Exclusive: Sources Tell Inside Towers an Infrastructure Funding Deal Includes Wireless

 By Leslie Stimson Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief It appears that an agreement is emerging on the broadband section of the infrastructure package in the Senate. The staff of a dozen or so Senators involved in the bipartisan infrastructure plan have met over the past two weeks and reached the outlines of an agreement.
 
In particular, the group seems to have coalesced around a 100 Mbps download/20 upload for the minimum build standard, which can accommodate fixed and mobile wireless, with a possible priority for projects that can achieve higher speeds, according to unnamed sources close to the wireless industry. They tell Inside Towers first that wireless can meet the speed requirements of 100/20 and will thus be eligible to apply for some $65 billion in subsidies; they also provided Inside Towers with documentation to back up their claims. 
 
Previously, much of the infrastructure language being discussed by lawmakers favored wireline connectivity, and symmetrical upload and download speeds such as 100 Mbps, Inside Towers reported. By setting a symmetrical 100/100 speed requirement, wireless would have been cut out of that money, according to the sources. Continue Reading