As work, commerce, and society move online, reliable internet access has become essential. In 2000, only 1% of U.S. adults had home broadband, compared to 80% today. Without faster speeds and higher adoption, the U.S. would have lost $1.3 trillion in economic growth from 2010–2020. Since 1996, the private sector has invested $2.2 trillion in broadband infrastructure, with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act adding $65 billion in federal funds. Still, 10% of households (12.7 million) lack a broadband subscription. New investments aim to close this gap, but extreme weather and rapidly evolving technologies pose ongoing challenges.

On our next episode of Fiber for Breakfast, join us as Ed Barrett, President of HR Green’s Broadband Business Unit talks with Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) and covers the latest broadband report card grade published by the American Society of Civil Engineers and covers important areas of research on broadband capacity, materials cost for last-mile broadband deployment methods, funding, operations and maintenance and more.

*Telecom Advisory Services, “The Contribution of Fixed Broadband to the Economic Growth of the United States between 2010 and 2020,” 2022

With Special Guest:

Ed Barrett, President of HR Green’s Broadband Business Unit