5G Talent Talk with Carrie Charles (00:00)
Thanks for joining me today on 5G Talent Talk. I'm Carrie Charles, your host, and I am.

very, very excited to have with me today Scott Woods. He is the president of public private partnerships at ready .net. Scott, I'm excited to start this conversation. Let's go. Let's do it. Good afternoon. It's my pleasure to be here with you on today. Great, great. So how did you get into this wonderful world of telecommunications?

Well, very interesting story as we talked about. I actually started as a private practice attorney. So I was going to be the world's best antitrust lawyer litigation practice here in Washington, DC. And then I joined a telecommunications shop to do just that. But all of the activity and mergers and acquisitions were going on in the telecom sector.

And I sort of built up a knowledge and understanding on the business side and the regulatory side of what at the time telecommunications companies were going through. And then that morphed into broadband. And so from there, I joined the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, NTIA, under the Obama administration to help run and administer at the time the nation's first and largest

broadband grant program, the BTOP program. So a long and winding road, but ultimately all roads lead here to Ready But at NTIA, I held several leadership positions and was honored to be the inaugural director of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives and the division chief that was responsible to kick off some really notable grant programs during my time at NTIA.

So I know I met you at a broadband event and we just talked and talked and talked and I said, you have got to come on the show. So I want to really try to recreate that conversation a bit, but first I wanna learn about ready .net and also NTIA, if you could just describe who that is for people who don't know. So I'll start with NTIA. NTIA is the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. It is an agency within the Department of Conference.

Commerce, US Department of Commerce. And then NTIA under the Infrastructure, Jobs and Investment Act, it sits the BEAD program, the Broadband Equity and Access Deployment Grant Program. That is basically $50 billion in grant programs designed to target unserved and underserved communities across the country and digital equity, principally as a result of coming out of COVID.

to jumpstart our economy, to jumpstart underserved and unserved communities and really get us into a foot competitively globally with other communities and countries, you know, as we are advancing in sort of this technological and digital age of economic and social development. Which we have heard so much about. Absolutely. It is the talk of the town, right? Yes. But Ready you know, we're a technology software company.

And our motto is quite simple. We help broadband professionals connect more people to better services, right? That is our simple mission. And we build software and platforms to help broadband service providers, state broadband offices, local communities, nonprofits, again, just to do that, right? How to enable them to use technology, to use software to ensure that they can expand services into all communities.

It's a pleasure for me to be here and work with some of the best and brightest minds working on this issue of broadband expansion and digital equity. So what do companies need to know when it comes to digital equity and also the government funding opportunities that they have? And I know you mentioned BEAD, could there be others? Yeah, there are others. This is not the first program. It's by far the largest that's come through.

NTIA to date, but there are other federal programs, there are state programs, there's private investment, there's philanthropic entities that invest both in broadband and digital equity. But I think for your audience today, I mean, the time is now. Those who aren't aware, a significant amount of the BEAD funding, the $42 .5 billion program, that money is coming into the market this year as a lot of the states are finishing up.

their programs within TIA. They're deploying what we're calling challenge processes to determine exactly where their unserved and underserved and project areas will be. And so this is the year of BEAD and digital equity. And we'll see this, you know, not just in 2024, but in 2025, 2026, and 2027. And then there are other federal programs at Treasury under the Capital Projects Fund.

USDA, RUS, Rural Utility Service, they have a telecommunications grant and loan program. And then the FCC has its traditional programs that it's running out for broadband expansion as well. But for now, the biggest and the brightest is right now the spotlights on BEAD and digital equity. So how long, I mean, what kind of runway do we have here? So like, let's say a company, maybe a new company that is wanting to move from

wireless over to broadband or get into broadband or maybe invest in broadband. Does this look like a 10 year runway? It is. Excuse me, the traditional or at least the legislatively defined period of performance of these projects is five years. But from my experience, we're looking anywhere from seven to 10 years, probably total, before all of these projects, all of them wrap up. Now you'll have some that will wrap up before then.

particularly like Louisiana, they're approved to get started. They will kick off later this year, like June, July, August is when their timeframe. So those projects again will start in earnest in 2024 and beyond. But the rest of the state broadband offices and the territories will kick off later this year and the bulk into 2025. So what are the implications of not participating?

