Cable One, Mercury Broadband Default on RDOF Locations

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2024 - A federal broadband auction program designed to bring fixed broadband and voice service to the unserved continues to encounter difficulties after several new defaults.

Two companies, Mercury Broadband and Cable One, defaulted on their obligations under the $20 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Tuesday and last Thursday, respectively.

The companies cited rising costs and competitive encroachment as the reasoning behind their defaults. Cable One, under the leadership of President and CEO Julie Laulis, noted that deployment costs have inflated at an unforeseen rate since the conclusion of the RDOF auction in 2020.