Public-Private Partnerships Are a Win-Win for Communities And Broadband Providers

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Public-private partnerships (P3s) between service providers and communities are well-established in Europe and growing in popularity across the US. The model in which a service provider desires the next-generation network but may not build, own or operate the network outright can be a great way to deliver a reliable, high-speed fiber broadband network with unlimited capacity to communities. The two standard flavors of P3s are "open:" a model in which the wholesale network is owned by a public-private entity and operates as an open-access wholesale network. And "not open:" a model in which a single public or private entity does not own parts of the network. As government funding ramps up, fiber builds will grow exponentially. P3s have shown to be instrumental in accelerating these projects as they unite stakeholders in ways that create balance to bring fiber broadband to communities as efficiently as possible. The benefits of doing so far outweigh the costs, as shown in communities entering P3s across the country.

[Deborah Kish is the vice president of research and workforce development for the Fiber Broadband Association]


Public-Private Partnerships Are a Win-Win for Communities And Broadband Providers