Broadband Communities

Before 2020, explaining why the US needed to invest in expanding high-speed internet infrastructure was not always easy. Lawmakers or community leaders often did not understand or could not justify spending money on what can often be an expensive venture. Fast forward to 2021, and the level of broadband-related federal funding is mindboggling – upward of $370 billion. Now that the infrastructure bill passed, that figure rises by billions of dollars more.

The explosion of the internet of things (IoT) is enabling communities across the globe to evolve into smart cities. Leveraging sensors, networks and data analysis, communities are addressing challenges in health care, energy, the workforce, public safety and many other sectors. But what’s behind the pulse of the smart city? Fiber infrastructure serves as the veins that support emerging applications, such as smart traffic sensors, connected vehicles and modern, cloud-connected medical devices.

The supply chain is a top concern for nearly every industry and has significantly impacted service provider fiber buildout. New funding and training programs offer hope that supply chain and labor issues won’t stall fiber rollouts forever. Vendors can alleviate the backlog by providing parts or supplies that can scale (up or down) rather than satisfy a small or niche application. This will help consolidate inventory and materials, reducing time to market and leading to fewer supply failure points.