Broadband is vital infrastructure — a lifeline for rural communities and an essential tool for economic participation. But the capital backing broadband deployment today is often misaligned with the communities that need it most.

In this op-ed for ImpactAlpha, Brian Snider draws on a decade of experience trying to connect communities left behind by the broadband market. He outlines how private equity’s sky-high return expectations and short timeframes are structurally at odds with the long-term commitment needed to build equitable broadband networks — and shares firsthand stories of how these incentives have already led to modern-day redlining.

“I’ve seen mature projects abandoned because an opaque algorithm flagged a zip code as commercially unviable. In some cases, experienced leadership is sidelined and decision-making refocused solely on maximizing the number of homes passed at lowest possible cost.”

Brian calls on mission-driven investors — including impact funds, community foundations, and CDFIs — to step up and help create a capital market built for equitable broadband. He points to emerging financing models that better serve overlooked communities, and highlights Connect Humanity’s work as a case study in aligning financial return with social impact.

“There’s another path. The local internet service providers are here. The financing models exist. Communities are waiting. What’s missing is mission-aligned capital.”

Read the full article (paywalled) in ImpactAlpha:
🔗 Private Equity Won’t Close the Digital Divide — I Know, I’ve Tried

Brian Snider is the CEO of Halo Fiber and advisor to Connect Humanity.