Marvell launches 800G ZR/ZR+ for Data Center Interconnects

 Marvell introduced a family of 800 Gbps ZR/ZR+ pluggable modules for data center interconnects (DCIs). 

COLORZ 800 incorporates Marvell's new 5nm Orion 800 Gbps coherent DSP with its silicon photonics platform, which integrates multiple discrete components into a single die, providing up to 800 Gbps of bandwidth for DCI links up to 500km. 

COLORZ 800 can also be enabled for connections up to 1,200km operating at 400/600 Gbps to replace traditional transport equipment across a greater range of cloud infrastructure.

The modules are based on open standards managed by the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) and OpenZR+. COLORZ 800 is expected to sample in Q4 2023. 

Marvell estimates its COLORZ 800 lowers the capital cost of DCI by up to 75% compared to traditional rack-based DCI boxes with embedded DSPs while cutting operating expenses such as power, rack space and real estate.

"The new level of performance delivered by COLORZ 800 greatly expands the use cases and opportunities for coherent pluggable modules," said Josef Berger, Associate Vice President of Marketing, Optical Group at Marvell. "The new modules further extend our strategy of helping cloud providers develop infrastructure that can keep up with the pace of AI and other workloads."

https://www.marvell.com/company/newsroom/marvell-launches-industrys-first-800G-zr-zr-plus-modules-for-data-center-interconnects.html

• Marvell introduced the industry's first DCI pluggable COLORZ 100 QSFP module in 2017 followed by the industry's first 400G ZR/ZR+ QSFP-DD, COLORZ 400. 
•  In March, Marvell announced Teralynx 10, a 51.2T switch chip for powering cloud switch systems, as well as Nova™, an industry-first 1.6T PAM4 DSP capable of transmitting 200G per wavelength of light to double the capacity of PAM4 modules. 
•  In 2022, Marvell also released the 400 Gbps and 800 Gbps Alaska® A DSPs for AEC. Additionally, Marvell produces drivers and amplifiers included in optical modules.

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Marvell delivers 800 Gbps CDSP for pluggable modules

Marvell has begun sampling an 800 Gbps coherent digital signal processor (DSP) for pluggable modules, promising 2x the maximum bandwidth over existing solutions while staying within the stringent thermal and electrical limits of pluggable modules.

Marvell expects is new Orion-based pluggable modules to deliver up to 75% in capex and opex savings over traditional transport equipment for popular carrier use cases such as metro networks. 

Key uses cases:

• Metro network connections (~500km) delivering 800 Gbps per wavelength, 2x the bandwidth of current state-of-the art pluggable modules.
• 600 Gbps regional network connections (~1,200km) for core networks built around standards-based modules and routers based on IP over DWDM (IPoDWDM) to reduce cost and complexity of infrastructure.
• 400 Gbps long-haul connections (up to ~2,000km) in traditional or IPoDWDM networks.
• 800 Gbps (~500km) and 600 Gbps (~1,200km) ZR/ZR+ data center interconnects to scale network capacity quickly and economically to accommodate the surging traffic from AI and other distributed, data-intensive workloads.
• Orion-based modules will also pave the way for greater adoption of IPoDWDM. 

Highlights

• Produced on 5nm technology, Orion is the fifth generation coherent DSP from Marvell and offers twice the bandwidth in the same small module form factors as Deneb and Canopus.
• Orion is the industry's first coherent DSP supporting standards-based pluggable form factors at symbol rates in excess of 130+ GBaud, which allows Orion-based modules to transfer data at a faster rate and across longer distances than current modules. 
• Orion incorporates Marvell's 112 Gbps SerDes developed as part of Marvell's technology platform for 5nm devices.
• Orion complies with OIF, OpenZR+, OpenROADM, and IEEE standards and can be used in the QSFP-DD, OSFP, and CFP2 form factors

"Orion represents a tipping point for optical transport technology. With Orion, pluggable modules will be able to be deployed across these complex, high-performance networks while delivering substantial reductions in cost and power. Orion-based modules will also deliver the bandwidth needed for data center interconnects to meet the exploding demand for AI," said Achyut Shah, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Connectivity Business Group at Marvell. "Fueled by the innovation of our partners, pluggable modules based on Orion will become the leading choice for carriers and clouds."

https://www.marvell.com/company/newsroom/marvell-delivers-industrys-first-800-gbps-cdsp-for-pluggable-modules.html

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LightRiver launches Transport Domain Orchestration as a Service

LightRiver launched an on-demand, as-a-service version of its netFLEX Transport Domain Orchestration and Control Software solution

The new netFLEX as a service (nFaaS), which is available as a Private Cloud Hosted model in North America and Europe, enables uniform management of transport networks for cost avoidance, operational scale and new revenue enablement. This provides enterprise and data center customers with a unified view of their transport networks within a secure and scalable environment.

