delays.

As part of talks, Comcast has complained about delays from NES which have slowed its own service expansions. Permit approval can take as long as 90 to 100 days for Comcast. Davis has said that Google has worked out an agreement with NES so that it doesn’t experience such delays. AT&T declined to share what typical time frames are with NES permits but said it does not experience “undue delays.”

Google, which has begun service to six apartment buildings in the Gulch and to Edgehill Apartments, has said if the ordinance fails, it will affect its ability to expand in Nashville. A Google official said the worst case scenario is that Google Fiber in Nashville “ceases to happen." The company has halted its fiber rollout in other cities as it considers wireless technology options, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236 and on Twitter @joeygarrison. Reach Jamie McGee at 615-259-8071 and on Twitter @JamieMcGee_.