For Immediate Release
Contact: Lauren Gaydos, 703-351-2015, [email protected]
Arlington, Va., (December 10, 2020)—NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association today released the “2020 Broadband/Internet Availability Survey Report,” showing how small, independent providers have continued to deploy fiber-to-the-premise connections and offer increasingly faster internet speeds to rural Americans.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of strong, sustainable and dependable broadband access,” said NTCA Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield. “Throughout this year, NTCA members have risen to the challenge to keep rural Americans connected at faster speeds than ever before and to connect many more.
“Our 2020 survey shows just how committed NTCA members are to expanding fiber networks to more homes, businesses and anchor institutions like schools, libraries and health care providers—and to upgrading upstream and downstream connections that allow not just for watching your favorite show but also remote learning, connecting via VPN to work or consulting with a doctor many miles away. Particularly at this time when connectivity is so critical, these fiber connections provide the most reliable and proven platform for people to do all of the things needed to go on with their lives. In fact, this survey confirms that, even during the current crisis, NTCA member networks have withstood the strains as people are using broadband more and in different ways from different places.
“At the same time, challenges remain as customers experience harder economic times and are unable to pay for their voice and broadband services. The survey highlights both the need to help sustain these networks and services for the benefit of rural consumers and the need to finish the job in reaching those rural Americans still lacking access to high-speed broadband.”
Significant results of this year’s survey include:
- NTCA members are expanding fiber deployment and increasing internet speeds. Responses indicate nearly 70% of NTCA member customers are connected via fiber, up from 58% in 2018. In addition, 68% of NTCA member customers can receive downstream speeds greater than 100 Mbps, and 80% can receive downstream speeds greater than 25 Mbps, up from 57% and 70% in 2018, respectively. Just under half (45%) of customers have access to 1 Gbps or higher downstream broadband speed, a metric that has nearly doubled in just two years (23.4% in 2018).
- Barriers persist in advancing and sustaining rural broadband in rural America. When asked about barriers to even more widespread fiber deployment, nearly 90% of members cited cost as the highest barrier, and more than a quarter also cited fiber order fulfillment delays—a substantial increase over pre-pandemic survey responses.
- NTCA members continue to provide critically important broadband service to “anchor institutions” in their communities. Survey respondents indicate robust levels of reliable fixed broadband service to all the public libraries, community colleges, state universities and extensions, 911 call centers, hospitals and medical clinics in their communities, as well as nearly all primary/secondary schools and public safety entities.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has affected providers’ ongoing operations. Four in ten respondents indicated increases both in customers failing to pay their bills and supply chain delays over the course of the pandemic.
The survey was completed in August 2020 by 32.9% of NTCA members. The average service area identified by respondents is over 2,000 square miles. The survey comprised general questions about the respondents’ current operations, competition, marketing efforts and current and planned fiber deployment. The full report is available online.