Underground Construction - May 2021 - 50

THE LAST WORD...

Bob Breeden | Senior Vice President of ElectriCom, Chairman of PCCA

Fast & Affordable 'Internet for All' Requires
Fiber Optic Hardware: We Can Do This!
Congress to become co-sponsors of H.R.
1873 by Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) or
its Senate companion bill S. 745 by Sen.
Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). This legislation
would authorize some $80 billion to fund
competitive bidding systems used to build
broadband infrastructure and provide the
internet speeds needed for an essential
service that also boosts our economy.
PCCA represents contractors,
manufacturers, and suppliers who
build and repair America's power and
communications infrastructure, including
electric transmission, distribution, and
substation facilities and broadband,
telephone and cable television systems.
One thing we've all learned over the
last year is that fast, affordable internet
service is not a luxury - it's a necessity
for all, including folks working from
home, school children, underserved
communities and doctors serving rural
patients. Building nationwide 21st
century internet service is not rocket
science, but it does take the members of
the Power & Communications Contractors
Association's (PCCA) training, expertise
and deployment strategies to accomplish
this worthwhile task. We can do this!
With Congress looking to invest in
America's internet infrastructure, the
smart, cost-effective way to get the job
done is with proven technology like
broadband fiber optic lines. Unlike other
unproven technologies, fiber operates
at the speed of light. And it's secure, not
effected by atmospheric conditions or
multiple users. Nothing is faster or has
greater capacity for bandwidth as the
need for higher speeds continues to grow.
It is future proof. Using fiber optic cable
means very low latency, or lag-times.
This is why the PCCA supports the
Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act
(AAIA) of 2021 and urges all members of
50

MAY 2021 | UCONonline.com

Faster internet speeds
It is increasingly clear that the Federal
Communication Commission's target
speeds of 25/3 megabits per second
(Mbps) are already obsolete and that
achieving speeds of 100/100 Mbps would
provide broadband systems that are far
faster and as " future proof " as possible.
PCCA was pleased to see that carriers
are now committing to significantly
increase the broadband speeds they
provide, as demonstrated in the recent
reverse auction for Phase I of the Rural
Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), where
99.7 percent of winning RDOF bidders
committed to providing at least 100/20
Mbps broadband service, and 85 percent
of those will offer gigabit service.
The Clyburn/Klobuchar bill (AAIA)
reflects the progress made in terms of
increasing broadband speed goals, as
75 percent of the funding is to be used
" for a nationwide system of competitive
bidding to fund broadband deployment
in unserved areas, defined as areas with
service below 25/25 megabits per second
and areas with low-tier service, defined
as areas with service between 25/25 and
100/100 Mbps. "
Also, the bill provides that if a state

" does not have unserved areas or areas
with low-tier service, funding may be used
for broadband deployment in areas with
mid-tier service, defined as greater than
100/100 Mbps but less than 1 gigabit per
second symmetrical. " Enactment of these
speed requirements would take important
steps toward meeting current demand,
especially as the nation battles through
the Covid-19 pandemic and puts us on a
better path for the future.

Milestone payments
for broadband installers
In addition, the most effective way to
ensure that RDOF funds are used wisely is
to allocate them in separate and distinct
tranches based on performance. These
payment milestones could be identified
in advance of performance milestones.
This payment oversight, versus a single,
lump-sum, upfront payment to installers,
would ensure that fiber optic cable is fully
and properly installed, while protecting
taxpayer investments.
Just as PCCA contractors were
instrumental in bringing electricity to
rural Americans in the 1930s, now is our
chance to bring fast, reliable internet
service to all Americans. Let's do it with
fiber. We can do this! *

Building nationwide 21st
century internet service is not
rocket science, but it does take
the members of the Power &
Communications Contractors
Association's (PCCA) training,
expertise and deployment
strategies to accomplish this
worthwhile task. We can do this!
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Underground Construction - May 2021

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