<s>
In	O
the	O
broadband	O
Internet	O
industry	O
,	O
the	O
"	O
middle	B-Architecture
mile	I-Architecture
"	O
is	O
the	O
segment	O
of	O
a	O
telecommunications	O
network	O
linking	O
a	O
network	O
operator	O
's	O
core	B-General_Concept
network	I-General_Concept
to	O
the	O
local	O
network	O
plant	O
,	O
typically	O
situated	O
in	O
the	O
incumbent	O
telco	O
's	O
central	O
office	O
(	O
British	O
English	O
:	O
telephone	O
exchange	O
)	O
that	O
provides	O
access	O
to	O
the	O
local	B-Architecture
loop	I-Architecture
,	O
or	O
in	O
the	O
case	O
of	O
cable	O
television	O
operators	O
,	O
the	O
local	O
cable	B-Device
modem	I-Device
termination	I-Device
system	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
includes	O
both	O
the	O
backhaul	B-General_Concept
network	I-General_Concept
to	O
the	O
nearest	O
aggregation	O
point	O
,	O
and	O
any	O
other	O
parts	O
of	O
the	O
network	O
needed	O
to	O
connect	O
the	O
aggregation	O
point	O
to	O
the	O
nearest	O
point	O
of	O
presence	O
on	O
the	O
operator	O
's	O
core	B-General_Concept
network	I-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
term	O
middle	B-Architecture
mile	I-Architecture
arose	O
to	O
distinguish	O
this	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
network	O
from	O
the	O
last	B-Protocol
mile	I-Protocol
,	O
which	O
means	O
the	O
local	O
links	O
which	O
provide	O
service	O
to	O
the	O
retail	O
customer	O
or	O
end	O
user	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
local	O
telephone	O
lines	O
from	O
the	O
telephone	O
exchange	O
or	O
the	O
coaxial	O
cables	O
from	O
which	O
connect	O
to	O
the	O
customer	O
's	O
equipment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Internet	O
bandwidth	O
is	O
relatively	O
inexpensive	O
to	O
purchase	O
in	O
bulk	O
at	O
the	O
major	O
Internet	B-Protocol
peering	I-Protocol
points	I-Protocol
,	O
and	O
access	O
to	O
end-customer	O
ports	O
in	O
the	O
incumbent	O
operator	O
's	O
local	O
distribution	O
plant	O
(	O
typically	O
where	O
local	B-Architecture
loop	I-Architecture
unbundling	O
is	O
mandated	O
by	O
a	O
telecom	O
regulator	O
)	O
are	O
also	O
relatively	O
inexpensive	O
relative	O
to	O
typical	O
broadband	O
subscription	O
costs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
this	O
reason	O
,	O
many	O
proposals	O
for	O
government	O
broadband	O
stimulus	O
initiatives	O
are	O
directed	O
at	O
building	O
out	O
the	O
middle	B-Architecture
mile	I-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
Open	O
access	O
initiatives	O
such	O
as	O
duct	O
sharing	O
,	O
utility	O
pole	O
sharing	O
,	O
and	O
fiber	O
unbundling	O
are	O
also	O
being	O
tried	O
by	O
regulators	O
as	O
mechanisms	O
to	O
ease	O
the	O
middle	B-Architecture
mile	I-Architecture
problem	O
by	O
reducing	O
costs	O
to	O
non-incumbents	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
"	O
middle	B-Architecture
mile	I-Architecture
"	O
refers	O
to	O
the	O
stage	O
before	O
the	O
last	O
leg	O
i.e.	O
,	O
the	O
"	O
last	B-Protocol
mile	I-Protocol
"	O
of	O
any	O
supply	O
chain	O
,	O
wherein	O
goods	O
are	O
hauled	O
from	O
a	O
supplier	O
's	O
warehouse	O
,	O
shipper	O
's	O
production	O
facility	O
to	O
a	O
retail	O
store	O
.	O
</s>
