Why Municipalities Should Consider Partnering With the Private Sector To Offer Broadband

The most expeditious path forward for municipalities to deliver broadband is by partnering with the private sector. Governments can work alongside private providers to bring together a winning combination of knowledge, expertise, and collaboration. Funding programs also support this partnership by providing billions of dollars via the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

A whopping $2.1 trillion has been invested in broadband networks across the United States since 1996-but this is entirely from private sector investment. Despite the success of private broadband projects, non-profit entities have a strong advantage in many ways. No one can understand their own community quite like those who serve them every day, giving local non-profits a leg up.

Municipalities Shouldn't Shy Away From Offering Broadband

For many municipalities, deploying broadband can feel challenging. Broadband might be a completely new or unfamiliar infrastructure, leaving municipalities looking for assistance as they venture into internet service.

But this doesn't mean municipalities are ill-suited to offer it. On the contrary, municipalities are often a much-needed central source for funding, regulatory compliance, and community activities surrounding broadband and its delivery.

Because municipalities have familiarity with other types of infrastructure, they're often adept at flexibly navigating the complexities of government and private management.

Why Partner With the Private Sector?

Municipalities should explore a model where they own the infrastructure but can leverage private and experienced broadband service providers and relevant businesses for cloud-based software, billing, support, marketing, operations, and more. This allows everyone to put their best foot forward and focus on what they do best.

Leaning too heavily on the interests of the private sector can come at the expense of the local community's needs. At the same time, relying solely on resources within the area can prohibit a municipality from experiencing the full breadth and discipline of expert partners who may have deployed hundreds of networks and set up the broadband businesses that support them.

By integrating everyone's strengths through partnership, municipalities can refocus on the needs of the community-but still offer extraordinary value to their subscribers through broadband solutions.

To learn more about partnering with the private sector to deliver broadband, download our eBook, "Building Public-Private Partnerships for Successful Municipal Broadband Deployment."