Full featured netFLEX is available in the Discover, Analyze, & Assure (DAA) or Optical Domain Control (ODC) packages. LightRiver's SD-Waves, which allows anywhere any device visibility statistics for your traffic, is also available with an initial feature set focused on inventory & maintenance, ensuring a proactive approach to network management. Lastly, nFaaS is enabled via SD-Wan technology, utilizing an encrypted tunnel for communications to network elements within the customer network, keeping the customers' data secure.

"The launch of nFaaS is a testament to LightRiver's commitment to pioneering solutions that redefine the way networks are managed," said Matt Briley, Senior Vice President, Global Sales at LightRiver. "With nFaaS, we continue to lead the way in delivering cutting-edge technologies that enable our customers to navigate the complexities of modern network integration with confidence."

https://lightriver.com

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Dell’Oro: Optical Transport Market Beats Growth Expectations

Optical Transport equipment revenue grew 5 percent year-over-year in 2Q 2023, according to a new report from Dell’Oro Group. This was the third consecutive quarter that the optical market growth rate topped estimates.

“It was another great quarter for optical system vendors,” said Jimmy Yu, Vice President at Dell’Oro Group. “Ever since component supply eased up, system manufacturers have been able to deliver more products to their customers that sat in backlog. As a result, optical revenues have increased at a faster rate than expected. With that said, some customers are signaling a need for a little pause after receiving these deliveries. Therefore, even though the results in the first half of 2023 were higher than expected, we are holding the full year 2023 outlook at 4 percent, believing year-over-year growth will slow in the back half of the year,” added Yu.

Additional highlights from the 2Q 2023 Optical Transport Quarterly Report:

• * Optical Transport market revenue grew 5 percent year-over-year in 2Q 2023 to a little over $4.0 billion. 
• The better-than-expected revenue was due to higher DWDM Long Haul and Multiservice Multiplexer revenue.
• The largest global WDM suppliers in the trailing four quarter period were Huawei, Ciena, Nokia, ZTE, Infinera, and FiberHome. Among these vendors, Nokia and FiberHome gained the most market share compared to the previous year period. 
• FiberHome’s optical revenue grew at the highest rate among the vendors at over 30 percent year-over-year.

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Dell’Oro: Mobile Core Network Market Returns to Growth in 2Q 2023

The Mobile Core Network (MCN) market returned to growth in 2Q 2023, according to a new report from Dell’Oro Group. The China region returned to growth and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) had the strongest quarterly growth rate since 3Q 2020.

“The MCN market shined on many fronts this quarter. The China region returned to growth with increased spending by two of the four Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). The EMEA region had its best quarterly growth rate since 2020, Huawei had record high revenues for the quarter, and Ericsson had its highest growth rate since 2Q20, as examples,” stated Dave Bolan, Research Director at Dell’Oro Group. “As a result, we are raising our outlook for 2023 year-over-year (Y/Y) growth rate from low single-digit percent to mid-single-digit percent.”

“As of 2Q 2023, we counted 44 Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) that have launched commercial 5G SA networks. One was added in 2Q 2023, Telefónica - Spain. The North America and EMEA regions of the 5G MCN segment Y/Y growth rates were in the triple-digit percent, signaling capacity additions to the 5G SA networks in both regions,” continued Bolan.

Additional highlights from the 2Q 2023 Mobile Core Network and Multi-Access Edge Computing Report include:

• The top MCN vendors worldwide for 2Q 2023 were Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, and ZTE.
• The top 5G MCN vendors worldwide for 2Q 2023 were Huawei, Ericsson, ZTE, and Nokia.
• Five MNOs launched commercial 5G SA networks in 1H 2023.

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Cyxtera offers bare metal on HPE GreenLake

Cyxtera announced a collaboration with Hewlett-Packard Enterprises (HPE) to provide its enterprise bare metal platform on the HPE GreenLake platform

In addition, Cyxtera has launched the Quick Start TCO Workshop in conjunction with HPE to allow customers to evaluate their current infrastructure and total cost of ownership (TCO) and determine real-time pricing for IT infrastructure spending. As part of this program, when workshop customers deploy new Cyxtera infrastructure solutions, HPE will buy back its old hardware via the HPE Asset Upcycling Services, enabling companies to recover value from retired hardware products.

