NTCA has been wildly focused over the course of the past few years on how to encourage policymakers to think with a hand in the present but an eye toward the future. Easier said than done in a town where every technology and every interest has their own advocacy team and their own political champions. As we have watched Congress move closer to an infrastructure deal, it is clear that the knives are sharpening around possible funding for broadband deployment, and while all technologies for ubiquitous access will certainly need to be part of the “toolkit,” if we are truly committed as a country to ensuring connectivity into the future for all Americans, I think many providers have set the bar far too low when we are talking about a “once-in-a-generation” investment opportunity. It’s “Fiber or Bust” as far as I am concerned, where it is physically possible. As we watch the other portions of infrastructure discussions in transportation, electricity, and water, no one is talking about short-cutting or being short-sighted in those arenas so why do some think it’s okay to aim low when it comes to broadband? An infrastructure package is a chance to be bold and build something for a generation - not to fill potholes with patches.
That is why this week had impeccable timing with the convergence of some key congressional agreements on a broadband/infrastructure framework at the same time I had the opportunity to share some of NTCA’s thoughts at the Fiber Broadband Association’s Fiber Connect event in Nashville. Not only was this meeting one of the first large industry meetings since Covid, but it was also hosted at the Gaylord in Nashville were NTCA will gather with a similar sized crowd in less than two months, so it was a great chance to scope out what might be some post-pandemic (hopefully post?) hospitality challenges when everyone is struggling with similar staffing challenges. It was almost surreal entering a convention space, doing touchless registration, seeing wonderfully familiar faces and going through a new ritual of “to hug or not to hug.”
Gary Bolton, CEO of FBA invited me to join him and Matt Polka, CEO of ACA to compare notes from the center stage on the current state of the industry. From sharing how NTCA members’ networks were impacted during the COVID emergency, their post-COVID business plans, supply chain challenges, the future of video, the adoption of the EBB program, and the role of government in bridging the many digital divides in this country (affordability, access, rural vs urban, etc.) - nothing was off the table, and we all did our best to talk as quickly as possible in that 45-minute session! I enjoyed sharing with the larger audience the success that NTCA members have had during the pandemic (silver lining through a difficult time, indeed) given how these community-based providers have already been striving to build future-proof networks.
Per our most recent broadband survey, 70 percent of NTCA member customer had access to fiber to the premises (FTTP) in 2020 - which made it possible for our member companies to easily scale up their services when demand increased. That demand for higher upstream speeds, capacity and reliability were also on the table and the challenge was met with the fiber that NTCA members have been working 24/7 to put into the ground as quickly as the supply chain lags are allowing. In addition, fiber is the best investment as well when it comes to sustainability and efficiency because it has a lower 30-year cost of ownership, fewer truck rolls, lower maintenance and a greater revenue potential when compared to other technologies. Win-win-win! However, that has not stopped those providers who do not have fiber investments, those who don’t want to have to make fiber investments in their rural markets, and those who are looking to promote fixed wireless as the answer to those unserved and underserved, from making their case to Capitol Hill as this week has seen the framework of an infrastructure deal come together. Maybe that is why it was particularly nice to be in an industry crowd that was also bullish on fiber investments. We were all singing the same tune!
Fiber infrastructure is central to America’s broadband future. National broadband goals - including higher performance services, real-time applications, smart communities, precision agriculture, 5G superiority, and better access to healthcare and education will NOT be achieved without a strong foundation of fiber connectivity.
As I have noted before, if we have learned nothing from these past 18 months, we should have at least learned that connections matter, that broadband matters, that speed and capacity are important and that symmetrical speeds are the new baseline for working, learning and growing the economy - from wherever we might be. Relegating rural Americans to second class service and investments? That sets a low bar indeed.
I cannot wait to see our NTCA broadband providers and Associate Member community in Nashville in the weeks ahead. I am also hoping that folks stay safe and well so that we’ll be able to gather safely. It’s another reason why we have kicked off our “Get A Shot, Win A Shot” contest where I will buy at least the first round…. likely the second as well for the winners of our challenge asking how NTCA members are promoting the COVID-19 vaccine at their companies. Share your story on social media with the hashtag #NTCACares. #It’sWorthAShot
