Underground Construction - December 2021 - 30

INSIDEINFRASTRUCTURE
EDITOR'S NOTE
Eben Wyman is a veteran advocate
for key underground utility and
pipeline associations. He points out
that maintaining an effective
advocacy program is fundamental
to the success of any organization
interested in the happenings of the
federal government. Zack Perconti
is an associate with the firm.
Together, they will produce a bi-monthly article for Underground
Construction providing keen insight related to laws, rules and
regulations that directly impact the underground infrastructure markets.
The Power & Communication Contractors Association (PCCA)
has long advocated for broadband policy that requires or strongly
encourages the use of fiber optic systems to effectively deploy
broadband to all parts of the country.
Federal policy should encourage use of the only material
available that can provide broadband service capable of meeting
current and future demand, by replacing antiquated systems with
contemporary fiber networks. At a time when lawmakers pursue
" technology-neutral " approaches to broadband deployment,
the best way to encourage installation of fiber systems is by
advocating policy that requires high upload and download speeds
as a condition of receiving federal broadband dollars.
Inadequate speed
Federal and state policymakers continue to establish and
fund programs intended to accelerate broadband deployment,
especially in rural parts of the country. Programs overseen by
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), such as the
Universal Service Fund and, more recently, the Rural Digital
Connectivity Fund, have dumped tens of billions of dollars into
the broadband market. These monies offer federal funding to
carriers who commit to providing broadband service in " highcost
areas, " where low populations do not provide a business
case for carriers to build out broadband infrastructure. Federal
funding helps incentivize carriers to launch broadband projects
in these areas, mostly in Rural America.
The problem is that the current target speeds - 25 Megabits
per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload - maintained by
the FCC are entirely insufficient. In fact, when the FCC increased
its target speeds from 10/1 Mbps to 25/3 Mbps, PCCA informed
30 DECEMBER 2021 | UCONonline.com
Eben Wyman | Wyman Associates
Demand for Broadband Supports Need
for Fiber Optic Systems
the commission that the new threshold was already obsolete.
Rising demand warrants that the FCC require carriers to provide
100/100 Mbps for both download and upload speeds, otherwise
known as " 100/100 symmetrical. "
Policy that allows for simple repair and refurbishment
of antiquated copper systems serves as little more than a
" Band-Aid, " putting off the repair or replacement work for
only a few years. A Band-Aid approach actually perpetuates
the underlying problem. Federal funding programs' low speed
thresholds give carriers an " out " by allowing them to improve
existing copper systems just enough to provide the minimum
speeds needed to secure the funding.
Other associations representing rural broadband carriers have
embraced and echoed the call for using fiber optic technology and
educating on how fiber systems actually enable the development
and use of wireless technology. A popular buzz phrase in the
community is the need for " future-proof " broadband systems,
meaning infrastructure that will not need to be upgraded in a
short time to meet rising demand.
The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the need for reliable
broadband. Closure of hospitals, schools, and other fundamental
institutions highlighted the need to keep America connected.
When the country was practicing physical distancing and
avoiding in-person conversations, access to broadband service
truly became a national priority. High-speed internet is clearly
no longer a convenience. Communities across America - large
and small, urban and rural - are clamoring for better broadband
service, not because they enjoy it, but because they need it.
Overwhelming workload
On Nov. 5, the House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which sent the measure to the
president's desk to be signed into law. IIJA will authorize hundreds
of billions of dollars for subsurface infrastructure improvements,
including some $65 billion for broadband, more than $42 billion of
which is dedicated to construction of broadband infrastructure.
Requiring speeds of 100/100 Mbps would provide broadband
systems that are as " future-proof " as possible. In the end, IIJA
required 25/3 Mbps for " unserved " locations and 100/20 Mbps
for " underserved " locations. While this is a big step in the right
direction, it does not adequately address the need for higher
upload speeds. Telemedicine, virtual classrooms, and virtual
meetings are part of the " new normal " in a post-pandemic world,
and all will require solid upload speeds.
Broadband contractors often ask what seems to be a simple
question about the most effective way to fund broadband
projects: why don't we get it right and provide for future-proof
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Underground Construction - December 2021

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