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SpyCloud raises $110 Million

SpyCloud, a start-up that specializes in operationalizing identity analytics to automate the protection of digital identities, closed a $110 million growth round primary and secondary capital led by Riverwood Capital.

SpyCloud analyzes data from the criminal underground and automates the remediation of exposed authentication and identity data. Its platform identifies and remediates stolen employee and consumer session cookies, credentials, and emerging forms of authentication data being actively used by criminals to target enterprises, their customers, and their supply chains. 

The company says its adds value to IAM, identity threat detection and response, endpoint protection, and zero trust frameworks. Its latest solution, SpyCloud Compass, enables Post-Infection Remediation of malware exposures, including the compromised assets most likely to lead to ransomware attacks.

“For the last seven years, we have proven that reacting quickly to identity and authentication exposures is the crucial factor in stopping the cycle of cybercrime,” said Ted Ross, SpyCloud CEO and Co-Founder. “As authentication methods improve, businesses need to adjust their defenses to keep up with criminals’ new behavior. SpyCloud allows you to do just that – and we will continue to illuminate and resolve the most critical risks facing security teams today, stopping attacks they haven’t been able to see coming.”

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Illinois-based HTC upgrades with Ribbon's IP Wave

HTC, an Illinois-based provider of communications services, is leveraging Ribbon's IP Wave solutions to update its network. Specifically, HTC is leveraging Ribbon's NPT IP Routing and Apollo Optical Transport solutions, part of the company's comprehensive IP Wave portfolio.

"Businesses and end-users are demanding access to high speed internet solutions and HTC is committed to meeting those needs with state of the art solutions. We're proud to support them in this process, and to continue growing the relationship as we expand our portfolio," said Elizabeth Page, Ribbon's Senior Sales Director, Rural Markets, Ribbon.

https://www.rbbn.com

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VMware introduces Edge Cloud Orchestrator

VMware introduced new and enhanced orchestration capabilities for the edge. 

VMware Edge Cloud Orchestrator (formerly VMware SASE Orchestrator) will provide unified management for VMware SASE and the VMware Edge Compute Stack—to bridge the gap between edge networking and edge compute. Enhancements to the orchestrator will help customers plan, deploy, run, visualize, and manage their edge environments in a friction-free manner—allowing them to run edge-native applications focused on business outcomes. The VMware Edge Cloud Orchestrator (VECO) will deliver holistic edge management by providing a single console to manage edge compute infrastructure, networking, and security.

VMware defines the software-defined edge as a distributed digital Infrastructure that runs workloads across a number of locations, close to endpoints that are producing and consuming data. It extends to where the users and devices are—whether they are in the office, on the road or on the factory floor. Enterprises need solutions to connect these elements more securely and reliably to the larger enterprise network in a scalable manner. VMware Edge Cloud Orchestrator is key to enabling a software-defined edge approach. VMware’s approach to the software-defined edge features right-sized infrastructure (shrinking the stack to the smallest possible footprint); pull-based orchestration (security and administrative updates are “pulled” by the workload); and network programmability (defined by APIs and code).

VMware also unveiled new orchestration capabilities for VMware Edge Compute Stack based on Project Keswick. 

Keswick allows edge administrators to work with VMware to develop use cases. Customers will benefit from simplified lifecycle management of virtual machine (VM)- and containers-based applications and infrastructure. The technology offers pull-based configuration with zero touch provisioning and supports GitOps principles for desired state management.

https://ir.vmware.com/websites/vmware/English/2120/us-press-release.html?airportNewsID=f87067e0-3801-4de3-a91b-10368ceee6fb

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CoreSite Boston data center hosts Aqua Comms' Amitié cable

Earlier this summer, Aqua Comms  activated its Amitié (AEC-3) transatlantic subsea cable system.  CoreSite confirmed that Amitié is leveraging native colocation and connectivity services at the CoreSite Boston data center campus (BO1). 

The Amitié cable, which was built by Alcatel Submarine Networks, spans 6,783 km (4,215 miles) and has landings in Lynn, Massachusetts; Widemouth Bay, England; and Le Porge, France. 

It is the third high-capacity system added to Aqua Comms’ transatlantic footprint and offers enhanced diversity in both the United States and Europe. 

