Successfully bringing a broadband project to a rural community relies on careful planning and execution, according to a report from The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) that examines this ongoing process.
The deployments report was written by FRS — the philanthropic arm of the NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association — and JSI, a firm with experience in engineering, strategic planning, and other disciplines. It says that projects rely on well executed initial market analysis, creation of a solid business plan, appropriate engineering, and well-executed service delivery, maintenance, and ongoing upgrades.
Highlights of the report include:
Market analysis: Elements included are the number of addresses that could get service; how many and which competitors are in the area; what existing infrastructure exists; cost and benefits assessments; and what permits and rights-of-way must be obtained. Projects on Tribal Lands may have unique requirements.
Business Plan: Projects serving rural areas generally cost more per potential customer simply because of low population density and more challenging terrain. An important element — and a way to reduce costs — is savvy use of a variety of delivery technologies.
Engineering: This is a broad area that includes high-level design, staking (determining the most practical physical routes for cable and pedestal and other communications placements); project management; and construction management.
Service delivery, maintenance and upgrades: Service delivery starts with orders online, over the phone or in person and all the technology and techniques necessary to get the right service to customers. Maintenance involves monitoring the network for performance issues and finding problems before subscribers do. Upgrades are ongoing and continue after the system is launched and is serving its rural footprint. Each of these steps, of course, involves different technologies and expertise.
Labor also is a critical issue for deployments, the report said.
“Additionally, the ability to hire skilled contractors for tasks such as fiber installation, tower construction, and network testing may be limited due to high demand and a shortage of qualified labor in many regions. [This] makes it even more imperative for providers to plan for delays and actively manage both supply chain logistics and contractor relationships to ensure successful and timely project completion.”
It won’t be easy. A great number of projects relevant to the report — including the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) initiative — are starting to roll out.
Late last year, National Telecommunications and Information Association Senior Policy Adviser Will Arbuckle estimated that tens of thousands of broadband construction workers will be necessary to keep BEAD on time and at scale. Network designers, pole surveyors, locators, drill operators, general laborers, and fiber splicers are among those who will be needed.
Organizations are mounting initiatives, such as the Fiber Broadband Association’s Optical Telecom Installer Certification (OpTIC Path), that seek to confront the challenge. Last September, the organization announced the OpTIC Path Membership Bundle that combines OpTIC Path with FBA membership.
