Will CBRS and RDOF Create Jobs?

The telecoms industry is already at the center of day-to-day life for individuals and companies. But it could grow more substantially in the years ahead thanks in part to two federal initiatives, the CBRS and RDOF.  

Whare are these initiatives, and will they create jobs for the industry? These initiatives are opportunities to bring wireless connection to more people and grow enterprise systems, and it will take people-power to make these programs function. 

What Are CBRS and RDOF? 

CBRS, or Citizens Broadband Radio Service, is 150 MHz of spectrum in the 3.5 GHz to 3.7 Hz range. New access to CBRS will allow carriers and operators to expand their network and data offerings.  

RDOF, or Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, launched in 2019 with the goal of bringing broadband to rural areas. The first phase comes with a budget of $9.2 billion from Universal Service Fund (USF) monies. 

In short, both offer opportunities to grow telecom’s reach both geographically and in terms of market offerings. 

What to Expect from CBRS and RDOF Job Creation 

On their face, both CBRS and RDOF will demand job creation. In the context of CBRS, the telecoms industry already saw a huge demand for 5G engineers in 2018. And one RDOF contract won by Windstream alone covers 200,000 locations across 18 states.    

While the job outlook is bright, there are some concerns. There have been previous issues with delivering promises made on FCC contracts, as noted in Congress and by stakeholders. So much depends on the industry’s follow-through.  

However, better access to both broadband and 5G will create jobs across the board, including in telecoms. 5G alone will create up to 22 million jobs globally by 2035, including 300,000 manufacturing jobs in the U.S.  

Do You Have the Talent Needed to Take Telecoms to the Next Level? 

CBRS and RDOF will require job creation to fulfill the monster contracts involved with both programs. The scope of what the new jobs require is still to be determined. However, telecoms companies who want to remain competitive and fulfill the promise offered by 5G and RDOF will need to attract and keep the right talent. 

Contact Us Today to Learn More 

Are you ready for the big things happening in telecoms? Let TekCom Resources help you find the engineering talent you need to succeed. Get in touch to find out what it means to work with a company that truly understands the telecom and network infrastructure world. 

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