As one of the most interconnected buildings in New England, CoreSite’s BO1 data center provides Aqua Comms access to leading network, cloud and IT providers. Aqua Comm’s deployment in BO1 includes a secure colocation environment as well as diverse connectivity options through the  CoreSite ecosystem. The CoreSite Boston facility offers Aqua Comms 100% SLA uptime, options to grow its data center footprint and the power capabilities needed for the effective operation of the trans-Atlantic system.

“CoreSite values our partnership with Aqua Comms and the critical role our IT infrastructure plays in helping their organization deliver global subsea connectivity services as well as improving transmission capacity in North America and Europe,” said Juan Font, President and CEO of CoreSite and SVP of U.S. Tower. “As demand for reliable, diverse and secure connectivity continues to rise, purpose-built data centers like CoreSite’s Boston facility will serve as the central digital platform where cloud and network providers along with enterprises meet to conduct business and provide optimal customer solutions.”

https://www.coresite.com/newsroom/aqua-comms-announces-its-aec-3-trans-atlantic-subsea-cable-system-is-now-live-leveraging-coresite-it-infrastructure

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Nokia packs 25G PON starter kit

Nokia introduced a 25G PON starter kit solution that can help operators harness 10Gbs+ opportunities. 

The 25G PON starter kit bundles in one solution all of the fiber broadband technology needed to deliver 1, 10 and 25G PON services to end-users including line cards, optics and Optical Network Terminals (ONTs).

Nokia said each 25G PON kit has the capability to connect up to 10 businesses and is available for immediate shipment.

Geert Heyninck, General Manager Broadband Networks at Nokia, said: “With the 25G PON starter program, we help operators seize the lucrative opportunities presented by 10G+ connectivity. The 25G PON kits are available immediately and provide operators with the tools needed to quickly deploy and capitalize on the growing number of multi-gig broadband services consumers and enterprises seek – all on their existing fiber network.”

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NTT opens IP PoP in Denver

NTT activated a new Point-of-Presence (PoP) in Denver, Colorado, at CoreSite’s DE1 data center facility.

NTT said the new PoP helps it to scale their portfolio of global IP solutions to Internet, cloud, hosting, CDN and IT service providers and content-oriented companies in this strategic market. The PoP will also support the growing demand for high-quality IP services from global companies and organizations that have established headquarters and/or operational centers in the Denver area. Additionally, the energy, transportation, media, financial services and industrial sectors, all key drivers of Denver’s vibrant economy, will benefit from more global connectivity and networking options.

“The new PoP in Denver takes our global backbone into one of North America’s largest technology and communications hubs,” said Michael Wheeler, Executive Vice President of the Global IP Network division at NTT. “Internet-centric businesses and organizations operating in the area will have direct access to our tier-1 network and the high-performance IP solutions they need for their content, data, hosting, cloud and other bandwidth-intensive applications.”

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Nokia on track to be first Buy America compliant vendor

Nokia confirmed that its fiber-optic broadband network electronics and optical modules manufactured in the U.S. will meet the current Buy America guidelines announced by the Department of Commerce. 

Nokia expects to become the first Buy America compliant technology vendor eligible for use in the Department of Commerce Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. By becoming Buy America compliant, Nokia will be eligible to supply its products and services to these critical projects focused on closing the digital divide.

Sandy Motley, President of Fixed Networks at Nokia, said: “We fully support the guidelines issued by the NTIA and Department of Commerce which provide a realistic and reasonable approach to manufacturing broadband technology in compliance with the Build America, Buy America (BABA) mandates. Working alongside the Department of Commerce, we will continue to take the necessary steps required and plan to become the first broadband technology vendor to be listed as Buy America compliant – eliminating the guess work for any states or infrastructure builders participating in the BEAD program.”

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Render Networks launches real-time data and analytics platform

Render Networks introduced its new real-time data and analytics platform offering geospatial data and interactive visualizations for network operators.

Render Insights integrates data from construction to operations and all connected business-critical systems to deliver a real-time, multi-project view of performance to all stakeholders, across all levels of the organization. Identify contractor or crew performance trends, completion timelines or labor and material utilization to assess project risk and proactively keep teams moving.

“Render has redefined the role of geospatial data to drive more efficient, higher quality network deployments. With the confidence of accurate, real-time data and in-platform analytics enabled by Render Insights, network operators and builders can now harness the power of that data to inform all stakeholders, make better decisions faster and ultimately improve deployment outcomes,” said Sam Pratt, CEO at Render Networks.

