A tentative agreement was
recently reached on a $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Framework which includes $65
billion in broadband investment. It’s the latest federal funding initiative
looking to bolster the availability of high-speed Internet access to homes and
more rural areas of the U.S.
Now, consider this funding on top of some of the announcements
about building fiber in 2022 summarized in a recent blog post The Fiber Expansion Craze from CCG Consulting:
·
RDOF fiber construction probably starts next year.
·
It’s anticipated that much of the $10 billion earmarked for
broadband in the ARPA plan will end up as fiber construction over the next two
years. It’s also expected that some cities and counties will use some of the
$350 billion in ARPA funds to build fiber.
·
The new NTIA grants expect fiber networks to be built in one year.
·
There are also beefed-up grant programs at USDA and EDA that will
start next year.
·
Verizon is in the midst of a many-year fiber buildout to pass 25
million homes by 2025 with fiber to support its Verizon Home fiber-to-the-curb
service.
·
AT&T announced it’s going to pass 3 million new homes and
businesses this year and 2 million homes next year with fiber, to add to the
14.5 million already passed.
·
Altice has announced plans to upgrade 500,000 passings from HFC to
fiber this year.
·
Frontier announced as it was coming out of bankruptcy that it plans
to pass 495,000 homes with fiber this year.
·
CenturyLink is planning on passing at least 400,000 premises with
fiber this year plus the company is still expanding its middle-mile fiber
network.
·
Consolidated Communications plans on passing 300,000 homes with
fiber this year.
·
Windstream plans to add several hundred thousand fiber passing
this year.
·
Numerous smaller telcos like Ziply, TDS, and Cincinnati Bell have
aggressive fiber expansion plans.
·
Numerous fiber projects from the CAF II reverse auction are now
under construction.
·
Smaller telcos are continuing to build fiber under the ACAM
program.
·
Dozens of electric cooperatives are building FTTP.
·
Numerous ReConnect grant projects from the past several years are
now under construction.
·
State grants have funded significant fiber projects.
·
Independent fiber builders across the country like Google Fiber,
MetroNet, US Internet, and numerous municipalities quietly continue to build
fiber projects.
·
Cellular companies all continue to build fiber to replace cellular
transport leases.
·
Long-haul fiber networks continue to expand.
·
Electric companies are aggressively expanding smart grid networks.
· Cable companies use
significant fiber every year to split nodes.
As we can all agree, the current demand period will not slow down any time soon. As such, allocating fiber with a well-positioned distributor like Comstar Supply is critical. We can create a customized solution for every type of customer that takes the guesswork out of your outside plant needs. We work with customers to tailor a solution that allows us to distribute fiber cable monthly based on need, while allowing for additions or subtractions to orders. To learn more, contact your local Comstar Supply rep today.
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