“If you’re talking BEAD funding it’s almost all going to be aerial.”
-Fiber construction company, Conexon
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is set to allocate Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program funds, prioritizing unserved broadband areas. Jonathan Chambers of Conexon, a company specializing in rural fiber broadband via electric co-ops, predicts that BEAD funding will largely support aerial fiber deployments due to cost advantages.
Aerial installation costs significantly less than trenching—about $25,000 per mile compared to $60,000-$70,000 per mile for underground. This method utilizes existing utility infrastructure, making it more feasible for rural areas.
Jeffrey Austin of Consolidated Communications and Allen Hemrich of Mears Group echoed the sentiment that the choice between aerial and underground fiber depends on existing infrastructure, geography, and weather conditions. While aerial fiber is cheaper and adaptable to various terrains, it faces risks from weather and animals. However, it’s considered durable and reliable, even in harsh conditions. Underground deployment, safer in some aspects, poses its own challenges with potential hazards from existing underground utilities.
Permitting processes also differ; trenching may cause more disruption, requiring extensive permissions, whereas aerial deployments can face delays from pole attachment permits and the need for equipment adjustments on crowded poles.
Conexon, leveraging its partnership with rural electric co-ops, has become a significant player in rural fiber deployment, advocating for aerial methods to efficiently cover vast unserved areas. The company’s extensive experience and the inherent advantages of using existing electric co-op networks position it well to address the broadband gap in rural America through the BEAD program.
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