Oklahoma is laying the groundwork for a digital revolution. With an ambitious plan to deliver fiber broadband to 95% of the state by 2028, the Oklahoma Broadband Office is driving a historic transformation—connecting rural and urban communities alike with future-ready, high-speed internet. Fueled by ARPA, BEAD, Capital Projects Fund grants, and strong public-private partnerships, the state is bridging the digital divide and powering progress in education, healthcare, and economic growth.

Join Mike Sanders, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Broadband Office (OBO), and Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, on this week’s Fiber for Breakfast as they break down Oklahoma’s bold fiber broadband mission—and how it’s on track to deliver statewide fiber coverage within just a few years.

With Special Guest:

• Mike Sanders, Executive Director, Oklahoma Broadband Office

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

In this week’s Fiber for Breakfast episode, we spotlight Project Nunapet—a groundbreaking broadband initiative bringing high-speed internet to four Tribal communities in Alaska’s Kodiak Archipelago. Named after the Alutiiq word for “our lands,” Project Nunapet reflects the enduring connection between the Alutiiq people and the land and sea.

Through a powerful collaboration between Old Harbor Native Corporation and Alaska Communications—and funded by a Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Round 2 grant from the NTIA—this project will deliver Gigabit-speed service to 570 homes across the communities of Old Harbor, Chiniak, Akhiok, and Womens Bay.

Join us as Kristina Woolston, CEO of Old Harbor Native Corporation, shares the story of this transformative project with Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. Learn how 155 miles of subsea fiber and an extensive last-mile network are bridging the digital divide and supporting education, healthcare, economic growth, and cultural preservation for generations to come.

With Special Guest:

• Kristina Woolston, CEO, Old Harbor Native Corporation

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

In December 2024, AT&T announced it would expand its range and reach of its Fiber service to 50M homes by the end of 2029, a clear validation that fiber broadband is the critical infrastructure required to support its customers in today’s digital economy. The company has said this strategy, along with its continued rollout of 5G, is part of its strategic plan to put its customers first. The simple fact that AT&T is the largest capital investor in U.S. connectivity infrastructure underscores the company’s commitment. During this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Erin Scarborough, Senior Vice President – Mass Markets Product Management, AT&T Services, Inc., joins FBA CEO Gary Bolton to discuss AT&T’s strategic initiatives.

With Special Guest:

• Erin Scarborough, Senior Vice President – Mass Markets Product Management, AT&T Services, Inc.

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

While tariff reductions for some regions offer a glimmer of relief, rising tariffs on Chinese imports and persistently high rates overall have introduced a wave of uncertainty—particularly in the U.S. market. Join us for another informative Fiber for Breakfast session with our guest, Jaimie Lenderman, Research Manager from Omdia as she talks with Gary Bolton, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association about the direct and indirect impacts these trade policies may have on deployment costs, network expansion plans, and the broader global economic outlook.

With Special Guest:

• Jaimie Lenderman, Research Manager, Omdia

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

Everyone in Michigan should have access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet—but according to the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity, more than 30% of Michiganders either lack access, can’t afford it, or don’t have the necessary skills or technology to get connected. In today’s world, internet access isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for education, healthcare, work, and economic opportunity.

That’s where the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI) comes in. MIHI is working to build a more digitally equitable Michigan, where everyone can leverage technology to improve their quality of life.

Established in June 2021 through an executive directive from Governor Gretchen Whitmer, MIHI has been leading the charge to close the digital divide. In this week’s episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Eric Frederick—MIHI’s first Chief Connectivity Officer—joins Gary Bolton, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to discuss the early challenges he faced stepping into the role, the team’s progress on Michigan’s Digital Equity Plan, and what’s ahead in their mission to connect every Michigander.

With Special Guest:

• Eric Fredrick, Chief Connectivity Officer, Michigan High Speed Internet Office, Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near the stunning Royal Gorge lies Cañon City, Colorado. Though it’s a city, it embraces a charming small-town atmosphere, and like many rural communities, it recognizes the critical need for fast, reliable internet. Cañon City emphasizes that high-speed fiber connectivity isn’t just a luxury—it’s vital for the area’s progress. From ensuring public safety to enhancing educational access, healthcare services, and business growth, the demand for robust broadband infrastructure is undeniable.

To meet this need, Cañon City partnered with Visionary Broadband, a rising fiber broadband provider from Wyoming, to deploy a cutting-edge fiber broadband infrastructure. This will connect essential services like government offices, healthcare providers, the local school district, and first responders—paving the way for greater connectivity and opportunity in the region.

In this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Brian Worthen, CEO of Visionary Broadband joins Gary Bolton, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to talk about Visionary’s rapid rise and the challenges they face in rural projects like this. They’ll explore how these transformative initiatives are reshaping communities of all sizes and empowering rural areas with the technology they need to thrive.

