With so many rules to consider for the upcoming Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program (and more continuing to develop), NTCA has been working closely with the Department of Commerce (DOC) and others on a proposed limited waiver dealing with the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA). Specifically, NTCA has offered some improvements to the DOC proposal, including comments on their proposal to waive BABAA compliance for non-optic-glass inputs for optical fiber and electronics except for certain equipment.
The DOC will soon publish a list of compliant equipment and manufacturers for the specifically identified electronics, and NTCA has been very supportive of this approach because it offers our members certainty that what they put in their networks off this list is compliant – and anything to eliminate uncertainty is a good thing.
However, there are still pieces that need work in the BABAA arena, including extending waiver periods, ensuring that "enclosures" are defined in a way that makes deployment doable and frankly just looking for any way to ensure that there are as few hoops as possible for small companies to have to jump through. Of course, we always support as much coordination as possible between government agencies as well.
That was a LONG way of explaining why I thought it was important to travel to Michigan right up against the NTCA 2023 Fall Conference to take part in an announcement with the DOC, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and other leaders as Calix, a leading provider of the cloud and software platforms, systems and services, unveiled their strategy for meeting BABAA requirements. Summer has been productive in seeing this work completed to ensure that the billions of federal dollars can actually be spent and deployed and that American consumers can be served.
I was able to board a plane to Detroit Thursday from Washington, D.C., with what seemed like the entire local University of Michigan alumni group heading out to watch the weekend's football game. I should have worn maize and blue if for no other reason than to fit in. Then it was a 90-minute drive past Detroit and up to Auburn Hills where the Jabil plant is located. Jabil is one of Calix’s partners in domestic manufacturing for optical network terminals and other equipment. Michigan drivers are somewhat renowned for their speed and weaving – combine that with a lot of construction and I was glad I had given myself plenty of time to get around the accidents along the way.
Being there gave me plenty of time to catch up with Carl Russo, the Calix founder and chairman, over hotel coffee as well as the rest of the Calix team. It was kind of the calm before the storm.
We then made our way to the Jabil plant where we had the opportunity to tour the facility where the Calix products are being produced. It was a pretty fascinating process, and I always find that I learn a great deal when I get the chance to roll up my sleeves and put my safety goggles on. We were joined on the tour by a few NTCA members who are Calix customers and a number of state policymakers, including the lieutenant governor, who is clearly very engaged in #InternetForAll. NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson also joined the fun with members of his team. He and I shared a joke that I see him more on the road (at the Corning plant in North Carolina and here in Michigan) than I do in Washington.
Now, as I watch a tropical storm (with wind speeds almost to hurricane level) possibly bearing down on the east coast, I remain hopeful that I can get home with at least a solid 15 hours under my belt to do laundry and turn my suitcase around for NTCA 2023 Fall Conference this weekend in Boston.
Still though, the time with industry friends and partners was well spent.