Bringing Broadband to Your Community: A Guide for Municipalities
According to the most recent Census of Governments report from 2022, the Census Bureau counted more than 35,000 township and municipal governments in the United States. For many, broadband access is not a question to solve, as large service providers have provided ample options for members of the community to participate in the digital landscape. For those in more rural areas, needs exist for communities to become digitally relevant in order to take advantage of basic necessities like educational opportunities, telehealth and providing an attractive place to live so businesses can have a labor force for the local economy.
If a municipality finds itself servicing a community that doesn’t have broadband access, it should consider where it fits into the equation of facilitating and providing that service. This process generally begins with a feasibility study of some sort, with an outside consultant experienced in broadband deployment working with the municipality to understand key details relative to the success of a project. During this process, a municipality will learn the total cost of building and operating a network, as well as an estimated payback on their investment relative to an anticipated “take rate” of subscribers. For more information on conducting feasibility studies and understanding the steps involved in broadband deployment, AFL can connect you with specialized consultants who provide this service and are experienced in assessing broadband project viability.
Should a feasibility study come back favorably, meaning the payback on the networks is palatable for the investment, moving forward with a project could be an easy decision. Often, it’s not quite that simple. After all, if it was, a larger service provider would have already provided this service in many cases.
What will more likely be the case is a payback that leaves some type of financial gap in making the project feasible to move forward. As this is the case across the nation, there are a number of funding sources to consider. Receiving the lion share of the attention is the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment funding program, which was established through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress during the Biden-Harris administration. There are also numerous avenues for state and local funding as well.
The best source of information for how to potentially fund a project is by contacting your State Broadband Office. Additional ways to evaluate funding and tap into additional opportunities would include continuing to engage the consultant that provided your feasibility study and consider working with them as a project integrator. While not all consultants take this on, there are many who do. They work with municipalities to provide turnkey options for engineering, funding, material management and other services. Should you be interested in exploring this further, AFL is ready to connect you with reputable companies across the U.S. with whom we’ve successfully partnered.
If we learned anything during the COVID-19 season, it was that access to high-speed internet has become a utility, and not a luxury. As a municipality, you can play a part in making sure your community has this covered. With AFL’s four decades of industry experience, deep expertise and in-depth knowledge of broadband deployment, we are well-equipped to help you determine if a broadband project is the right fit for your community.
Our team is ready to guide you through each step of the process, from feasibility studies to funding and implementation and ensuring your community has the resources it needs to thrive. Visit our Connecting America webpage or reach out to us at ConnectingAmerica@aflglobal.com to for more information!