2021 Rural Telecommunications Benchmark Study

The 2021 BKD Rural Telecommunications Benchmark Study is unique in that it has data from 170 rural telecommunications companies in 18 states. Every year the BKD study provides an in-depth look at how the rural telecommunications industry has performed. This year we look at the impact of 20 years of broadband services. The biggest takeaways from the 2021 Rural Telecommunications Benchmark Study are:

• Twenty years after the rollout of broadband services, internet revenues continue to provide growth opportunities to the rural telecommunications industry
• Companies electing the form of regulation ACAM I and ACAM II have benefited financially in the short term from the election
• Rural companies are financially strong
• Even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased competition, and regulatory and legislative uncertainty, the rural telecommunications industry has succeeded in the growth of broadband services, revenues, and operating income