That's a great question. We deal a lot with that. We partner with state broadband offices and operators. And my personal and professional fear is that communities that don't get to participate will be left behind. And the companies that don't embrace this opportunity and embrace partnerships and different opportunities and relationships to build coalitions to address the digital divide, our communities...

you're going to be left behind. And I use our communities intentionally because we're in a stage in our growth and development that I believe we no longer can look at communities as them or those, right? There's no longer where the tribal communities are over there or unserved communities. It's them over there. No, it's about us collectively as a country, about our global competitiveness and our readiness to be able to have all of our communities compete. And no matter where you are, right? East coast, West coast, rural, South.

it shouldn't matter in terms of how you're able to access and what's available to you for high -speed broadband connectivity. Right, and not only that, but we're all connected. I mean, businesses are hiring people that live in these underserved communities, and so they do need connectivity to work remote. So I mean, it's all connected, right? It is. It's business, it's personal, right? It's telemedicine, it's health, it's...

You know, it's economic development, it's public safety, it's you name it, everything centers around broadband. And when we look really at technology and where it's going, you look at the advent of AI, which is now not in the future, right? Communities that don't have the technology and the connectivity, in my opinion, are irreparably harmed, irreparably harmed. And it's hard to make up. Every generation, it's hard to make up.

the gains because how far technology can take you and take us, my fear really is that communities that won't get a chance to participate are gonna be left behind. And that gap that we talk about, not just the digital equity gap, but the wealth gap and some of the other gaps that we're tracking, just become larger and larger. And then we have this really big chasm of inequity that shouldn't exist in this country. So that's my personal and professional...

mission, if you will, to ensure that our customers have the tools that they need to compete and win. And really, we've seen communities that have adequate and robust broadband, affordable broadband, just absolutely take off. So what are some common misconceptions around BEAD? that's a great question. Now you're hitting me with the great questions, Carrie

I think the common... I practiced for this with you. You're so brilliant. I was like, I gotta be really good with him. The common misconceptions that this funding is gonna go to the big carriers and the incumbents, right? And there's no room for small and local and independent municipal operators and providers to participate. And I think that's a big misconception with the NTIA programs. Also that it's...

too many strings attached. And I think that's true, right? Coming with the federal government money, particularly with NTIA, comes with a significant amount of bureaucracy and string and requirements. But we've done, in my opinion at Ready, a great job at introducing products that will make that process so much easier to manage. And so the excuse of the bureaucratic red tape where it's just too many requirements will no longer hold water.

as we move forward with this. And then finally, I think the common misconception is that this is hard and it's just like some other quote unquote failed programs that you see coming out of another federal agency that doesn't do the oversight that will be required at NTIA. So, those are common misconceptions. We're doing, I think the state broadband offices are doing a great job trying to.

Again, put an outreach message out to not just operators, but communities that, you know, they're gonna be intentional in ensuring that a wide swath of providers, nonprofits, et cetera, to extend it's allowed by the state, you know, will be able to participate in BEAD. So you mentioned quickly that BEAD funding is gonna be handled differently than some of the other grants, prior grants, but how is...

NTIA different? So I'm a former NTIA -er, so I'm no longer there. So I don't speak for the agency, but I can tell you what I know. NTIA does oversight really well. This is not the other federal programs that we've experienced. And I don't want to throw the FCC under the bus, but they don't do a ton of oversight. They do a lot of self -manage and self -reporting. But this particular program at NTIA is

Number one, it's data specific, data intensive. It requires a lot of empirical data and reporting and tracking on metrics and accomplishments. So, and NTIA along with the grants office, the NIST grants office, they do oversight really well. So checking to ensure all of the policy prescriptions and goals that are enumerated in the NOFO will be accomplished. And there are absolutely, you know,

outcomes or results for not participating or not following the outlines and the prescriptions as they require. And again, our work with state broadband offices as well, they've been intentional on clear on the data that they're going to collect and require from the participants and their program. So I think you will see a significant difference and shift in ensuring that the money that goes out of the door, if you will,

you know, will be tracked down to the dollar, down to the red cent, if you will, but the metrics that come from the project management and the grants and financial management portions of the BEAD program, that will be done by NTIA through the state broadband offices. And so, you know, you have to be prepared to be able to count and track for all of those, the funding and the projects. And so there's a lot that's going on there. So what is the impact?

