Solve the Equation: How to Meet Needs for Rural Communities

Rural Challenges

The problem with rural deployment can basically be summed up like this: 

engineering/permits + construction > ROI 

The cost of engineering and permitting plus the cost of construction is greater than the possible return on investment. 

Rural communities often lack the robust infrastructure that we’re used to in urban or suburban areas. You’re often dealing with smaller or older poles, with long spans between each. Replacing poles drains time and money. Navigating the geography can require more involved engineering and longer timelines which raises deployment costs.

So either the cost is too great to warrant the project and it doesn’t happen, or to see ROI providers raise rates to a price customers can’t afford.

Federal funding projects like RDOF and BEAD try to fix the equation: 

engineering/permits + construction + funding ? ROI 

Unfortunately, we have to put a question mark instead of an equals sign. Even with funding, providers have to take a chance on seeing their ROI. 

 As great as funding is, we can’t treat public and private capital as the silver bullet to meet rural broadband needs. While RDOF and BEAD funding incentivize providers, we still need to find creative ways to bring services.

The problem isn’t only a lack of funding. It’s that the process is flawed and fails to build trust.

So the right equation looks something like this: 

Good engineering/permtis + construction + funding = ROI + reliable, affordable services

To get there, we need the right workflows that ensure excellent engineering so we can provide and maintain reliable services to underserved communities.  

Finding the Right Workflow

Reaching rural communities may require new tactics. Now’s a good time to take a closer look at our processes to make sure there aren’t hidden areas that could create unforeseen costs or lags in the future. Here’s some questions to keep in mind: 

What information is required for the application process? 

Every pole owner has their own set of regulations based on different areas. The same is true for rural communities. Researching pole owner requirements ahead of time helps inform the entire process and submit better applications the first time. 

What information is helpful for the pole owners? 

There’s a lot of value in providing context information that presents one version of the truth. Photo data gives a more complete picture and proves that the engineering plan represents real conditions of the pole. This doesn’t just keep attachment requests moving—it also builds trust with the local utility. 

Do your tools address the challenges of rural deployment? 

Last-mile walkouts often involve hand-drawn maps with house numbers and span distances added in the field. Data capture forms with fields for addresses, picklists, and clerical data can help reduce back-office work when used correctly. Staff can create maps with specific nodes for service locations instead of trying to sketch in houses and businesses. That being said, data forms should be used with caution, since they can trap experienced staff into rigid workflows and inflexible processes.

This just scratches the surface of things to consider. There are a ton of other questions we can ask to make sure we’re using effective workflows. Some other examples include:

• Where does backlog tend to occur?
• Are there any redundancies in the process? 
• Do our deliverables provide the best data in the most usable form? 
• How can we use feedback loops with other parties to improve? 

While public and private capital help lower barriers to reach underserved communities, it’s up to us to find creative ways to maximize the effectiveness of funds so people get the services they desperately need. 

The right workflow lets you keep costs low, ensures excellent engineering, and builds a margin for any problems that do come up. Using the right workflow isn’t a betting game—you can have confidence that you’re building and investing in reliable, affordable services for the people who need them most. 

BEAD is an opportunity to fix the fundamentally broken pieces of broadband deployment. As more and more funds hit the market, we’re excited to see teams find new solutions to reach communities in need. We’d love to hear about how your team is approaching BEAD—drop a comment below.