Utility broadband

Bring ultra-broadband services and enhanced power delivery to your community

People need internet access to engage in almost every facet of their lives, including employment, education, health and government services. Unfortunately, broadband access and affordability challenges persist, creating a digital divide between those who have high-quality service and those who do not in rural and lower-income urban areas.

As communities work to bridge the digital divide, it is becoming increasingly clear that utility broadband services will have an important role to play.

Why should you elevate the role of broadband in your business strategy?

Broadband access is essential for underserved communities that are looking to prosper in today’s connected global economy. It can provide a platform for advancing a community’s economic development.

Utilities can also use broadband communication to make their grids smarter, more reliable and more efficient. Broadband provides the pervasive connectivity they need for digitalization, automation and the integration of distributed energy resources, all of which will help them decarbonize their grids. The revenues created by consumer broadband services can help accelerate the availability of pervasive connectivity for grid operations.

Utilities have a unique opportunity to help close the digital divide. Many utilities already have infrastructure that can be used to build out extremely reliable broadband networks. More importantly, utilities have built relationships and trust with communities over time by providing power under a regulatory framework that ensures equitable service.

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Overview
Why elevate the role of broadband in your business strategy?
Why bring utility broadband to your community?
Why consider Nokia broadband solutions?
Utility broadband use cases
Related topics
Related solutions and products
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Brochure

Enhancing utility business and community prosperity through gigabit broadband service

Brochure

The case for community broadband: How high-speed broadband creates wealth, equality and opportunity for citizens

Why bring utility broadband to your community now?

Governments are providing unprecedented funding for broadband services

COVID-19 has shown governments around the world that the digital divide permeates rural communities and disenfranchises people in dense, low-income urban areas. The lack of multi-gigabit broadband in these areas limits people’s access to employment, education, critical services and opportunities to engage with their communities. It also makes these areas less attractive for businesses seeking to create more jobs and better products through digital transformation and Industry 4.0.

Key EU broadband funding sources:

The EU Council recently agreed that 20 percent of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (€135 billion) will be invested in the digital transition.
The new Connecting Europe Facility program (€2 billion) will fund very-high-capacity networks, including 5G networks.

Key US broadband funding sources:

The NTIA BEAD program ($45 billion) provides funding for broadband deployment, mapping and adoption projects.
The NTIA Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program ($1 billion) provides funding for the construction, improvement or acquisition of middle-mile infrastructure.
The NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program ($2 billion) provides funds to an NTIA program previously implemented under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.
The Digital Equity Act programs ($2.75 billion) dedicate funds to three grant programs that promote digital inclusion and equity to ensure that all individuals and communities have the skills, technology and capacity they needed to reap the full benefits of the digital economy.
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase II ($11.2 billion) will fund broadband and voice services for partially-served census blocks and unserved areas that were not reached through RDOF Phase I.
The American Rescue Plan Act created the Emergency Connectivity Fund ($7.17 billion) to reimburse schools and libraries for providing free home broadband service (and connected devices) to students.

Further funding opportunities for community broadband services

Why should you consider Nokia broadband solutions?

Provide fixed and wireless broadband services and enhanced power delivery to your community

The good news for utilities in rural areas and smaller municipalities is that broadband is within reach. Our broadband solutions empower utilities to bring multi-gigabit access services to communities in underserved areas. They also provide an operational communications foundation that will help utilities support smart grid and green energy capabilities.

Our broadband fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technologies allow utilities to extend voice, data, IPTV and smart meter communications services to every home and business. We also offer a fixed-wireless access (FWA) solution that complements fiber infrastructure by enabling utilities to cost-effectively reach widely dispersed homes in rural areas and realize aggressive rollout schedules.

Our broadband solutions provide the communications foundation for reliable, efficient smart grid electric services that bolster a community’s economic development. They deliver pervasive fixed and wireless connectivity that enables utilities to support the digitalization, automation and integration of distributed renewable generation to realize zero-emission targets. A shared infrastructure with utility broadband-generated revenue improves the business case and accelerates the rollout for smart grid-based operations.

Broadband gigabit service delivery architecture

Broadband services support

Utility broadband use cases

Nokia is proud to partner with an ever-growing list of utilities to deliver ultra-broadband services. Explore some examples of our utility broadband services in action.