Fiber Broadband Industry Faces Material and Labor Shortages
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BroadMax Group
A shortage of fiber, chips, other materials and skilled labor could impact the expansion and rollout of new broadband networks.
The fiber broadband industry is buzzing with talk about material and labor shortages just as the U.S. market is set for another spike in buildouts. With billions in federal broadband subsidies starting to become available, ISPs are gearing up to expand existing networks or build new ones in underserved communities.
It’s impossible, however, to build networks without material and hardware, a concern in the U.S. and Europe. COVID-19 certainly compounded the situation. The pandemic shut down electronics manufacturing plants in Asia for months, stopping the flow of goods. But some industry analysts say a strain on fiber broadband–related materials and components was already underway.