The Competitive Carriers Association convenes in Tampa this week for its in-person Mobile Carriers show focused on the ins and outs of rural networks and smaller operators’ needs amid a time of heightened focus on the extension of broadband services.
CCA President and CEO Steve Berry said the event has positive momentum and that because CCA members have unique situations, they lend themselves to in-person discussions. For the first time, the event includes a health and wellness-focused day, held yesterday.
The conference program was restructured this year to provide keynote panels that mix carrier members and network equipment manufacturers, Berry said, in order to provide deeper insights on “what’s really going on on the ground. How are you doing with getting to 5G NonStandalone, and what does 4G LTE look like in rural America and when will you have to go into a 5G mode” as well as the big issue of how to monetize rural 5G networks. CCA member face particular challenges, Berry added, because very few rural consumers have a good handle on what 5G services and use cases involve, as well as the value they would see from 5G.
“This is sort of an untested time,” he said.
Another primary concern of small and rural operators at this time is the extension of broadband services, and how exactly to achieve that. “How do you get broadband to rural America? You throw everything you’ve got at it, and you keep improving and enhancing,” Berry said. “Building a network is sort of like the unfinished business of building a cathedral. After you’ve think you’ve got the basics done, then somebody comes up with a brand new plan or in this case, new technology, and now you’ve got to build it into the architectural design. … It’s a lot of money, effort and time.”
The event includes a number of policy and network-focused sessions, including rural network toolbox sessions on both network equipment as well as software and services, as well as a brief address from Alan Davidson, who is assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information and NTIA administrator.
“Our challenge is, we have to make sure that policymaker understand that just because you’ve got broadband to the farmhouse doesn’t mean you have coverage in the barn or the feedlot or the back 40,” Berry said. “You can’t drive a tractor on a Wi-Fi connection coming from the farmhouse. You need a 5G, a more robust connection” because modern farm equipment often has multiple external cameras and advanced features that require strong connectivity.
Berry added that rural operators are also gearing up for the upcoming 2.5 GHz auction, which offers spectrum primarily in rural counties and offers smaller operators a chance to fill gaps in their spectrum holdings.
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