Broadband Communities

Current levels of broadband deployment subsidies should be maintained or increased over the next five years, but policymakers will need to change the way these subsidies are distributed. The base for the Universal Service Fund needs to be broadened and made sustainable. Except in the most remote areas, the standard for publicly subsidized broadband networks should be set at 1 Gbps symmetrical or higher to ensure that public investments will be usable for a generation or longer.

The emerging model presents a scalable option for communities that lack the expertise or interest to operate networks or act as ISPs themselves but want to own and control the core communications assets in their communities as a means of securing the benefits of broadband internet. Here’s a look at the model’s business case, technical elements and risks.

Open-access networks could revolutionize the US broadband industry for consumers and for the municipalities in which they operate. When utilized to its maximum capacity, a fiber network can provide the backbone to economic development and improved quality of life for residents and deliver a full array of smart-city applications that enable a city to become more efficient, environmentally friendly, and desirable to prospective residents and businesses. Many cities want fiber networks to support smart-city applications.