Every community has the potential to be something great. It is a matter of tapping into the resources around them that will allow them to access their true potential. Common everyday images dotting the landscape may be the keys to helping unlock funding for a broadband project. Assets around the community can lead to the community being able to market and build a network.

A great example of this is Nashville, Tennessee. It was discovered that the Cumberland River qualified for a $2 million port security grant from the Department of Homeland Security. This everyday asset transformed into funding for surveillance on the bridge and the waterfront. The grant has allowed Nashville to begin creating its communication infrastructure.

In Chattanooga, Tennessee the Electric Power Board (EPB) received a $115 million grant from the Department of Energy. EPB used the grant money to construct a fiber optic network that provides automated meter reading, reduced power generation costs and triple-play services to its customers.

EPB intentionally built a dual purpose network to better serve the community to cultivate economic development. Because of the grant opportunity, the network now serves about 75,000 customers and has attracted businesses like Volkswagen’s North American manufacturing and an Amazon distribution center to the area.

In general, multipurpose networks create opportunities within a community. Many communities are seeking funding to build broadband networks to enhance the overall viability of their areas. Multipurpose networks attract broader audiences and provide the high capacity bandwidth required to support a myriad of other applications that attract funding.

Applications like cybersecurity, city surveillance and public safety interoperability are just a few that coexist on a broadband network. These services not only make government agencies more efficient and connected but also create safer communities. This, in turn, attracts additional public and private partnerships.

We hope that we were able to shed some more light on the topic of broadband funding! Allow LanCity to be your source for internet services! All information received from BBC Mag. Read the full article here.