With Special Guest:

• Brian Worthen, CEO, Visionary Broadband

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

Nevada is vast—covering over 110,000 square miles—and despite substantial federal funding for broadband expansion, the state faces unique challenges. Rugged terrain, remote communities, and geographic isolation create significant barriers to digital access. The High-Speed Nevada Initiative is designed to overcome these hurdles by strategically combining federal, state, local, and private investments to bridge the digital divide. In this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, we’re joined by Brian Mitchell, Director of the Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT) and head of the State of Nevada’s Broadband Office, to discuss the groundbreaking work happening across the state. Brian will share insights into the phased approach of this initiative, its focus on precise mapping, and why thoughtful planning is key to success. Tune in as Brian and FBA President and CEO Gary Bolton explore the intersection of technology, policy, and broadband’s future in Nevada. Together, they’ll break down how this initiative is setting a new gold standard for planning and execution, making Nevada a model for large-scale, complex broadband projects.

With Special Guest:

• Brian Mitchell, Director of the Office of Science, Innovation, and Technology (OSIT), State of Nevada’s Broadband Office

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

During this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Evann Freeman, Vice President of Government and Community Relations, EPB, FBA Board member, and Rich Williams, Fiber Connect Conference Program Director, join FBA President and CEO Gary Bolton to cover the highlights of the upcoming Fiber Connect 2025 conference, taking place June 1 – 4, 2025 in Nashville, TN. Kicking off on Sunday, June 1st, Fiber Connect 2025 promises something for everyone — Featuring 10 content programs led by top broadband experts, a dynamic expo hall with 300+ booths, and an opportunity to network with 5,000+ industry leaders. Evann and Rich will dive into everything attendees can expect at this must-attend event. Don’t miss it as we “Light it Up” for the biggest year yet in fiber broadband deployment.

With Special Guests:

• Rich Williams, Conference Program Director, Fiber Connect
• Evann Freeman, VP, Governent & Community Relations, EPB

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

According to the Michigan High Speed Internet Office, as of 2023, 730,000 Michigan households face barriers related to affordability, adoption, device access, digital literacy, or a combination thereof. Taken together, this means that approximately 30 percent of Michigan households struggle with some form of the digital divide. Michigan’s digital equity strategy recognizes a fundamental complexity: no single organization can comprehensively address regional digital empowerment needs, and that success can only be achieved through collaboration. Jon Willow, co-founder of the Community Broadband Action Network (CBAN) has closely observed these challenges faced by diverse Michigan community-based entities. She has applied her deep expertise in coalition research and project management and obtained a fellowship at Michigan State University (MSU) to investigate AI’s role in enhancing community-based coalition effectiveness in solving Michigan’s digital divide. During this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Jon joins FBA CEO Gary Bolton to discuss the methodologies and insights of her newly released research report and how the use of AI tools can offer a stronger, connected collaboration across multiple agencies and organizations.

With Special Guest:
• Jon Willow, Co-Founder, Board Chair, Digital Equity Practice Leader, Community Broadband Action Network (CBAN)

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

According to Dell’Oro Group, the Broadband Access and Home Networking market is changing dramatically as firms rapidly introduce new technologies to enable next-generation services. In their latest press release from January 2025, broadband equipment spending is expected to peak at $19.2B in 2028 driven by ongoing DOCSIS 4.0 and rural broadband expansions.
During this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Jeff Heynen, Vice President Dell’Oro Group joins President and CEO Gary Bolton to discuss the latest research on the PON and Cable Broadband markets, focused on where 2024 finished and where the North American broadband industry is headed in 2025 and beyond. Jeff will cover GPON, XGS-PON, 25G-PON, as well as where cable operators stand with DOCSIS 4.0, next-generation amplifier, and Distributed Access Architecture (DAA) deployments.

Presented by:

Jeff Heynen, Vice President, Broadband Access and Home Networking Dell’Oro Group

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

In January 2025, Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order establishing the Digital Infrastructure Group (DIG). This interagency partnership is designed to enhance collaboration among Maryland State and county entities to streamline the coordinated development of broadband infrastructure and drive significant financial efficiencies. The group will further eliminate silos and redundancies by adopting a shared broadband infrastructure model, the first of its kind in the nation. Working alongside Maryland’s Department of Information Technology (DoIT), the state will benefit from a centralized planning body that will share resources to accomplish state priorities while also helping the state’s infrastructure reach last-mile underserved areas like the Eastern Shore that have historically had low internet coverage. During this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Eric Bathras, DoIT’s Chief Technology Officer for Infrastructure joins FBA CEO Gary Bolton to discuss what Maryland is doing to help educate other states and private service providers on how to partner, organize, plan and deliver around middle and last mile broadband and digital infrastructure expansion.

With Special Guest:

Eric Bathras, Chief Technology Officer, Maryland Department of Information Technology

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!

The Utilities Technology Council (UTC) is a global association focused on the intersection of telecommunications and utility infrastructure. Many of the goals of UTC and its members are similar to those of FBA and its members. With UTC and FBA working together, we can help our members improve their businesses and communities through the effective use of telecommunications and technology systems.

On this week’s episode for Fiber for Breakfast, Gary welcomes Rusty Williams, President and CEO of Utilities Technology Council, to discuss UTC and the benefits of partnering with FBA.

With Special Guest:

Rusty Williams, President and CEO, Utilities Technology Council

Read the full Fiber for Breakfast summary article here!