Better Broadband is a key to Counter Housing Inflation

Inflation seems to be a crucial issue that is a concern of many voters in this election year. While we are a non-partisan 501(c)(3), we offer advice here to counter inflation that could be advocated by any political party.

Leveraging open access fiber innerduct conduit to promote competition among ISPs can significantly help break up geographic monopolies, lower the cost of living, and enhance housing affordability. Here are detailed action points categorized into legislative actions and community stakeholder actions:

Legislative Actions

• Mandate Open Access Infrastructure: Enact laws that require all new and existing fiber conduit infrastructure to be open access. This would ensure that multiple ISPs can lease the infrastructure, promoting competition and reducing costs for consumers.
• Subsidize Fiber Deployment: Create state and federal grant programs to subsidize the deployment of open access fiber infrastructure, particularly in underserved and rural areas. This would make it financially viable for smaller ISPs to enter the market.
• Regulate Fair Access: Implement regulations that enforce fair and non-discriminatory access to fiber infrastructure. This would prevent incumbent ISPs from engaging in anti-competitive practices that block new entrants.
• Tax Incentives: Provide tax incentives for private companies and municipalities that invest in open access fiber infrastructure. This can attract more investment into building and maintaining such infrastructure.
• Transparency Requirements: Require ISPs to publicly disclose their pricing, service areas, and service quality metrics. This transparency can help consumers make informed choices and foster a competitive environment.
• Support for Municipal Broadband: Remove or amend state laws that prohibit or restrict municipalities from establishing their own broadband networks. Municipal networks can serve as competitive alternatives to private ISPs​​​​.

Community Stakeholder Actions

• Community Co-ops: Encourage the formation of community broadband cooperatives. These cooperatives can pool resources to build and maintain open access fiber infrastructure, ensuring that profits are reinvested into the community​​​​.
• Partnerships with ISPs: Form strategic partnerships with multiple ISPs to utilize the open access infrastructure. This can involve negotiating bulk service agreements that can be offered at lower rates to residents.
• Public Awareness Campaigns: Launch educational campaigns to inform residents about the benefits of open access networks and how they can support local broadband initiatives. Increased public support can drive policy changes and encourage local investment​​.
• Leverage Federal Programs: Utilize federal programs like the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program and the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) to secure funding for local open access fiber projects​​.
• Infrastructure Sharing: Advocate for infrastructure sharing agreements where existing utilities (electric, water, gas) can share their infrastructure for fiber deployment. This reduces costs and accelerates deployment timelines​​.
• Local Investment Initiatives: Promote local investment initiatives where residents and businesses can invest in the fiber infrastructure. This can include crowdfunding campaigns or local bond issues specifically for broadband infrastructure projects.

By combining these legislative and community-driven actions, policymakers and stakeholders can create a competitive and dynamic market for broadband services, ultimately leading to lower costs, improved service quality, and increased housing affordability