of bead long -term? Like take it all the way, you know, past that five, seven year mark. Yeah, I think this is where I get into my philosophical lens. We talked about this before. I don't look at bead as an ending. I look at it as a beginning. This is a catalyst to ensure better, more robust connectivity.

between our communities and in our communities, right? So if we look at this as a catalytic or a catalyst event, now this is starting the investment and the building of what's to build and to come after. And the fundamental question that we're answering and addressing already is what comes after this, right? Broadband is the start, but it is going to lead into more opportunities for digital expansion, for equity.

issues, digital equity issues to expand, like workforce development, advances in telecommunication, advances in communication. So again, this is just the start of something. And so when we look back in 10 years, 15 years, we can see this was the foundation of communities really taking off and the growth of broadband networks. And you can see it in some communities now. There's communities now that are experimenting with

you know, quantum computing and, and advent of AI and government and city services. We know that, you know, our private on the private side and the private market, you know, AI is being integrated into a lot of business processes and technology as well. And so when you take it from, you know, the micro, which is internal to our communities, to the macro, which is globally, you know, we're enabling our communities and the businesses that are located in there to compete better.

on a global scale than before. So I look at this again as a catalytic event. This is a foundation to build upon what comes next. So I've been to quite a few broadband events and conferences and heard these state leaders speak and some of them have said that the BEAD funding will not be enough to provide connectivity for.

you know, all for their entire community. And if not, then what happens next? That's a great question. Another great question, Carrie. You know, it is true for many states. Some states, they project this will be enough to connect all of their unserved and underserved communities or at minimum all of their unserved communities. Now it all depends. Some states have already deployed state broadband.

programs or they participated in other federal grant programs. And so BEAD is going to, you know, their BEAD allocation and their BEAD projects will be used to further fill in the gaps. But there are other states that this is it, and it may not be enough. But again, so, you know, what comes next is, you know, private market comes in, you know, is there a demand that we'll be able to track and show? I think the great thing about BEAD is we'll have all of this data, right, that we can then equate to market demand.

And so is there a role, which I believe there's a role for the private market to then step up and then also help complete and finish broadband expansion into a lot of communities. But the issue has always been an unserved and underserved communities across the country is the business case, right? If this is not a business case that will allow for the private market to stand in and because of that failure, if you will, that market failure, that is why we're seeing this government intervention.

into it. But I think this is, again, going back to the catalyst statement again, after all of this is over, there's still going to be a need in states, in communities across the country to expand broadband connectivity. And hopefully the private market, and hopefully investment will come in that's not government -based to ensure that these networks can expand and that it will be digital equity opportunities provided.

for the communities that may not get built to or provided for during the BEAD program. So what message do you have for companies that are a little bit late to the party, if you will, or can we be late to the party? And we're just saying, okay, we really want to participate in this from a company standpoint, right? And get involved and build and...

you know, what do we do from here? Do we need to hire someone that can write these grants? What do we do? First question I would ask, Gary, is where the hell y 'all been? Right, I know, right? I'm just asking. Get over that question. I know. Well, there are people in wireless now that are thinking, you know, let me...

want to go over and work in broadband. Wireless has been very, very challenging and slow. And so there's some transition, but yeah, you're right. You would have to live under a rock not to know what's going on. After I get over that question, I would say, okay, I should have. The shock of that. But then it's getting gauged, right? So every state and territory has a broadband office. Each broadband office has submitted a plan, a plan of action, a plan of approach that's been reviewed and hopefully,

in the process of being approved by NTIA, but there's a public component and transparency to all of this. And so you can go to your state broadband office and the plan is laid out. You can see what their plans are, what their approach is. I think there's a role for wireless, for fixed wireless, for fiber. There's a role for all of these technologies, but you gotta get involved. And I would hope it's not too late.

