This white paper argues broadband is now as essential as core utilities, yet over 42 million Americans still lack high-speed access, largely because rural middle-mile backhaul is expensive and missing, creating a “chicken and egg” barrier for last-mile builds (pages 2–3). It explains why electric utilities are well-positioned to close the gap by reusing existing transmission and distribution infrastructure, with utility providers currently serving about 675,000 households and projected to reach 3.6 million within five years (page 2). It highlights policy and funding routes such as ReConnect, BEAD, and grid-modernization programs, and calls out challenges utilities must address, including telecom expertise, environmental reviews, hybrid legacy and next-gen operations, design accuracy, labor

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