Conexon, which specializes in designing and managing construction of rural fiber-optic networks, now offers an Interactive RDOF (Rural Digital Opportunity Fund) Mapping Platform to help electric cooperatives (co-ops) plan bids for Federal Communications Commission’s RDOF auction.
The RDOF effort earmarks $20.4 billion to help close the digital divide in rural communities. A follow on from Connect America Fund II (CAF II) program, the RDOF will award funding in two phases. The Phase I auction, which is scheduled to begin October 22, 2020, will target more 6 million homes and businesses in census blocks entirely unserved by voice and broadband with download speeds of at least 25 Mbps. Phase II will cover locations in partially served census blocks as well as locations not funded in Phase I, according to the FCC. The commission says it will prioritize higher network speeds and lower latency in reviewing funding proposals.
Electric co-ops should be in prime position for RDOF awards, Conexon states. The Interactive RDOF Mapping Platform is designed to enable such co-ops to identify the census blocks and block groups where funding aligns with each co-op’s electric network, enabling them to tailor their bids. The platform was designed by Conexon IT Vice President Mike Byrne, a former FCC chief geographic officer.
Electric co-ops have already started to use the platform. “Conexon’s mapping tool gave us a very clear picture of the potential total RDOF funding we could receive and an in-depth view that makes sense to electric cooperatives,” Missouri’s Pemiscot Dunklin Electric Cooperative CEO Tim Davis said via a Conexon press release. “No one else has the capability to provide that much accurate financial funding detail to a co-op. It’s critical as we make these important investment decisions.”
Meanwhile, Conexon also has resurrected the Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium (RECC) it founded to pursue CAF II funds. The earlier RECC received more than $186 million through that funding program.
“The importance of broadband access has never been more evident than it is today,” Conexon Partner Jonathan Chambers said. “A lot of people talk about the importance of broadband in rural America. We build rural fiber networks. Every co-op that bid with us in the CAF II auction was successful. Every co-op working with us is building fiber to every member. The key to our success last time was thorough preparation by using our software tools. Mike has built us a better tool for RDOF, and scores of electric co-ops are ready today to bid, to build, to serve their communities.”
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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