“Render Insights delivers a new level of intelligence that is at the fingertips of everyone from field teams to C-level executives from day 1. The product of significant investment in real-time data infrastructure and a proprietary analytics engine, Render customers now have access to world-class analytics that showcases the unique depth and quality of Render’s data and enables communities to get connected faster. We could not be more excited to launch this next-generation capability for the benefit of our customers and the industry here at Fiber Connect 2023.”

https://www.rendernetworks.com/?_ga=2.226455386.1523424236.1692677296-869370363.1692677296

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Northrop Grumman to supply 36 satellites for Space Development Agency

Northrop Grumman will design and build 36 LEO data transport satellites for the Space Development Agency (SDA) supporting Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). 

The satellites will integrate with, and expand the PWSA mesh network, utilizing high-data-capacity optical crosslinks to deliver accessible, near-real time communications to U.S. warfighters and defensive platforms operating around the globe. The design for this latest iteration, known as Tranche 2 Transport Layer Beta (T2TL Beta), builds on the 42 Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) and 14 Tranche 1 Tracking Layer (T1TRK) satellites that SDA previously announced it had awarded Northrop Grumman. The T2TL Beta space vehicles add new broadcast and tactical waveforms improving the capabilities of the overall PWSA.

“Creating a low-Earth orbit communications architecture that meets the needs of the warfighter is complex,” said Blake Bullock, vice president, communication systems, Northrop Grumman. “With Northrop Grumman's extensive military satellite communication experience and deep mission understanding, we are helping SDA make its vision a reality. Northrop Grumman said it is on track to launch its first plane of 21 space vehicles in Q4 2024. ”

https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-selected-to-build-tranche-2-transport-layer-beta-data-transport-satellites

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Dell'Oro: RAN Declines at the Fastest Pace in Seven Years

Preliminary findings show that the expansion phase of the Radio Access Network (RAN) has now faded, according to a new report from Dell'Oro Group. Following the intense ramp-up from 2017 through 2021, RAN revenues stabilized in 2022 and 1Q23. Market conditions worsened in the second quarter, resulting in RAN declining at the fastest pace in nearly seven years. The decline was not unexpected, yet the magnitude of the reversal was much steeper than anticipated.

"It is tempting to point the finger at data traffic patterns, 5G monetization challenges, and the odds stacked against an economy struggling with persistent levels of elevated inflation," said Stefan Pongratz, Vice President at Dell'Oro Group. "Although these are, of course, important factors, we attribute the poor performance in the quarter to the clouds forming in North America. Alongside challenging 5G comparisons, the decline was amplified by the extra inventory accumulated over the past couple of years to mitigate supply chain risks," Pongratz continued

Additional highlights from the 2Q 2023 RAN report:

• Top 5 RAN suppliers for 1H23 include Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, ZTE, and Samsung.
• Nokia recorded the largest RAN revenue share gains between 2022 and 1H23.
• Huawei's quarterly RAN share reached the highest level in three years. Huawei's 2Q23 RAN revenue share outside of North America was as large as Ericsson and Nokia combined.
• Ericsson and Samsung's RAN revenue shares declined between 2022 and 1H23.  
• Regional projections are mostly unchanged; however, the short-term outlook has been revised upward in    APAC excluding China and downward in the North American region.
• Global RAN revenues are expected to decline in 2023.

https://www.delloro.com/news/ran-declines-at-the-fastest-pace-in-seven-years/

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MACOM to acquire the RF business of Wolfspeed

MACOM agreed to acquire the radio frequency business (the RF business) of Wolfspeed for $125 million, including $75 million cash paid at closing and $50 million of MACOM common stock issued with certain restrictions.

The RF Business includes a portfolio of Gallium Nitride (GaN) on Silicon Carbide (“SiC”) products used in high performance RF and microwave applications. The business services a broad customer base of leading aerospace, defense, industrial and telecommunications customers and most recently generated annualized revenues of approximately $150 million. The acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to MACOM’s non-GAAP earnings.

The acquisition includes a 100mm GaN wafer fabrication facility in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (the “RTP Fab”) with operations conveying to MACOM approximately two years following the closing and Wolfspeed’s relocation of certain production equipment. The acquisition also includes design teams and associated product development assets in Arizona, California and North Carolina, as well as back-end production capabilities in California and Malaysia. In addition, MACOM will be assigned or licensed a robust intellectual property portfolio including over 1,400 patents associated with the RF Business. A workforce of approximately 280 employees is expected to join MACOM at closing, with additional employees joining when the RTP Fab conveys.

