Today’s economy requires connected broadband communities. As more content and commerce move online, broadband access has become as integral to our economy as robust transportation systems and other utilities. Businesses find it more cost-efficient to share information, collect payments, and perform other transactions over the internet and customers appreciate the convenience. In addition to broadband-reliant personal communications and entertainment, the pandemic highlighted the importance of broadband for vital day-to-day functions, such as remote learning and education, healthcare and maintaining government and commercial enterprise operations.
Broadband has become an integral part of economic development. Without broadband, it is difficult to attract businesses that bring high-paying jobs and attract skilled workers that in turn allow the community to compete in a global economy. However, service providers have cherry-picked many affluent communities that are saturated with broadband options and much of what remains are more rural and remote communities; municipalities need to aid the marketplace to narrow the digital divide and extend broadband services to unserved and underserved communities. A robust and competitive broadband marketplace is needed across all counties to enable your community to continue to innovate and meet the demands for your community.
Identifying Your Community’s Needs
Televate can help you understand the specific needs of your community, identifying unserved/underserved areas and market demand. Rather than basing broadband availability, service type speeds and cost on provider self-reported data FCC Form 477 data alone, our team adds additional layers of accuracy though engagements with your community and your service providers.
We can also help you gather and validate mobile cellular coverage and throughput data using Televate’s Pinpoint™ application.
Planning and Funding Your Projects
Televate’s staff has designed, built, operated, and maintained broadband networks that delivered these and other essential services and understands the costs associated with them. We worked for the companies that evaluated these opportunities and have an appreciation of where to apply specific business models or technologies to meet the needs of the community. Televate can work with your community to develop the right plan and build relationships with the providers that will invest in your community to enhance availability of broadband access.
We can help maximize your available funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), BroadbandUSA, and other sources, and optimize how you spend other available funds to expand internal government broadband capabilities and to attract other investments in your community.
Why Televate?
Televate’s broadband experts understand the barriers that prevent businesses from providing high-quality, high-speed, and reliable broadband connectivity that will make your community thrive. Contact us today to find out more about how we can maximize the return on any investment you make and make your community an attractive environment for additional investments from the business community.