Open-access networks face challenges to get off the ground in the U.S., but with the right capital and legislative support, they can offer cost savings, improved customer service, and economic development opportunities.

The Fiber Broadband Association’s annual conference, Fiber Connect, held in Nashville in July, showcased many fiber community success stories and a variety of innovations that promise to expand fiber deployment. As one of the telecom industry’s first in-person trade shows since the pandemic began, it highlighted fiber’s role as the preferred way of delivering symmetrical broadband speeds, state and federal funding mechanisms, open-access, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks and pricing. It also brought to light how broadband newcomers, particularly municipal broadband providers, need to overcome political and lobbying challenges from incumbents and think tanks, and the significance of public-private partnerships.

Submarine cable networks can help address the challenges and opportunities in providing robust broadband in the Caribbean.

Could emerging fiber-to-the-home innovations such as 10 Gbps and 25 Gbps PON finally make copper-based coax cabling as antiquated as the Wright Flyer?

Fiber-dense applications such as 5G and FTTH require changes in the outside plant that can be solved with new gel sealing technology.

Students, teachers and parents see the value robust broadband can bring to education.

The annual, in-person event highlighted what could be the beginning of the biggest broadband investment cycle in the nation’s history bridging the gaping digital divide.

Congress seems likely to pass a national infrastructure bill that potentially could provide broadband connectivity to almost everyone. But watch the details, not just the money pile on the table. And act quickly! Easy money, public and private, won’t last forever.

The 2021 Broadband Communities Summit brings together industry luminaries to talk face-to-face about emerging trends, challenges and opportunities.

Adopting a system of record can enable service providers to save network deployment time and improve customer satisfaction and response times.

XR optics will offer fiber-to-the-home providers improved coherent-level capacity, reach and management performance with flexible deployment over point-to-point or point-to-multipoint and single- or dual-fiber architectures.

Connecting more parts of the world with affordable broadband will require collaboration between governments, businesses, service providers, telecom infrastructure companies and other players.

This technique is gaining popularity across the country because it costs much less than other deployment methods and can be done in days instead of weeks.

As broadband becomes a necessity, Broadband Communities’ Fiber-to-the-Home Top 100 winners are making big investment bets on expanding their FTTH network reach.

State and local governments can leverage $350 billion in federal funding to provide immediate relief and long-term support for U.S. veterans and military spouses.

Resolving broadband affordability and coverage issues for low-income families requires accurate, reliable data.

Communities seek to overcome the challenges of providing broadband to residents and businesses by leveraging federal funding and private capital, enabling risk sharing in the creation of networks powered by open-access infrastructure.

With the ability to be deployed more quickly than fiber at a possible lower cost – especially in rural, hard-to-reach areas – fixed wireless access offers service providers another tool to give more people access to internet connectivity.

The former FCC commissioner looks back at the legacy of the legislation.

The latest offerings from top broadband hardware and software suppliers, distributors and service providers

The event covered key issues for competitive broadband providers, including the homework gap, net neutrality, broadband mapping and the FCC’s RDOF reverse auction.

Access to quality data will make or break service providers financially as they work to provide high-performance broadband to communities in the post-pandemic world.

Chassis-based systems will end, new vendors will enter the market, and access networks will be the focus of innovation.

G.hn has emerged as competitive to fiber to the home because it now enables service providers to offer higher data rates by leveraging existing copper assets.

Data-driven insights reduce network downtime and repair costs.

ISPs can use autonomous technologies to help networks grow with companies as their business needs and markets change.

Findings from a survey of more than 120 state and local leaders confirm a need for investment in broadband infrastructure nationwide and a new approach to funding deployment.

Low-Earth-orbit satellites face various challenges meeting Rural Digital Opportunity Fund requirements.

The importance of seamless connectivity is amplified as broadband and intelligent-home needs rise.

Broadband remains the glue that holds the multifamily broadband industry together.

As the USDA prepares for a third round of about $600 million in ReConnect rural broadband grants, here’s a detailed look at the results of the first two rounds.

As the broadband industry looks to transform fiber to the home to fiber to everything, the advent of 25G has the potential to play a key role in connecting consumers, enterprises and cities and accelerating 5G.

5G may continue to grab headlines in 2021, but the telecom industry will be dominated by the edge and by automation, enabling service provider networks to adapt to shifting traffic and usage patterns.

A group of new innovations – including Wi-Fi 6, 6 GHz spectrum and Wi-Fi 7 – will open new opportunities for delivering and supporting Wi-Fi services over the next three years.

