Middle Mile Advocate Says Rural Areas Need Fiber Connectivity
Fiber connectivity – particularly middle mile connectivity – is the future of rural communications.

Fiber connectivity – particularly middle mile connectivity – is the future of rural communications.
WASHINGTON May 17, 2024— Sachin Gupta, director of government business and economic development of fiber provider Centranet, lamented the “serious lack” of middle mile broadband deployment in rural areas during a Fiber Broadband Association webinar Wednesday.
While there are a lot of current middle mile projects to connect major cities such as Dallas and Houston, he said that rural areas were neglected.
Fiber deployment emerges as a common thread despite vastly different market conditions.
Permitting delays, transmission backlogs, siting fights, and supply chain gaps top the list.
The agency is investigating the company, along with Comcast and Verizon, over diversity practices.
Outdated permitting systems could stymie nuclear projects needed for tomorrow’s data centers, panelists said.