Skip to main content
ICTD 2024 Main banner
Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
ViewAttendees 1

IPOD Abstract for presentation (Poster or Podium) with a Paper in the Conference Proceedings

Transportation Economics & Finance

1666885 - Innovative Funding and Financing Strategies for Enhancing Broadband in Underserved Communities

Tuesday, June 18, 2024
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM ET
Room: 216
Abstract:

Many communities have underserved broadband service. With a wide variety of broadband technologies, funding sources, development models (e.g., city-owned, and operated infrastructure with a single internet provider), and revenue models, it is unclear which ones allow broadband to reach underserved and disadvantaged communities. The objectives of this research are to capture the successes and challenges of developing broadband projects and to acquire information about the funding, financing, development, and revenue of different broadband development projects. The approach is comprised of developing and distributing a structured survey that aims to investigate the funding sources, and financing and revenue models utilized for broadband projects, with a critical focus on their success and failure lessons. The survey targeted participants from private and public sectors experienced in broadband projects. A total of thirty-six responses were collected from seventeen states and the District of Columbia. The study identified a broad range of public and private funding sources, as well as the development and revenue models adopted in broadband projects. Moreover, barriers, successes, and strategies for enabling broadband market entry were identified and can be used as lessons learned for future broadband projects. For example, survey results show that private entities own the last mile in most projects which creates the barrier of broadband reaching underserved and disadvantaged communities. However, the results also reveal measures that can be taken to prevent the emergence of broadband monopolies and expand broadband to underserved and disadvantaged communities (e.g., the use of open access networks).

Learning Objectives:

Attendees can expect to learn the following from this session:
  • Identify twelve different barriers that prevent reliable broadband from reaching underserved and unserved communities
  • Propose strategies for overcoming these barriers that prevent reliable broadband service from reaching underserved and unserved communities.
  • Identify the sources of funding the public and private sectors use for broadband development projects.