Augmented reality, reality capture, computer vision, and machine learning will automate data capture of physical broadband infrastructure for service providers.

Charlie Vogt, a telecom veteran who has led a mix of voice, video and optical vendors, took the reins of DZS in August. He aims to solidify the company’s position in fiber to the home (FTTH), 5G, smart homes, connected building/city solutions and software-defined networking.

The operational simplicity of capacity upgrades becomes increasingly important as bandwidth explodes.

A reflection on how networks coped with unprecedented challenges brought on by the pandemic, how it changed the way the industry thinks about connectivity, and how broadband networks can prepare for what’s next.

Because of COVID-19 facility closures, 50 million K–12 public school students have had to learn remotely from home.

Americans know how to design and build fast networks. Now we need to identify how to use them to make our lives better.

In its annual conference, which will be held virtually from December 14–16, 2020, the Fiber Broadband Association will bring together experts in all aspects of fiber to the home (FTTH).

This year’s event is our best ever – 30 sessions with more than 100 of the industry’s top experts plus plenty of opportunities to network and engage.

At the Broadband Communities Virtual Summit 2020, participants shared stories about finding new methods to extend broadband into underserved and unserved rural markets. Following are some highlights of conference sessions focused on the rural broadband market.

Electric cooperatives and investor-owned utilities are partnering with competitive providers and telcos to close the systemic rural broadband gap.

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.

A town may not be ready to take the plunge on building a network, but there are steps it can take to attract private investment.

MDU owners should conduct careful research before entering into new contracts with broadband service providers.

Investors have been needlessly spooked about new satellite technology. Individual satellites are cheap, but thousands must be deployed and periodically replaced. So satellites are competitive – and welcome – but only in limited situations.

The IT edge will play an important role in what 5G becomes and how it is optimized, but ownership of that edge remains an open question. The answer could be transformative for telcos and data center operators alike.

CenturyLink cites time to market and network speeds as the reasons to migrate to XGS-PON as the next evolution in its fiber-based broadband plan for consumers and business customers.

The city is the first in the nation to enable 911 staff to take and dispatch calls from home during the pandemic.

The partnership takes on Germany’s goals to nationally expand gigabit networks by 2025 and to expand fiber infrastructure in schools and local enterprises.

It’s actually cheaper to build in rural than in urban areas, and FTTH systems in rural areas can be profitable even with very few subscribers.

At the Broadband Communities Virtual Summit 2020, participants shared stories about how they are driving broadband into multifamily properties to enable higher speeds and provide a host of IoT services for residents and building owners. Following are some highlights of conference sessions focused on the multifamily market.

Private construction of multiple-dwelling-unit buildings is hitting a new record this year, with about 525,000 housing starts expected.

The pandemic has laid bare the critical importance of network infrastructure and the importance of the multifamily industry’s relationship with connectivity providers.

Gigabit services often bypass MDUs and home clusters because of the construction disruption and high cost of bringing fiber to each housing unit.

Emerging broadband technologies and smart devices have the potential to provide strong value for channel partners and their MDU customers.

New solutions promise faster installation of high-speed broadband in MDU buildings.

Service providers find new opportunities to build managed Wi-Fi networks that support voice, data and building-management applications.

The FCC’s support for mmWave wireless systems in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund gives rural operators another option to extend broadband services to more customers.

Service providers bidding on the FCC’s RDOF auction should consider the long-term cost variables of using fixed wireless or FTTH to extend broadband to rural areas.

Fixed wireless access is set to become a key driver in current and future 5G deployments, offering greater bandwidth and better spectral efficiency than LTE networks.

New research by the Fiber Broadband Association shows that all-fiber networks are much less expensive to operate than cable or copper networks.

COVID-19 is accelerating tech adoption in multifamily housing. Technologies that remain relevant post-pandemic will need strong connectivity, underscoring the importance of critical broadband infrastructure.

New research identifies tactics for connecting unserved communities.

The FCC’s upcoming RDOF auction, scheduled for October, will give rural communities a chance to bid on support for fiber-to-the-home networks.

Communities hoping to improve their broadband service have several different models to choose from. Here’s how to go about making the choice.

By defining goals, gathering data and asking the right questions, communities can develop broadband master plans that lay the groundwork for high-speed networks.

As the community overcomes its business-sector broadband challenges, it looks for ways to extend services to residents who have poor broadband access options.

