Infrastructure

The three-year anniversary of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is fast approaching. Zero households have been connected through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, IIJA’s signature $42.5B broadband program that aims to bring universal internet service to all Americans. While all infrastructure programs take years to implement, BEAD’s pace has led to increased congressional scrutiny of the program. Whether or not the BEAD program is off track is a point of contention amongst stakeholders.

Brightspeed is on a big mission to deploy more fiber, currently passing about 90,000 new premises per month with fiber. But it is also retiring copper on a home-by-home basis for customers who are experiencing service problems.

Race Communications secured more than $500 million in additional capital to accelerate the expansion of its fiber network across the state. This capital raise includes $375 million in equity from Oak Hill Capital, the existing majority investor, and its limited partners. The funding also features incremental debt financing from existing lender AB Private Credit Investors, who will also be participating in the equity round.

Verizon's $20 billion move to acquire Frontier Communications as part of an effort to expand and scale its convergence strategy is considered a compliment at Comcast. "That's validation of what we're doing.

FarrPoint's International Digital Connectivity Readiness Index (DCRI) measures performance in both digital infrastructure and digital adoption. Overall, the United States ranks joint 2nd in the G7 for Digital Connectivity Readiness. The US ranks 6th in digital infrastructure, leading in 4G and 5G but struggling with broadband and Gigabit coverage. On adoption, it ranks 3rd, excelling in the Digital Economy, innovation and public services but facing challenges with Digital Skills, Security, and affordability. However, the US faces challenges in other aspects of digital adoption.

If the proposed recombination of Windstream and Uniti is completed, the combined company could win Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding for fiber builds to 500,000 locations. Windstream has a strong focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, where locations are most likely to be eligible for BEAD funding. The company also may have a cost advantage in comparison with other companies that might want to bid for BEAD funding to serve the same locations. The company has been touting its comparatively low average fiber deployment cost of $650 per passing.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved New Jersey’s Initial Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative.  The BEAD program is a $42.45 billion state grant program authorized by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. New Jersey was allocated over $263 million to deploy or upgrade high-speed Internet networks to ensure that everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet service.  

The Federal Communications Commission approved additional requests from five service providers for extensions to complete the process of ripping and replacing network gear from Huawei and ZTE.

In regards to the newly announced Verizon and Frontier deal, Verizon Consumer Group CEO Sowmyanarayn Sampath said, “This is exactly the kind of deal we’ve wanted to do. It goes back to the foundation of our strategy," he said. "There are two businesses we are in: premium mobility and broadband.

After the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law in 2021, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) was tasked with the creation of an Internet for All plan that will work to close the digital divide for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, expanding high-speed internet access and digital equity programming across the state. MBI plans to accomplish these tandem goals include its Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program Initial Proposals Volume 1 and 2, as well as the State Digital Equity Plan.