In the early 21st century, Americans rely on their digital technologies. Broadband connectivity offers economic growth and vitality to its citizens as internet service speeds increase.
Communities that do not have high-speed broadband access face a question. Should they wait for their primary internet providers to deliver better connectivity to their citizens or should they take matters into their own hands?
Taking the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee as an example, we can see what occurs when communities embrace our solutions for faster and more reliable internet. Chattanooga had been a city in crisis for decades. Implementing a fiber optic network improved city services and led to an economic boom in Chattanooga. Nokia installed fiber optics throughout the city which generated $860 million in revenue.
The benefits of broadband for communities across the United States are about closing the digital divide in America and giving all citizens the fiber optic solutions they need to thrive. 20% of U.S. households lack access to the Internet, and these citizens are much more concentrated in low-density rural areas.
Yet many network operators focus on urban centers for further broadband development. Deployment is easier and revenue is higher in more densely populated areas. This leaves many communities behind, and some of these communities have decided they can’t wait for their local internet providers (ISPs) to deliver high-speed internet to their citizens. A greater number of communities have decided to take the building of reliable broadband networks into their own hands.
The Economic Benefits of Broadband
When it comes to positive economic outcomes, your citizens will reap enormous benefits in implementing a fiber optic solution in your community. Enhanced broadband makes it easier for job seekers to search and apply for jobs. Businesses in your community can optimize their recruitment efforts and hire better talent. Having a digitally literate workforce is necessary for every employer.
In a 2014 study, McKinsey & Company found that even a 10% increase in reliable broadband access for communities boosted GDP there by 1.5%. All studies and research investigating the benefits of broadband for communities have confirmed these findings. High-speed fiber broadband spawns infrastructure investment, spurs job creation and entrepreneurship, and encourages large companies to relocate to areas where broadband service is well-established.
The economic gains from developing a high-speed broadband solution for your municipality are already known. At the same time, reliable broadband will simply make life better for your citizens. From offering new entertainment options, connecting distant family members, or bringing life-saving health and educational services, many communities are deciding to make broadband a reality today for these reasons.
Why is Broadband So Important to Communities?
There are so many ways that access to broadband internet brings value to your citizens.
Lifestyle
Residents with fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) average an extra $10,000 in income per year. High-speed internet is one of the most important factors for potential residents when evaluating neighborhoods, homes, and multi-dwelling units (MDUs).
Reducing Population Loss
Many rural communities face a vicious cycle of population decline. Amenities and job prospects decrease in a community, and young people leave. Reliable, high-speed internet can reverse this trend by offering your citizens a reason to stay in your community. Fiber optic solutions bring better schools, better jobs, and improve the lives of your citizens.
Revitalizing Your Community
Having reliable broadband connectivity helps you hold on to your current residents. It also helps you attract new residents. When you invest in high-speed networks, you give local businesses the opportunity to expand to major markets.
Business Growth
We already mentioned how broadband helps businesses grow and thrive. High-speed connectivity accelerates business development by providing new opportunities to innovate and expand. For companies in your community that have a national or global footprint, you can help them achieve better communication and information sharing on projects. Fiber optic broadband solutions have a particularly strong impact on R&D, leading to economically beneficial innovation in your municipality.
How Broadband Benefits Your Community’s Industries
The benefits of broadband extend to all businesses and organizations in your community. We will focus here on a few.
Government
Municipal and local governments need better broadband to deliver critical and key services to their citizens. With high-speed internet access, both governments and citizens save time and money. Citizens become more active participants in local government, providing them with information for public safety initiatives and improved transit systems.
Smart Cities
In the modern smart city, managers are leveraging the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to ramp up and become more efficient. IoT devices and sensors in wastewater pipes and on traffic lights need a strong broadband connection to work. Cities are deploying fiber broadband to assist with trash removal, traffic management, public safety, water and sewage, and much more.
Healthcare
Broadband internet access already plays a pivotal role in electronic health records management and wearable medical devices. Fiber optics will accelerate new healthcare technology trends, especially in telehealth. You need to provide your citizens the ability to receive medical consultations from their homes to lower healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes.
Education
Education remains one of the fastest-growing fields when it comes to broadband consumption. In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2022, the U.S. government devoted $1 trillion to ensuring that all schools are online by 2030. With grant and government money available, educational institutions are quickly upgrading their older lines and broadband infrastructure for many projects, including remote learning for all schoolchildren.
Energy Utilities
Building a smart power grid pays enormous dividends for your citizens’ satisfaction and local business operations. In particular, electric utilities have discovered that fiber-optic communication reduces outage times, saves money during peak hours, and makes for smarter and greener energy delivery and consumption.
What Type of Broadband Is Right for Us?
There are three infrastructure choices when it comes to delivering broadband to your community: fiber, coaxial, and copper. Looking at each of these options logically, if you’re a city manager looking to boost your community’s internet service, fiber is your best option.
Fiber optic solutions are future-proof. We are quickly reaching the upper limits of what copper and cable networks can handle in traffic. Fiber, on the other hand, will only increase in capacity and coverage as our technologies evolve. What we need to know is not how fast our broadband networks need to be today, but how fast they will need to be 20 years from now.
We have seen that when service providers offer fiber to their customers, it changes the meaning of “fast internet service.” Fiber networks have lower latencies than both copper and cable, which makes delays in receiving information a thing of the past. When you implement a fiber optic solution, your customers will enjoy better online gaming and your healthcare workers will have access to improved diagnostic imaging. With enhanced bandwidth and low latency, fiber provides your citizens with an optimized experience in accessing both critical and non-critical services.
Fiber is also significantly more cost-effective than cable or copper. The cost savings from fiber comes with its easier maintenance, lower electricity consumption, and greater network reliability. Estimates suggest that communities save 30% in maintaining their broadband networks when they switch to fiber. Once this solution is installed, it will likely be decades before you have to replace your network. Fiber is simply just more reliable and durable than copper wires; it doesn’t corrode to present a fire hazard.
Infinity Technology Solutions: Bringing Fiber to Your Community
Every community is different and there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to your community’s broadband needs. At Infinity Technology Solutions, we possess the deep expertise and experience to assist with the careful and deliberate planning for your fiber optic solution. We are here to meet your community’s internet needs today and for decades to come.