UTOPIA Fiber is expanding through Utah and beyond, proving that fiber-to-the-home deployments can succeed even in small, rural towns.

Stacking subsidies may be the only way to get fiber to the home built in some of the most rural areas.

Bulk managed Wi-Fi must have airtight network security plans to protect multifamily owners and residents. Here’s what that takes.

The technology allows providers to engineer, provision and transfer capacity around networks via software control.

Fiber networks are susceptible to failure when damaged by extreme weather such as hurricanes, floods, fires, snowstorms and earthquakes. Disaster recovery plans that include proper procedures and tools are essential to keep networks functioning.

Service providers have a wide variety of last-mile optical PON platforms to converge multiple wireline consumer broadband, business and wireless services.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights how the U.S. broadband deficit remains a glaring and painful gap between haves and have-nots.

The pandemic sheds light on the gaps in online education today – and opportunities for improving it now and in the future.

Communications infrastructure has the power to help rural, underserved areas of the United States achieve greater success, but it means the broadband industry must ramp up its commitment to connect more of the country.

Speed, continuity, flexibility and creativity enabled the company to meet the challenges staff and customers face as COVID-19 changed the ways people live and work overnight.

As pandemic-related disruptions make the United States more dependent than ever on reliable broadband, FTTH deployers find ways to continue building out their networks.

Lisa R. Youngers, president and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, delivered this testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation in March.

Fiber-to-the-home leaders and innovators for 2020

New technologies, new funding programs, and the vastly expanded need for work-at-home broadband have trashed old business plans but made many new plans possible. Here are key strategies for deployers to consider, and ways to fund their dreams and to make necessary changes in federal rules on such issues as spectrum use and lien priority.

Fiber to the home proves its worth during the pandemic.

The latest offerings from top broadband hardware and software suppliers, distributors and service providers. 

The USDA’s ReConnect Program and the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund will help bridge the digital divide and drive the community broadband movement.

Although 5G will capture headlines, the fiber-based wireline network will serve a dominant role for supporting wireless traffic as well as providing high-bandwidth services to residential and business customers.

Automated open-access networks enable any number of independent service providers to lease capacity, so customers can choose different services at competitive prices.

A feasibility study can sometimes seem like a necessary evil, but it can be a major contributor to the long-term success of a community’s broadband project.

Fiber creates infrastructure and service options for community broadband installations.

NEXTGEN TV – the latest branding for ATSC 3.0 – has clear technical and moneymaking advantages over ATSC 1.0, the current standard for TV broadcasting and linear cable TV.

In its economic response to the coronavirus pandemic, Congress missed the chance to address the digital divide.

~ This article will appear in the March/April issue. ~

The Rural Utilities Service made good on its promise of world-class service. The first ReConnect grants and loans offer convincing proof that private investment could work in unserved and underserved areas, even though Wall Street shuns them.

From managed Wi-Fi to DOCSIS to fiber to the unit, service providers have various options to pursue a successful MDU bulk internet strategy.

The advent of 5G requires equipping network operators with the visibility they need to identify and manage service and operation issues across entire networks.

The CEO of a leading distributor reflects on the challenges network deployers face – and how distributors can help them meet those challenges.

Large incumbent telcos, independent telcos, cable operators and electric cooperatives set bold broadband plans for 2020.

NEXTGEN TV – the latest branding for ATSC 3.0 – has clear technical and moneymaking advantages over ATSC 1.0, the current standard for TV broadcasting and linear cable TV.

Blown fiber systems offer numerous advantages over traditional fiber systems, including reduced material and installation costs, fewer fiber connection points, simplified repair and maintenance, and a migration path for future applications.

People in rural areas simply can’t rely on the same fiber-rich, centralized split model that works in more densely populated areas. Distributed tap architectures may offer a solution.

5G, CBRS and Wi-Fi wireless services all have a place. Building owners and developers can choose one that best meets their specific needs.

Building out a 5G network will require a new set of network standards and operational methods. Operators should establish a set of best practices around planning, cost-to-revenue analysis, and architecture choices.

Service providers should look to their already deployed Wi-Fi networks to support emerging motion-sensing and smart-home monitoring services.

With school connectivity goals accomplished, the program prepares to end, leaving new programs in place to make sure the classroom gap stays closed.

Property owners need to incorporate smart-home technology into managing and upgrading their communities.

The rise of streaming doesn’t mean traditional pay TV is dead. With some creative strategies, it can even thrive.

National policy is muddled, contradictory and almost certainly more drastic than security needs require. But facts don’t really seem to matter these days.

