The most important telecom event in 2022 was arguably the passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which offers $550 billion in funding, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which provides $65 billion, as well as the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, which has $20.4 billion in funding specifically for connecting rural homes with broadband access. Other resources include the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program; Emergency Connectivity Fund; Affordable Connectivity Program; and many other state-level grant opportunities that local governments can apply for to expand broadband infrastructure and access to their communities. 

While on the note of regulatory events, another big highlight was the FCC finally announcing massive changes to the Universal Service Fund. Since there hasn’t been much news, we can only hold our breath and wait for developments that are poised to come later in the year. 

So, what can we expect to happen in 2023? To start, the demand for data will continue to grow as the average consumer’s usage will continue to rise. To meet demand, the government-fueled fiber buildout throughout the suburbs and rural areas will continue, and providers will begin the crossover to 100/20 standard speeds even in the most rural communities. Competition for broadband and wireless subscribers will continue to grow as providers expand services to new areas and compete for coverage. 

Another development that we'll keep an eye out for is the development of new product lines that will help ISPs gain an edge over competitors. One example is the increase in popularity of the Internet of Things. The next year should see increased adoption of smart home technologies, and we’ll keep an eye on how service providers will use these technologies to expand their existing product lines. 

ATS’ Broadband and Telecom Services

So what have we been up to at ATS this past year? Much of our regulatory technical work involving the Universal Service Fund and CAF Performance Testing has gained the most traction, and we've enjoyed developing our products in that area. With that said, USF and CAF are only a fraction of our total business, and we worked on many interesting projects in 2022.

Our customer base ranges from rural ISPs to traditional Tier One Providers in North America. We’ve always advertised ourselves as a ‘Five-Tool’ player when it comes to telecom data, so much of our work comes from specialized services that help solve business problems for telecom providers. 

Some of our favorite projects at ATS start with a client coming to us with a problem and giving us the chance to work through the issue to develop a solution. This starts with project planning and coordinating with the client to design a solution, then continuing to work with them through final development and support. We have a tight-knit team with a long history in telecom that is always ready for new challenges and problem-solving.

Much of our other work involves analytics related to Wireless and VoIP data applications stemming from Call and IP Data Records. This includes usage analytics, churn mitigation, fraud detection, GIS tracking, and many other specialized projects depending on the client's needs. Data management and analytics are critical to the modern communication provider’s ability to make informed decisions and optimize network services. In the past, these tools were seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. Now, even smaller Tier 3 broadband providers are using many of these tools to keep up with the developing broadband technology and new competition.

CAF testing has allowed us to become professionals with broadband network tools, and has shown us how much a deeper dive into customer data can uncover issues in a network's health. In 2023, we plan to focus more on broadband to help ensure our CAF customers stay compliant with FCC requirements, and help with optimizing their networks in the process. 

Our team is always adapting to new trends in telecommunication by delivering solutions that can really make a difference for our service provider partners. We pride ourselves in treating each of our clients with the same level of attention and support regardless of their background. We ensure quality engineered solutions with quick turnaround times and enjoy working in the ever-changing telecom space. With that said, we’re excited about what’s to come in the new year!

As a full turnkey solutions provider, some of our services include;

• Data Storage and Retrieval
• Network Optimization
• Usage Analytics
• Process Automation
• Churn mitigation
• Technical Project Management
• Fraud Detection
• Switch Consolidation
• Billing Consolidation
• CAF Performance Testing
• USF Traffic Studies
• & Much More!

As always, please feel free to reach out to discuss any problems you need solved!