Last Mile

By
rjonesx
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Definition

The last mile or last kilometer is a colloquial phrase widely used in the telecommunications, cable television and internet industries to refer to the final leg of the telecommunications networks that deliver telecommunication services to retail end-users. More specifically, the last mile refers to the portion of the telecommunications network chain that physically reaches the end-user’s premises. Examples are the copper wire subscriber lines connecting landline telephones to the local telephone exchange; coaxial cable service drops carrying cable television signals from utility poles to subscribers’ homes, and cell towers linking local cell phones to the cellular network. The word “mile” is used metaphorically; the length of the last mile link may be more or less than a mile. Because the last mile of a network to the user is conversely the first mile from the user’s premises to the outside world when the user is sending data, the term first mile is also alternately used.

Last Mile

What is ‘Last Mile’

A phrase used in the telecommunications and technology industries to describe the technologies and processes used to connect the end customer to a communications network. The last mile is often stated in terms of the “last-mile problem”, because the end link between consumers and connectivity has proved to be disproportionately expensive to solve.

Explaining ‘Last Mile’

Even compared to the costs associated with rolling out broadband wire and hardware across the expanses of the globe, last-mile connections have been plagued with technological issues and high costs. As a result of this, there are many publicly traded companies engaged primarily in last-mile solutions and services.

Further Reading

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