Local power companies agreed to allow Google Fiber to use utility poles for fiber-optic network.
Eighty percent of Portland’s power, phone and cable TV lines run overhead on utility poles. Other cities, including Beaverton, run most of their utilities underground. Overhead lines are much cheaper to install because they use existing poles.
PGE and Pacific Power both say they reached agreements with Google Fiber in recent weeks but didn’t report terms of the agreement. PGE spokesman Steve Corson said Google Fiber has an umbrella agreement to access the utility poles, but will need to submit requests to use each individual pole, specifying the equipment it plans to install.
(READ MORE: Oregon Live)