I would say after getting over the shock of the response, get involved, get activated. And I have been pushing sort of non -traditional partnerships with BEAD, right? Because of the focus is unserved and underserved communities and anchor institutions, the traditional business case may not be there. So you may have to partner, particularly in the broadband industry with a partner you haven't partnered with before.

or maybe change your business model and expectations so that you can participate. But the goal is to participate, not just for the growth of your business, but for the communities and your customers that you sit and serve. I think it is imperative that all of our providers, all even our municipal networks, are able to take advantage of this because again, my fear, both professionally and personally, is communities that don't have a plan, that don't get built.

that aren't connected, you know, are gonna be irreparably damaged and harmed from this. And this is something that we absolutely can address. We just need everybody at the table. And, you know, that's what I loved about you and our conversation is you had this passion about, you know, the mission and it's bigger than just follow the money, if you will, right? Or, or.

Okay, you know, we, you know, profits and this, that, and the other. I mean, you've got this passion inside of you. And I think that we all need to pay attention to that and, you know, get a little piece of it. And I want to modify that. Yes, passion. There's, you can do both. You can make money and be passionate about helping people and communities at the same time. There you go. There's no, there's, there's, there's not one or the other. It's just the matter upon which we have to have that belief that this is our time. This is the time that we really take.

investment in our communities really important. And I am really grateful for my opportunity here already, but also my time at NTIA was able to travel across the country in communities that I probably would never have been to otherwise. And that need, that cry, if you will, has been the same, whether it's tribal communities, whether it's rural communities, whether it's urban overlooked communities, it's been the same message is that we deserve a chance. Our children deserve a chance to have

you know, connectivity and access to technology. And I don't want to make a correction, a misconception, not even a correction. We're not talking about equal outcomes, people. I don't know. I just want to make sure we're talking free market to the bone. Talk about equal opportunity, and they should not be defined by zip code or amount, where you live or how much you make. Access to technology, as we know, is fundamental to the growth of our communities, to being competitive.

to ensuring our children have what they need, our seniors, right? So let's make sure we're at the table, we're all pushing and pulling in the right direction. And if we do so, there's a market there for us to take advantage of. Yes. Well, not take advantage of, but. Yes.

Right, right. To capitalize on. There is opportunity for all. Opportunity for all. We can have an advantage in a good way so we can all have advantages, right? That's the bottom line. Let's all have them, right? Somebody's going to be sitting there saying.

You said you were gonna take advantage. I didn't mean it in that sense. No, no. And now it's an election year. This has nothing to do with politics. Nothing at all. Nothing at all. No, that's, I got you. No, I got the mission, got the passion. That's awesome. How could we reach you, Scott? How can we reach Ready and learn more? So you can reach me at scottatready .net. That's the quickest way. We have our website. There's ready .net, www .ready .net.

And then we also operate a community, broadband .io. It's free, you join. We have knowledge stakeholders, industry stakeholders from across the country in a growing free exchange community. There's no obligation to use ready or ready services. We're not even branded in that community at all, but we feel as though the more knowledge stakeholders and communities and providers that we can bring together, free exchange of ideas. We do our ask me anything events where we,

interview, you know, broadband leaders and stakeholders from across the country, broadband office directors. It's just a free information exchange of best practices and ideas on how we can accomplish this huge goal of connecting the un or under connected. So those are three principal ways. Email me directly. Visit us at ready .net. You can see our full suite of product offerings and how we work with both operators and broadband.

service providers as well as communities and state broadband offices. And then the IO community is just a place I think everyone should join just to see what some of the things that are going on in the discussions that are being had and see how you can contribute to the discourse of how we can accomplish this as an industry and as a country. Say that one more time to IO. What was that? It's broadband .io. that's easy enough. Yeah, I think we need to...

all go there and be a part of that. So Scott, thank you so much. This has been a pleasure. And I do think the more information and education that we all have, then the better that, you know, really this country is going to be when it comes to connectivity and digital equity. So I appreciate your passion and sharing that with us today. Thank you so much, Carrie I appreciate you. And I appreciate being on here today. Yes, take care. We'll see you soon at another conference.

Let's do it.

Alrighty, that was awesome!