---
title: Tom Cohen Quoted in Telecompetitor Article on Broadband Funding
date: 2020-04-23T00:00:00-04:00
author: Import Bot
canonical_url: "https://www.kelleydrye.com/news/tom-cohen-quoted-in-telecompetitor-article-on-broadband-funding"
section: News
---
# Tom Cohen Quoted in *Telecompetitor* Article on Broadband Funding

 April 23, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

Partner [Tom Cohen](https://www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Thomas-W-Cohen) was quoted in the *Telecompetitor* article ​“Is the $20 Billion RDOF Budget Big Enough? Expert Panel Says Yes, Though Some May Disagree”. The article discusses the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) $20 billion budget for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, and whether it is enough to meet rural broadband deployment goals. All three experts on a webinar presented by the Fiber Broadband Association today not only said yes — they said the RDOF budget, in combination with state funding and private investment, would be sufficient to meet deployment goals using fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technology.

Tom noted a potential new source of funding for rural broadband projects, saying ​“there are a bunch of infrastructure funds that have cropped up \[that are\] not looking at a five- or six-year payback. They’re looking at the total life cycle” and are ​“willing to be more patient with their capital.”

The people responsible for these funds ​“understand that we’ve gone beyond the tipping point” in terms of consumer demand for fiber, Cohen said.

Cohen also noted that Congress is [considering legislation](https://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/files/documents/LIFT%202019%20Bill%20Text.pdf) proposed by New Jersey Representative Frank Pallone that would make an additional $40 billion available for broadband deployments. The full name of the bill is Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America Act, or LIFT Act for short.

To read the full article, [click here.](https://www.telecompetitor.com/is-rdof-budget-big-enough-expert-panel-says-yes-though-some-may-disagree/) Access may require a subscription.

 

 

 - Share this entry 
    - 
    - 
    - 
    -
- [  View entry pdf ](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.kelleydrye.com/content/uploads/pdf-snapshots/tom-cohen-quoted-in-telecompetitor-article-on-broadband-funding-20230614121607.pdf)
 
 

### Related Services

- [Communications](https://www.kelleydrye.com/industries/communications)
 
 

  In the News

 [   ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Listing-Images/Grymes_Thompson_Christie_L.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=750&q=80&w=1125&s=8cdff8f3f62f20742ddf756217720753)  ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Listing-rectangles/In_the_News_Listing.svg) 

  ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/news/christie-thompson-featured-on-abas-trust-and-trade-podcast) 

 July 20, 2026

 [  ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/news/christie-thompson-featured-on-abas-trust-and-trade-podcast) 

 

 

 

 In the News

 [   ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Listing-Images/Mon_Gonzalo_listing.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=750&q=80&w=1125&s=e5cf250ea9912bedfdad33a60aa6fb97)  ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Listing-rectangles/In_the_News_Listing.svg) 

  ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/news/gonzalo-mon-quoted-in-politico-on-click-to-cancel-rules) 

 July 17, 2026

 [  ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/news/gonzalo-mon-quoted-in-politico-on-click-to-cancel-rules)