ARTICLE
By Chris Bailey and Chad Kay | September 23, 2024
Read Time: 7 Minutes
Billions of dollars from various funding mechanisms are being distributed to close the digital divide in the United States. With this once-in-a-generation funding opportunity, you may need to include a broad range of strategies to meet funding compliance target deadlines and keep your project on schedule and on budget.
As business leaders strive to achieve their day-to-day operational goals, many decision makers are turning to strategic partners who can provide them with proven experience in planning, deploying and maintaining future-ready broadband infrastructure.
It’s hard to plan for what you don’t know, especially if you have never been involved in the planning and deployment of a broadband network. There are multiple factors that can stall a project if you find yourself being reactive rather than proactive. An end-to-end solutions provider will take a holistic approach and help you navigate the entire broadband journey with solutions to fit any stage of the project – from planning to completion and ongoing maintenance.
Most of the current broadband funding mechanisms have cybersecurity requirements. Developing and implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity plan for your broadband network is a must and should be incorporated in all phases of your network, from the planning stage through long-term operation. Partnering with an experienced supply chain solutions partner should simplify this process and help you implement best practices, identify network security solutions and customize tailored solutions to meet your needs and safeguard your network.
Navigating the permitting process when deploying a broadband network can be laborious and time-consuming. You will need right-of-way easements from various entities, there could be cultural resources that will need to be identified, along with environmental impact and historical preservation considerations that must be addressed. This is not a one-size-fits-all process, and addressing all the details upfront is vital to keeping your project on track and to the overall success of your deployment.
Technology selection is a vital part of the building a successful, future-proof network. A single-point solutions provider can help you identify proven fiber and wireless technologies that allow for flexibility and scalability of your project and help to optimize spend.
Good communication and building strong relationships are imperative to not only boost team productivity, but to stay competitive in the market. This is particularly true in large and complex broadband deployment projects.
Managing all the moving pieces and the sheer volume of a large-scale broadband project can be challenging. A strategic partner can act as your command center for all aspects of your project, including purchasing, training, materials, logistics, and the coordination between various other suppliers. They act as an extension of your team, allowing you to focus on your core competencies.
We’ve outlined factors to consider prior to deploying your network. But what does it mean to work with an end-to-end supply chain solutions provider during the actual project execution?
It’s all about having an expert team at your fingertips. By partnering with a team that has proven experience in fiber builds, you can harness the power and expertise that they bring to the table and make your project more efficient, cost-effective and productive. There is a wide array of services to help you accelerate deployment and those can also include customizable solutions to fit your project needs:
One of the hurdles in deploying broadband in remote or rural areas is the scarcity of workers. This can oftentimes impact project efficiency, cost and timelines. Developing a strategy to cover your labor needs is crucial to meeting deadlines. Whether you hire specific workers or use a strategy to enable your current staff to be more efficient through technology. A detailed plan developed with experienced partners increases your project’s success factors.
Wesco’s team of broadband specialists is available 24/7 to help you respond quickly and effectively to damage caused by storms and other emergency situations. With essential products, materials, and on-site services to assist with rebuilding and recovery efforts, Wesco is equipped to provide the help needed to repair and restore fiber network communications systems.
Building a broadband network can be a daunting task. Though implementation and management are usually top of mind, planning is the crucial step to ensure success of all steps to follow. At Wesco, we offer a holistic approach to broadband with a comprehensive suite of end-to-end services and solutions to ensure your project’s success. Starting with planning, moving to deployment and ongoing network maintenance, we have a deep understanding of broadband project execution, technologies and best-in-class tools that deliver proven results.
By leveraging not only our capabilities, expertise, and innovation, but also our strategic partnerships with the industry-leading suppliers and key deployment phase experts like engineering and construction, Wesco can deliver a dynamic and extensive portfolio of products and materials that are needed to build world-class fiber and wireless networks.
With access to all the leading manufacturers and innovators in the industry, Wesco can also help you meet the requirements of BABA (Build America, Buy America Act) with targeted solutions that fit your project needs and goals.
Wesco often collaborates with other strategic partners that specialize in network assessments, consulting, design, and engineering services to help broadband providers achieve specific goals. One such company is CCI Systems, who combines forward-thinking engineering and practical field experience. With Wesco working in strategic partnerships with companies like CCI Systems they can offer broadband providers a complete strategy to build world-class fiber and wireless networks.
With over 60 years of experience, CCI Systems is a leading provider of consulting, engineering, technical field, and sustainability services within the telecommunication and broadband network industry. We offer extensive expertise and a proven track record of delivering complex projects on time and within budget. As a single-source solution for customized communication network services, CCI can make expanding your broadband infrastructure a success. Build the future with us.
In today’s market it is tough to have internal expertise in all areas revolving around a large-scale, multi-layered fiber deployment project. Wesco’s expertise with these types of projects guarantees that the products, services, and solutions for a seamless project execution and completion are already in place. With a wide-range of capabilities and proven solutions to simplify your project and provide pinpoint accuracy and total accountability, our results-driven team can guarantee that you achieve a successful broadband deployment.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Bailey
Director of Broadband Sales, Wesco
Over his 27-year career, Chris Bailey has worked for both supplier and distribution companies of various sizes. He has been involved in numerous broadband deployments with telephone companies, cooperatives, municipalities, and other entities. Chris is a desired speaker at all levels for his expertise in the broadband market and in selecting a supply chain partner.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chad Kay
Senior Director of Technical Operations, CCI Systems, Inc.
With over 28 years of knowledge and experience, Chad has held various positions throughout his career, including coax splicing technician, sweep technician, fiber splicer, apprentice engineer, broadband plant manager and state engineer, and HFC director. He is CCI Systems’ resident HFC and FTTH specialist, providing support to both CCI engineers and customers.
