There will be a competitive wholesale rural telecom market “you...

and upgrade 2,600 miles of fiber in rural areas across the state. Communities need to be realistic, Freddoso said Tuesday at a State of the Net panel with NTIA’s grantees. They can never rely on the incumbent carriers to build in the most rural areas, he said. It’s critical to invest in rural middle-mile infrastructure that allows small and rural companies to build on, he said. And helping low-income communities understand affordability is important, said Susan Walters, senior vice president with California Emerging Technology Fund. “Affordability is a package that you have to unbundle with the communities.” The package includes helping people understand what the current price is and cost savings available, she said. Regarding BTOP progress, Mark Shlanta, CEO of SDN Communications, said the company’s South Dakota BTOP project has completed 81 percent of the estimated 359 miles of fiber. SDN, which has until the end of the year to connect 305 sites in over 70 communities, has completed builds to over 229 locations, he said. “We are on time and on budget.” Freddoso said the MCNC North Carolina project is about nine months ahead of schedule. The project received funds in both rounds of funding. Half of the first round build is in service, Freddoso said. Since the start of Philadelphia’s computer centers across the city, usership has been “overwhelming,” said Andrew Buss, director of public programs with Philadelphia Office of Innovation & Technology. The city has staff at all of the 77 computer centers to offer on-site support, he said.