SPEED MATTERS

• Telemedicine, remote learning and working, e-commerce, streaming, and future technologies like virtual reality and autonomous vehicles ALL need more and more internet bandwidth.
• The need for speed will only grow for both download and upload capacity.
• The federal government calls for identical upload and download speeds. 

PROVIDER MATTERS

• Montana's locally-owned, community-based broadband providers have a demonstrated history of commitment to their networks, their customers and their communities. 
• Federal policy prioritizes funding broadband investment projects using "[local] providers with less pressure to turn profits and with a commitment to serving entire communities."

TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

• Federal rules define “Priority Broadband Projects” as those that use end-to-end fiber optic architecture.
• Only end-to-end fiber will “ensure that the network built by the project can easily increase speeds over time…to meet the evolving connectivity needs of households and businesses” and “support other advanced services.”
• End-to-end fiber networks can be updated allowing for quick and relatively inexpensive upgrades as compared to other technologies.
• New fiber deployments will facilitate the deployment and growth of 5G and other advanced wireless services, which rely extensively on fiber.