Smart Partner for the Broadband Dance

[Commentary] What's "smart grid" technology have to do with rural broadband? Plenty. Smart grid data-flow between meters and utility companies has to move in real time across a highspeed wired or wireless network, and the physical network has to cover sizeable geographic areas. There are two options for moving this data back and forth: 1) those building the smart grids can build a data communication infrastructure, or 2) smart grid operators can share an infrastructure that someone else has built or plans to build. Though the cost is about the same with either option, it's more economical and faster for several parties to share an infrastructure.