Broadband Forum, Fiber Broadband Association deal strives for ‘ubiquitous’ broadband delivery

The Broadband Forum is striving to better inform broadband providers of the work it’s doing in technical standards, with the help of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA). In July, the Broadband Forum and FBA partnered to focus on developing and educating the broadband industry on best practices. They said the agreement will also broaden support for “ubiquitous broadband service delivery.” What that means is leveraging a combination of technologies to close the digital divide—not just fiber—according to Broadband Forum’s VP of Strategic Marketing and Business Development, Craig Thomas. The other side of ubiquitous broadband service is broadening the customer base. “We’re building networks now with a path to be truly multi-service. So it’s meeting business needs, residential, community services, industrial internet-of-thing (IoT), even mobile backhaul,” Thomas said. He described the agreement with the FBA as a “good marriage” in that FBA is well-versed in advocacy and can help “bring other partners in,” while Broadband Forum is “great at teaching where the technology is going.”