22225 - SCTE Broadband - Aug2024

FROM THE INDUSTRY

To ensure that efforts are successful and to avoid pitfalls, operators must have a clear plan that carefully considers the full lifecycle of their network. Given the geographic challenges of rural fibre networks, the quality and resourcefulness of the field engineering team can be the difference between success and failure. Operators need an holistic approach that considers their skillsets, their tools, and the strategy that underpins the business. Enter the multi-skilled “Swiss army knife” field worker Providing broadband access and reliable connectivity in remote areas is no easy feat. Many efforts involve navigating difficult and unknown terrain, and even after a successful initial deployment, conducting multiple field visits when there are problems that need to be fixed can be very inefficient. Getting the right field worker, in the right place, at the right time, to fix the exact problem they are trained to resolve becomes considerably harder when operating in a thinly populated area. To ensure that they are set up for success, operators need to empower their teams and field crews - particularly in rural areas – to be multi-skilled, so they’re able to resolve any issue that might arise in the field. There is also the added pressure of getting it right the first

The rural and urban broadband divide has been an important topic of discussion for a number of years, and it shows no signs of waning in importance. Over this time, we have seen more branches of banks closing and fewer bricks and mortar shops, representing a general shift to online services, not to mention the dramatic increase in digital home workers. This means that connectivity is fast- becoming an essential utility. Governments globally are taking action. In the UK, Project Gigabit aims to bring connectivity to reach parts of the country that have previously been underserved, while in the US the ReConnect and BEAD programmes were created to do the same. Many operators have taken action, both to ensure that these communities aren’t left behind, and to benefit from a previously untapped market. However, servicing rural environments comes with its own set of unique challenges. In addition to the physical challenge of reaching some incredibly far and sometimes secluded places for deployment, and not knowing what teams will face during this process, the long- term maintenance of the fibre network is a critical factor in delivering a high-quality ongoing service.

Governments globally are taking action. In the UK, Project Gigabit aims to bring connectivity to reach parts of the country that have previously been underserved, while in the US the ReConnect and BEAD programmes were created to do the same.

SEPTEMBER 2024 Volume 46 No.3

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