Every community shouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel.

As communities build out fiber infrastructure, they will be able to address a host of service opportunities: residential broadband, wireless backhaul, wholesale dark fiber, and pathways for future networks.

Smart technologies have become must-have amenities for renters and an effective way for property owners and management companies to achieve operational savings.

As renters continue to acquire more connected devices, it’s clear that the role of network connectivity is changing the dynamics of the multifamily housing industry. New trends will be highlighted at the NMHC OPTECH Conference & Exposition this November.

In the growing Rochester (New York) market, the service provider is effectively overcoming build challenges and educating consumers about how its internet-only approach benefits the transition to over-the-top video services.

Residents’ need for speed, their demand for video service and their interest in other technology amenities may vary from market to market, but the MDU world still has its eternal verities.

Service providers are finding value in applying network automation to their transport networks. These new capabilities enable a host of services, such as 5G wireless, virtual reality (AR/VR), and the industrial internet of things – services that manual processes can’t support.

Weather, competition and operating costs are just a few reasons to switch – and the process may be easier than you think.

Fiber-to-the-home leaders and innovators for 2019

The 2019 edition of the Fiber Broadband Association’s annual conference, Fiber Connect, held in Orlando, Florida, in June, showcased many fiber community success stories and a variety of innovations that promise to expand fiber deployment. It highlighted how fiber can increase home values, why video is a competitive advantage for providers and new products and technologies that could transform the industry. It also brought to light the need to increase bandwidth and provide flexible service, permitting obstacles, and other challenges.

As high-bandwidth connectivity influences our lives in ever more important ways, making proper investments in communications infrastructure to stay ahead of demand also becomes ever more important.

This year’s FTTH Top 100 list reflects a healthy and growing fiber-to-the-home industry.

Service providers set the pace for 10G broadband and beyond.

An industry veteran takes a holistic look at drivers of broadband subscriber growth and the impacts of new broadband technologies.

The latest offerings from top broadband hardware and software suppliers, distributors and service providers. 

Building next-generation gigabit architecture and outstanding subscriber experience into today’s networks is a sound investment.

As electric utilities consider fiber network plays, well-thought-out designs will be key to their success. Here’s how Huntsville Utilities used value engineering to control fiber network construction costs and hone its plan.

Smart properties satisfy residents, reduce expenses and increase revenues – but they require robust networks.

Fiber, cable and wireless providers, along with electric cooperatives, have big plans for broadband in 2019.

A new technology standard proves capable of accelerating the rollout of gigabit broadband to more MDU residents, extending fiber broadband speeds.

Following these guidelines will help building owners provide spaces, pathways and cables that service providers can use to deliver fiber optic services.

A system architect of MDU technology amenity systems shares his views on the MDU market and the requirements for developers and owners to meet the needs of their residents.

Technology isn’t all that’s changing in multifamily wireless service. Today’s new business models are disruptive as well.

Only fiber to the premises can support the new knowledge economy.

Fiber-to-the-home leaders and innovators for 2018

When the economics of fiber to the home don’t work, fixed wireless may provide an acceptable alternative – and sometimes serve as a transition to an all-fiber network.

Technology offers options for communicating with residents and prospective residents efficiently and effectively.

Some trends gleaned from Broadband Communities’ 2018 Top 100 list

As the frequency and force of storms increase, network operators need to prepare for recovery of essential broadband service. Fiber is an important part of the equation.

Highlights of the 2018 Broadband Communities Summit held in May in Austin, Texas

What are the opportunities, roadblocks and future paths?

The Broadband Communities Summit brings together participants in the multifamily, rural, economic development, technology and policy worlds. This issue of the magazine has something for all of them.

The latest offerings from top broadband hardware and software suppliers, distributors and service providers.

A robust IP network delivers the services residents need.

Do you want to know how far you can suspend fiber? Or how tight you can bend it? Or what role it plays in the wireless world? CommScope’s Mike Cooper has the answers to these questions and more.

The latest offerings from top broadband hardware and software suppliers, distributors and service providers.

Technology, economics and political change are driving a very special Broadband Communities Summit this year.

Deployments of fiber to the home in North America reached record levels in 2017, and according to all indications, they will continue to increase in 2018.

Make purchasing broadband services a frictionless activity.

Bandwidth isn’t all the same. Make sure the circuit you purchase is appropriate for your community’s needs.

Economic development in rural areas depends on broadband access – but the FCC’s current initiatives won’t help.