As the U.S. announces more fiber deployments, the broadband industry is facing a looming problem: finding enough workers to actually deploy the tens of millions of new channels they've been promised. Government statistics show that the number of telecom workers has fallen sharply over the past decade, and that number isn't expected to rebound anytime soon. But plug-and-play fiber installation technology could help ease the labor crunch - at least to some extent.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of telecom workers in the U.S. has declined by nearly 25 percent over the past decade, from 868,200 in January 2012 to 653,400 in January 2022. While this number has since fallen back to a projected 661,500 in June, the Bureau's outlook is not likely to change much by 2030.
By 2030, the average growth rate for all occupations is expected to be close to 8 percent. In contrast, BLS data show that the number of telecommunications equipment installers and repairers (except line installers) is expected to decline by 1 percent between 2020 and 2030. It projects "little change" in the number of line installers and maintenance personnel. In the latter case, this is because most of the 23,300 job openings expected to be available each year during the forecast period will require replacement or retired workers.
While some organizations, such as the Fiber Broadband Association, AT&T and Corning, are stepping up efforts to train new employees to fill vacancies, others are touting the ability of plug-and-play fiber solutions to help reduce workforce requirements. New fiber vendor Brightspeed, for example, says it plans to use Corning's Pushlok cables and Evolv terminals to reduce the amount of splicing that needs to be done. By expanding, that means less specialized labor.
Tom Maguire, Brightspeed's chief operating officer, explained the reasons behind its decision. "Everyone knows that there has been a shortage of outside plant technicians (aka linemen) since Superstorm Sandy [in 2012] and a lack of skilled splicers for quite some time. Combined with the longer lead times for products like bucket trucks, it was clear where we needed to focus our attention," he added, noting that while pre-joined fiber has been around for a long time, the technology previously focused on introducing wire and everything else needed to be spliced. Corning's Pushlok and Evolv solutions have changed that, he added.
Evolv with Pushlok was introduced in 2020 and has been used millions of times since then, Bob Whitman, vice president of global market development for Corning Carrier Networks, told Fierce.
Kara Mullaley, Corning's market development manager, explained that as fiber construction moves from urban environments to more rural areas, each splice in the distribution network "typically serves fewer potential users - which means the splice's time is spent doing more preparation and less of value - doubling the effort." With Corning's plug-and-play system, however, operators can reduce the time it takes to deploy each access point from hours to minutes, she said.
Such a system also reduces the need for trained workers, who require hard-to-get bucket trucks and expensive tools, Maguire said. Instead, Brightspeed can use other types of technology that are cheaper. Put it all together, and Brightspeed expects to save time and money. maguire says it can save up to 50 percent of the cost of building the distribution network. In the long run, it also sees the potential for future savings in maintenance costs with plug-and-play systems. maguire notes that "it's much easier to replace different elements when you can simply unplug the damaged item and plug in a new one."
Elsewhere, Midco and Blue Ridge Communications are among more than 700 service provider customers in the U.S. using Clearfield's Plug and Play products for network deployments.
Kevin Morgan, Clearfield's chief marketing officer and chairman of the Fiber Broadband Association's board of directors, said there has been a recent influx of "new" contractor talent with little or no experience. That means workers may not follow procedures and may even install equipment incorrectly. But he added that plug-and-play equipment means those workers can be trained faster and reduce the need for maintenance and troubleshooting. Clearfield has long been working on the whole "light worker" idea. It first introduced its plug-and-play FieldShield solution in 2010, and the technology has since been incorporated into its FieldSmart product. Most recently, he says, it improved its YOURx line of external plant terminals in 2016 to make them 100 percent plug-and-play.
"The process and the way devices work today is very different than it was 10 or 20 years ago," Morgan explained. "The benefit for inexperienced companies entering the market today is the ability to implement plug-and-play systems in an external plant environment so you don't have to have as many skilled workers as you used to ...... It didn't even happen a decade ago. There's a lot of splicing in the network."
But while the technology has evolved, attitudes don't necessarily follow across the board. Morgan says there is still "some inertia" among operators who are reluctant to change their deployment technology. Some operators may be hesitant to add new SKUs to their supply chains," Maguire added.
One factor that may help overcome these obstacles is that many carriers are now receiving or applying for broadband grants associated with strict deployment deadlines, Morgan said, adding that the need to meet these milestones is driving them to look for solutions that will allow them to complete deployments better and faster.
Overcoming the labor shortage is "achievable," he concludes. That's the problem with adopting these technologies."
