With 2023 just about behind us, we will catch up on the year’s major policy, regulatory, and legal events affecting the deployment and affordability of all-fiber networks, and then we look forward to key events for 2024.

Guest Presenter: Thomas Cohen, Legal Counsel, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

The protection of critical infrastructure and sensitive data has become increasingly crucial in the digital age, where cyber threats continue to evolve. Learn how quantum technology can provide tamper-proof data transmission in our increasingly inter-connected world.

Guest Presenter: Dr. Duncan Earl, Co-Founder, President and Chief Technology Officer at quantum networking company Qubitekk

On one hand, 2023 has been a tough year for fiber vendor companies, and stock prices are down. On the other hand, there is talk of deployment records being broken. Why the disconnect? How healthy is the market for fiber in North America? This session will dive into current deployment numbers, details by type of provider, market drivers, and expectations for the future.

Guest Presenter: Michael Render, CEO and Principal Analyst, RVA LLC

Dig-ins to fiber lines are on the rise as infrastructure improvements are being rapidly deployed across the country, causing network reliability issues, and affecting utility services for American communities and businesses. Join the Common Ground Alliance’s (CGA) President and CEO Sarah Magruder Lyle for a download on the latest utility damage data and trends, CGA’s new white paper highlighting the telecom industry, and resources and recommendations for reducing dig-ins to your facility and others’. Sarah will share examples of two FBA members who are leading the industry in applying innovative strategies to significantly improve adherence to excavation best practices and reduce damage. To learn more about the Common Ground Alliance – the national nonprofit trade association dedicated to protecting underground utility lines, people who dig near them and their communities – visit www.CommonGroundAlliance.com.

Guest Presenter: Sarah K. Magruder Lyle, President & CEO, Common Ground Alliance

As fiber takes center stage in the ongoing work of bringing high-speed connectivity to homes, businesses, and communities, it’s also playing a pivotal role in another fast-moving technology trend: Artificial intelligence. From healthcare to education, from manufacturing to finance, new AI applications are emerging every day. To support these applications, data centers must build a second layer of computing with many more fiber links, according to Mike O’Day, Chief Technology Officer, Corning Optical Communications. O’Day will explain how large-language-model data centers will require up to 5 times more optical connectivity compared with today’s hyperscale architectures. He will also chart the expected capacity growth of the largest hyperscale data centers and describe how Corning’s engineers are creating the next generation of innovations to help operators stay ahead of the growth.

Guest Presenter: Michael P. O’Day, Chief Technology Officer, Corning Optical Communications

Secondary data center markets such as the Southeast US are experiencing unprecedented growth driven by a number of factors. Hear a first-hand account from a regional data center and fiber provider on what is happening now and how the market is responding.

Guest Presenter: Jeff Wabik, Chief Technology Officer, DC BLOX

Machine learning has been pivotal in pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence, paving the way to the Generative AI era. In front of the inherent limitations of classical computers, quantum computing can unlock new capabilities and enable generative AI improvements in the near term. In this session, learn about quantum-inspired and quantum-enhanced machine learning methods and applications developed at Zapata AI throughout its 4+ year-long journey in quantum generative AI. This session delves into the potential of quantum computing to revolutionize what we can achieve through artificial intelligence and showcase examples of what has already been achieved up to now.

Guest Presenter: Marta Mauri, Research Manager, Quantum AI, Zapata AI

As the drive to connect more and more subscribers with high speed Broadband continues, and new consumer applications require more speed, the industry is moving beyond one gig to multi-gig functionality. Fiber providers have a very elegant and simple path to transition from GPON to 10 Gigabits per second XGS-PON functionality. Cable operators, having delivered one gig downstream with DOCSIS 3.1, are now working diligently to provide multi gig functionality with their DOCSIS 4.0 upgrade program. This webinar will examine the status and expected timing of the DOCSIS 4.0 rollout, and the relative economics of deployment for both existing and new network footprints. The disparate ways that fiber and cable operators currently compete will also be examined. Finally, the importance and potential timing of high capacity upstream applications will be examined.

Guest Presenter: Paul Connolly, Telecom and Networks Practice Leader, Entropy, Inc.

With an unprecedented influx of Broadband funding sweeping across the US, the industry finds itself amid a wealth of opportunities. The flip side of this reveals challenges in sourcing, recruiting, and retaining the right workforce. Crafting a talent strategy aligned with business goals and ensuring you have employment practices that enable you to attract, develop, engage, and retain the best talent is imperative for success. In this webinar, we will delve into talent challenges you are likely experiencing, while exploring best practices to guide you toward success in your recruitment endeavors.

Guest Presenter: Kjirsten Mickesh, Chief People Officer, Finley Engineering

Tribal lands have traditionally had less access to high-speed broadband than the rest of America. While roughly 15% of Americans don’t have access to high-speed broadband, this increases to over 35% in tribal lands. The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program under NTIA sets aside $3B for deployment and adoption of broadband in Tribal Lands. Many tribes have already won grants under this program and a new Notice of Funding Opportunity is out now with a submission deadline in January 2024 with a budget of $1B. This webinar will answer some of your questions about the TBCP program and will reflect on the advantages of having fiber in your tribal lands.

Guest Presenters:
• Sachin Gupta, Director of Government Business and Economic Development, Centranet
• Robert Griffin, Tribal Broadband coordinator, The Choctaw Nation Government Division

Quantum Computing is emerging as a powerful tool and transformative technology with the potential to revolutionize our world. In this webinar, you’ll hear from Nicole Barberis, IonQ’s Director of Quantum Business Solutions, about the remarkable impact quantum computing may offer and its implications for solving complex problems in areas including optimization, machine learning, drug discovery, and finance to name a few.

Guest Presenter: Nicole Barberis, IonQ, Director-Quantum Business Solutions

Based on the most recent FBA/ RVA consumer research study, the desire for high quality broadband has never been stronger. In addition, the preference for fiber broadband versus other types continues to grow. Fiber wins in terms of recent churn, NPS scores, and high likelihood of switching if available. Perhaps most importantly, fiber is rated the very best Internet delivery method overall by nearly two thirds of all users and rated best by users of all types of Internet delivery. This preference combined with strong fiber deployment means the market share gains of Fiber are likely to continue – with fiber likely becoming the most used Internet delivery method within a few years.

Guest Presenter: Michael Render, CEO and Principal Analyst, RVA LLC Market Research and Consulting