Local Innovation Overlooked in the Broadband Funding Debate

In his recent “Bandwidth Hawk” column, Broadband Communities raises an urgent topic: Federal broadband funding is under renewed attack. This imbalance could favor major national ISPs at the expense of hundreds of regional carriers, co-ops, and even municipal networks. This imbalance overlooks the success of community-driven deployments and stifles the innovation we need most in hard-to-reach areas.

My Perspective as a Small Tech Partner

I’m Magnus Johansson, CEO of WiBUZ, a technology partner focused on helping local and regional providers deliver the best possible broadband services with minimal vendor lock-in. We’ve seen how smaller carriers, co-ops, and municipal initiatives—often dismissed as “not having enough competence or scale”—demonstrate extraordinary agility and long-term commitment to their communities. Our wibipOS platform was built specifically to give these providers an equal footing, letting them blend multi-vendor ecosystems into a single, vendor-agnostic architecture that scales.

What’s Really at Stake

1. Choice and Competition: Large carriers already enjoy significant advantages. Restricting how or to whom federal funds can be disbursed only amplifies the digital divide. Smaller carriers are often the first to serve remote areas because they have deeper local roots and a vested interest in community success.

2. Local Empowerment Over Lock-In: Our work with wibipOS shows that local providers can flex their muscles when vendor lock-in and high integration costs are removed. They can unify solutions from multiple vendors, slash overhead, and deliver cutting-edge services.

3. Innovation from the Ground Up: Municipal or co-op broadband is no longer a “do-it-yourself, cross-your-fingers” affair. A thriving vendor ecosystem—backed by open APIs, comprehensive management tools, and skilled integrators—means these networks can be as sophisticated and reliable as any top-tier ISP.

Why We Shouldn’t Write Off Local Networks

Ultimately, the debate isn’t about “government-run broadband” versus “private-sector solutions.” It’s about fostering creativity, competition, and local control—at scale. The more agile carriers and community networks are in the mix, the less likely we will see entire regions left behind. “Eligibility expansions” in programs like BEAD help more than one type of solution flourish. That’s good for customers, good for competition, and suitable for America’s connectivity goals.

Small Provider, Big Results: wibipOS Powers a National Rollout

Our wibipOS platform was built for these local heroes, blending multi-vendor solutions into a single, vendor-agnostic ecosystem. Look at our Jamaica case study, where a modest MSP led a nationwide rollout to connect over 350 schools and more than 3,000 APs—and is currently expanding to 700 additional schools and 7,000+ APs—without locking itself to one vendor. That’s the power of agile thinking and open architecture.

If you lead a smaller carrier or community broadband program, don’t underestimate your role. Keep informing policymakers about local success stories and pushing for funding rules that welcome all forms of innovation. At WiBUZ, we’re committed to ensuring that every provider—large or small—can innovate on their own terms.

Your Voice Matters

Don't discount your power to influence policy if you’re in leadership at a smaller carrier or a municipal broadband initiative. Keep educating local leaders and representatives on what’s working in your region and why local-driven projects deserve equal footing in the funding landscape.

At WiBUZ, we remain committed to enabling all carriers—large or small—to innovate on their terms.

Are you curious how a single MSP changed a country’s connectivity? Read our Jamaica case study to see how wibipOS turned ambition into reality.

Let’s keep building the future together!

Magnus Johansson CEO & Co-Founder, WiBUZ