“We are excited to acquire Wolfspeed’s RF Business and look forward to welcoming its employees to MACOM,” stated Stephen G. Daly, President and Chief Executive Officer, MACOM. “The RF team’s engineering capabilities, technology and products are a perfect fit with MACOM and our strategy.”

https://ir.macom.com/news-releases/news-release-details/macom-announces-definitive-agreement-acquire-rf-business

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U.S. consumers strongly prefer fiber broadband

Fiber broadband is considered the best internet service delivery method in terms of speed and reliability among 63% of all U.S. consumers, including 54% of cable users, according to an annual consumer research report conducted by RVA LLC Market Research & Consulting (RVA) on behalf of the Fiber Broadband Association.

The NTIA’s $42.45 billion BEAD program prioritizes fiber projects because of fiber’s ability to replace aging copper and coax wiring and provide vital, scalable telecommunications infrastructure for generations to come. The consumer research study demonstrates the importance and preference for fiber by consumers as well.

The study found that the underlying demand for high-quality broadband remains strong, as it was rated the second most important amenity in a home, only after a laundry room. Consumers show high interest in many future broadband applications which will increasingly require faster and more symmetrical internet, especially applications to support telehealth, senior independence, and home security. When all respondents were asked what type of internet service was the very best in terms of speed and reliability, fiber broadband won by a large majority with scores 2.5 times higher than the second candidate (cable).

The Fiber Broadband Association expects nearly as much fiber will be deployed during the next five years as has been deployed throughout history. 

“These results underscore the fact that high-speed broadband is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity for any person to successfully participate in today’s society,” said Deborah Kish, Vice President of Research and Workforce Development at the Fiber Broadband Association. “We’ve known how important broadband is to the U.S., and every year this study reveals that the preference for fiber broadband is growing wildly. Connecting every community to fiber will enable digital equality and raise the quality of life for generations to come.”

https://fiberbroadband.org/research-and-resources

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FBA publishes BEAD funding resources for state broadband offices

The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) and Cartesian unveiled their BEAD Threshold Financial Model that helps states calculate their Extremely High Cost Per Location Threshold (EHCT) for fiber broadband deployments using Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD).

The sophisticated tool leverages geospatial analysis to build a financial model that states can use to develop their own cost thresholds for fiber deployments. 

The BEAD Threshold Financial Model allows states to test various inputs and visualize the implications of different thresholds. It considers the extent of fiber coverage, the extent of alternative broadband technology coverage, and whether any funds remain. As a starting reference point for states to leverage, FBA and Cartesian ran the model using realistic but general assumptions, leveraging national average build costs and simple provider contribution estimates, to develop a reasonable, directionally-accurate threshold for each state.

“The NTIA has just allocated $40 billion to the states, and now it is the states’ turn to use this funding to maximize fiber deployments by setting the correct EHCT. Everyone recognizes this task is critical, but also challenging. Our BEAD Threshold Financial Model addresses that challenge head-on,” said Gary Bolton, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. “Now that we’ve created this tool we’re making it available to all states and we’re willing to work directly with each state to use the model with different variables and look forward to that opportunity. At the end of the day, setting a reasonable threshold is essential to the success of the BEAD program and our ability to connect every American to fiber broadband service.”

https://fiberbroadband.org/research-and-resources

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USA offers nearly $700M in grants for rural broadband

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering nearly $700 million in grants and loans to connect thousands of rural residents, farmers and business owners in 22 states and the Marshall Islands.

The new funding is part of the fourth funding round of the ReConnect Program, which is designed to fund the most difficult high-speed internet projects in the nation in the most rural, remote and unserved communities.

Examples of projects in this announcement include:

• In North Carolina, Star Telephone Membership Corporation is receiving a $24.9 million grant to benefit 2,674 people, 84 businesses, 117 farms and four educational facilities in Bladen, Columbus and Sampson counties. Bladen and Columbus are part of an RPN community.
• In Oregon, Pioneer Telephone Cooperative is receiving a $24.9 million grant to benefit 2,239 people, 50 businesses, 205 farms and one educational facility in Lincoln, Lane and Benton counties.
• In New Mexico, SWC Telesolutions Inc. is receiving a $9.2 million grant to benefit 4,962 people, 106 businesses, 11 farms and 17 educational facilities in Doña Ana and Sierra counties. Doña Ana County is part of an RPN community.

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