Lessons from South Korea’s broadband buildout for a U.S. smart grid rollout

South Korea’s ability to use government funds to boost the country’s broadband industries has long been hailed as a savvy move that reinvented South Korean industry and identity as a country. Now the country that led the broadband revolution is looking to create a new market for smart grid technology, and lucky for us, is planning to share its best practices. This morning U.S. smart grid trade group the GridWise Alliance and the Korea Smart Grid Association (KGSA) have teamed up to share intelligence about building out smart grid technology.

The partnership raises a question in my mind: What lessons can companies and policy makers take from South Korea’s government-led broadband build-out and apply to the development of the smart grid in the U.S.? The rollout of broadband and cellular infrastructure is clearly different than building out the smart grid, but when companies and organizations are developing, testing and deploying network infrastructure, spurred by government funds, there are notable similarities. Here are a few...