Connecting the Nation through Fiber and Wireless

How connected is America? In terms of affordable, high-speed connectivity, the answer to that question might depend on where you live in this country and how much build has continued since 2021.

Funding to Unlock Broadband Access

The pandemic intensified pressure on the government to provide funding opportunities aimed at closing the digital divide and expanding broadband initiatives.

Working to accelerate funding for broadband expansion, federal and state legislators passed the historic Infrastructure Investment Bill and American Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021. A portion of this legislation provided $65 billion for broadband infrastructure investments and to address digital inequity. At the same time, various other federal, state and local funding programs were made available for broadband infrastructure funding, as well as investments from the private sector targeted at building and capitalizing on America’s broadband coverage requirements. 

Supply Chain Challenges Impact Deployments

With added funding available in 2021 and 2022 to support deployment and broadband expansion, this led many service providers to face supply chain disruptions. Longer lead times, component shortages, price increase on raw materials, transportation and labor problems had caused project delays, resulting in increased timelines and projects being overbudget. Couple the supply chain disruptions with skilled labor shortages, permitting difficulties, prevailing wage regulations and logistical delays, service providers found they were also facing difficulty managing all facets of the construction plan on track to complete the project.

Many service providers turned to specialized supply chain solutions partners for the required expertise in planning and procurement, project management, logistical support, warehousing and full turnkey services to support all aspects of their deployments.

The Tools Behind Modern Change

Selecting and implementing multiple technologies has proven to be a continued difficulty with many organizations deploying broadband. Service providers were being tasked to quickly implement new and emerging technologies, combining wireline and wireless solutions to mitigate costs and ensuring that they were compatible to support all devices and components.

Connecting with Wireless Technologies

Choosing the right technology, or mix of technologies, will significantly impact network performance. Wesco knows that successful implementation of broadband requires a strategic and comprehensive approach to solving the unique connectivity needs of each project.

The ever-increasing demand for faster speeds and low latency has greatly improved a new era of emerging accelerating technologies. Incorporating fixed wireless access (FWA) is pivotal in expanding last mile connectivity in rural and challenging areas. FWA systems offer multi-gigabit aggregation, street-level connectivity and rapid deployment capabilities that are cost-effective, scalable and provide high bandwidth and low latency. Free space optics (FSO) uses laser technology to transmit data through the atmosphere allowing for high-speed internet, making it ideal for locations where fiber is impractical, and will still deliver fiber-like bandwidth for connectivity. These trends are rapidly evolving the methods of broadband deployments.

Wesco’s technical expertise can introduce a wide spectrum of cutting-edge technologies and infrastructure solutions required across the industry and work to significantly accelerate your transformation efforts.

Wesco offers a comprehensive portfolio of products, services and solutions from industry-leading suppliers that ensures that you have all the equipment to build, operate and maintain future-ready fiber and wireless broadband networks. 

Partnering for Success

The key to successful deployment is having an experienced partner within your reach. Wesco’s team of experts have decades of experience with small regional and local projects to very large national broadband programs to support and simplify your network deployment journey and connect America.

Deploying broadband in rural or challenging areas are often complex and labor intensive. By leveraging Wesco’s best-in-class project management strategies, technological expertise, and industry-leading supply chain logistics, you gain a partner to support facilitating and deploying next generation communication networks.

Using a holistic approach to all aspects of your broadband project from inception to completion, Wesco provides turnkey deployment and long-term support to streamline and optimize project size, scope or complexity.

Wesco’s Commitment to Powering Possibilities

By leveraging proven capabilities, expertise and innovation, Wesco delivers a strategic approach that allows service providers to capitalize on funding opportunities, overcome deployment challenges, optimize operational efficiencies, prioritize technology adoption, and ensure smoother project execution. Wesco offers:

• Proven network expertise in a wide spectrum of cutting-edge technology and infrastructure solutions
• Fiber, wireless, microwave, satellite, private LTE, 5G wireless, and FSO
• Assistance in sourcing and selection of BABA compliant products
• Deep understanding of government funding programs and requirements
• Tailored project and inventory management solutions
• Supply chain and logistical expertise