We're building more middle mile but it's not affordable enough

The federal government has set aside $42 billion to connect last-mile communities and just under $1 billion for the middle mile networks that will provide the backbone to reach those unserved homes. But that's not enough money to cover the cost of building middle mile infrastructure, some say. The business case for building rural fiber, especially middle mile, “is not fantastic.” The problem is that in order for last-mile deployments to be successful, you need that reliable middle-mile backbone plus the additional circuits and fiber paths that come with it, said Nate Walowitz, regional broadband program director at the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments. Regional governments could lend a helping hand in making the middle-mile more affordable, he went on to say. Say two companies want to build a middle-mile network in the same region, “why can’t they work together?” That way, these middle-mile providers “each have a fair shot” and can gain access to each of the markets on the network’s path, thus being able to connect more unserved folks.