Authors: Kasheera Gamith
Abstract: National broadband strategies increasingly emphasize fiber-centric deployment as the preferred long-term infrastructure solution. While optical fiber offers superior scalability and performance, empirical deployment outcomes demonstrate that rigid fiber-only mandates frequently delay service availability, increase cost variance, and undermine universal access objectives—particularly in access-constrained environments. This paper argues that broadband policy frameworks must transition from technology-prescriptive models toward technology-neutral incentive structures that reward deployment efficiency and service outcomes rather than infrastructure type. Building on infrastructure economics, broadband policy literature, and hybrid access network theory, the paper develops an economic and regulatory framework that explicitly accommodates hybrid fiber–wireless architectures. The framework explains why hybrid solutions often outperform fiber-only deployments under real-world constraints and proposes incentive mechanisms that align operator behavior with public policy goals. By reframing broadband policy as an outcome-oriented optimization problem, the paper contributes a robust analytical foundation for inclusive, efficient, and future-resilient broadband deployment.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18668558
