As over $40 billion in funding for broadband infrastructure will soon be distributed throughout America, state and local governments will be seeking partners to build out networks to rural and far-flung communities.
Fortunately, cable ISPs have a decades-long track record of investing their own private capital to build robust broadband networks throughout the country.
What the Experts Say
Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Midco is one of the ISPs that has made its mark by connecting hundreds of communities throughout the Midwest. With a footprint that spans 490,000 homes and businesses across Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, Midco has the expertise and a successful track record of building infrastructure in rural areas.
When asked why government funding is critical to expanding broadband in rural America, Midco Chief Operating Officer Ben Dold pointed to the economics.
- “You’re having to bring fiber longer distances, you’re having longer drops from your network to the home and so through all that it increases the cost of it,” he noted.
- “But it’s essential that we continue that good work, because every resident regardless of where you live deserves access to high-quality, high-speed broadband and so that’s where a lot of the funding programs...are really enablers to that progress.”
If America is going to succeed on the important mission of connecting every community, it is vital to listen to the experts. Those with the track record and institutional knowledge of tackling these often-difficult builds are best suited to rise to the challenge. To learn more about rural broadband projects, visit ncta.com.