NRTC’s Post

During the recent #BTRSummit hosted by Broadband Technology Report, AFL's Joshua Simer participated in the roundtable discussion, "FTTH: The Pathway to the Future, Now." In this clip, Josh covers some of the major factors to consider when planning a new #FTTH deployment, such as: ◾ The lifetime of the network ◾ Expandability and bandwidth for generations ◾ Flexibility to accommodate different types of connections ◾ Accessibility for repairs, expansion and new usage cases ◾ Sustainability in both installation and operation Watch it here! 📽️ https://bit.ly/3PRRlAg #WeAreAFL

Fiber is great when it makes sense but it will never cover every subscriber - even with the massive funding initiatives we've had in the last few years. WISPs can quickly deliver broadband to areas that would otherwise wait years for fiber. The Tier 2/3 ISPs of the future are going to be hybrid access - fiber where practical and FWA everywhere else. https://lnkd.in/g95JwVZp

As we continue to advocate, participate, and forge alliances; I believe we can steer government policy to better align with the growth and development of our region. I believe that. #governmentrelations

What a fibre community who has been tirelessly promoting ubiquitous, fully fiber-based connectivity across Europe for the last 20 years ! 👏 https://lnkd.in/etKWpMJx Inspiring opening speech from Raf Meersman, President of the FTTH Council: 1️⃣ Now 70%, back in 2004, only 1% of the European households (including our British neighbors) were passed ! The last 30% are maybe the most difficult to roll out, and may require as much as energy to be 100% passed. Let's join efforts to make it real before the end of the decade. ⌛ 2️⃣ Despite this impressive figure, only close to 35% of the households are connected. This is our second challenge. 🚀 3️⃣ Which is directly connected with the third ambition. Fiber is a powerful and significant technology to support Europe's vision towards carbon neutrality. 🌍 🌱 But only connected subcribers are fully unleashing the green power of fibre. And beyond that, our European fiber industry shall also lead the way in its decarbonization journey. Read more, learn more, act more, by joining the brand new FTTH Council Carbon footprint cooperative platform ! https://buff.ly/3PwMofd

This is great news! The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) has the potential to help communities like ours bridge the digital divide. One notable positive difference between TBCP and earlier programs is that it allows funding for first mile (submarine cable landing stations) and middle mile (regional backhaul) as well as last mile (fiber to the premises). That’s essential because there are many places – including the Quinault Indian Nation – where it is a lack of first and/or middle mile connectivity that creates the digital divide. Unfortunately, TBCP still uses the old FCC definition of “broadband” – 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload. Those speeds are insufficient for many modern applications – a fact recognized by the new funding programs (including BEAD) that require funded projects to deliver 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. https://bit.ly/3vRD3YC

Today, the Fiber Broadband Association, joined with ACA Connects and NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, released a letter encouraging the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to “stand its ground” in prioritizing fiber projects and maximizing the deployment.   “The NTIA’s BEAD program funding is a once-in-a-lifetime investment—we’ve got to get this right. History has taught us it is a mistake to avoid ambitious metrics. If we settle again it would be detrimental to Americans’ ability to connect to high-quality broadband,” said Gary Bolton, President and CEO at the Fiber Broadband Association. “Fiber remains the most reliable, high-performance broadband technology capable of supporting our bandwidth needs for decades to come. We encourage the NTIA and all states to carry out their mission to provide the necessary, critical broadband infrastructure to ensure every community can access broadband connectivity and every American can participate in today’s digital society.” Read the full letter here: https://lnkd.in/ewQggRZz

RDOF finally contributes to Broadband! No I am not saying the RDOF was a good plan or even a well executed program, but due to the numerous failures by the 'Awardees' it has forced the FCC to redefine what Broadband is - from a speed perspective. This is good for the industry and the carriers. So for the BEAD Last Mile it is now going to be measured at 100/20 for the funds award. While this is still not in alignment with the true needs of the population, it is finally gotten away from the really poor broadband speed definition. So what does this mean, well first BEAD is still going to allow wireless - not good. But it is indeed forcing the higher speeds which forces elimination of the substandard bandwidth product offerings. Eventually the FCC has to get committed to the new 'norm' within the population of symmetrical bandwidth offerings. But once the BEAD monies are improperly released (yes I have no faith in it being much better then RDOF) but at least it justifies the Rural ILECs to go to RUS Bank and get funds for upgrading their copper networks. So that is a win for the Rural Residents.

New asset by the FTTH Councils Global Alliance: today, we are pleased to introduce you to the brand-new FCGA Global Policy & Regulation Review, a comprehensive review emphasizing the critical role of global policies and regulations in shaping the trajectory of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) deployment across the globe. The study delves into various aspects of FTTH deployment, including legal and regulatory frameworks, deployment targets, funding and incentives, competition policy, infrastructure sharing, access to public assets, and streamlining permitting processes. The report offers a detailed analysis of the differing approaches taken by various regions, showcasing both commonalities and the unique challenges they face. Learn more and download the asset at this link: https://lnkd.in/g6qNFKHe

Omdia at Fiber Connect 2024. First, download "The Future of Broadband in the United States and Canada", by Omdia's Jaimie Lenderman and Alzbeta Fellenbaum. Next, see the sessions they are presenting onsite, AND then request a slot to meet with them at Fiber Connect 2024!

More grants have been awarded to multiple states to fund middle-mile connectivity, Fierce Telecom shares. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has given $50 million to four states which will result in over 500 miles of fiber laid across the country. New Hampshire, Tennessee, Virginia and Wyoming will benefit from this last round of funding, but dozens of other states have received middle-mile grants through previous rounds of funding. Middle-mile connectivity is greatly important to build up our country's digital infrastructure, and these grants will aid in providing a more connected future for all Americans. Read more about the grants here: https://lnkd.in/e546szRi #HarborLink #connectivity #fiber #digitalinfrastructure