Bridging the Digital Divide

Even as new public funding spouts for broadband deployment are turning on, other major challenges must be overcome before the Digital Divide can be closed—or at least significantly narrowed. Besides getting critical funding support, service providers must assemble the labor, materials, equipment, and contractors to build the new broadband networks. They must secure federal, state, regional, and/or local regulatory approvals to install the new networks and serve customers. And in many cases, they must work out agreements with utilities to share poles or other facilities. Most importantly, service providers must craft solid financial plans that support their goals of connecting unserved and underserved areas and making money. They must develop cost-effective strategies to recruit and retain subscribers on low or fixed budgets who have been tough for operators to attract. In other words, they must find realistic ways to close the Digital Divide without losing their shirts in the process. How much can telcos, cable operators, fiber providers, wireless operators, utilities, municipalities, and other broadband players leverage the wide array of public funding programs to close the Digital Divide? What kinds of networks are operators and vendors looking to build, adapt, and/or expand? What are the biggest challenges they face in wiring rural and other unserved regions, and how can they meet these challenges?