In the first Fiber for Breakfast episode of 2025, Gary welcomes Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager at GFiber and the 2025 FBA Board Chair, Ariane Schaffer. Ariane will review FBA Board priorities for 2025, and share FBA Policy updates and plans to engage with Washington in the new year. Ariane will also share the latest on GFiber.

With Special Guest:

Ariane Schaffer
Chairperson, FBA and
Head of US Federal & State Policy, GFiber

Join the FBA Conference Chairman and Fiber Connect Program Director for a sneak peek at the plans and programs in 2025. We’ll detail the seven Regional Fiber Connect Workshops, including locations and themes, as well as dive deep into all the new things we have planned for Fiber Connect 2025, June 1 – 4, in Nashville.

With Special Guests:

• Evann Freeman, VP, Government and Community Relations, EPB

• Rich Williams, President and CEO, Connect2 Communications, Inc

This session will dive into the current deployment numbers, market drivers, take rates, and the status of field inventory excesses that developed over a year ago. The session will also discuss the future – the consumer demand for fiber, the total addressable market, the money flowing into the market from different sources, and the challenges to growth to be overcome.

Special Guest:

Michael Render, CEO & Principal Analyst, RVA LLC

This week Gary is joined by Blair Levin, the US Policy & Regulation Advisor to New Street Research and former executive director of the National Broadband Plan from 2009 to 2010. Mr. Levin will share his insight regarding the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program earlier this year and illuminate broadband priorities of the new incoming administration.

With Special Guest:
Blair Levin, US Policy & Regulation Advisor, New Street Research

States are using digital equity plans to demonstrate how successful digital inclusion efforts can advance progress toward other goals, including improvements to civic and social engagement, economic development, education, health care, and delivery of essential services. For example, broader availability of affordable high-speed internet and digital skills can help residents access government services online, apply for jobs, take online classes, and use telehealth resources. Although these tasks are not the direct focus of the federal Digital Equity Act, measures that boost broadband adoption will enable more households to reap the benefits of the digital economy and multiply the effects of federal infrastructure dollars.

On this week’s Fiber for Breakfast, Kathryn de Wit, Project Director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Broadband Access Initiative, joins Gary to discuss the economics and impact of digital equity investments. Topics will include:

• Aligning larger policy priorities with digital education
• States setting priorities based on local economies, priorities and industries
• The role of digital equity in enabling full participation in the modern economy and society

Special Guest:

Kathryn de Wit, Project Director, Broadband Access Initiative, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Around 62 million Broadband Serviceable Locations (BSLs), including at least 56 million U.S. households, currently lack fiber broadband access, even though some already have high-speed broadband. Studies show that fiber deployment offers substantial economic benefits beyond existing high-speed technologies, suggesting that public investment in fiber would yield high social returns. Programs like Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which prioritize fiber, are crucial for maximizing economic gains. Fiber deployment could increase housing values by $1.64 trillion and provide a income boost of $1.6 trillion in terms of net present value, primarily benefiting non-urban areas. Additionally, fiber could create 380,000 jobs, support remote work, and enhance educational and health outcomes. As a future-proof solution, fiber can meet rising connectivity demands, making it a strategic long-term investment for broadband infrastructure.

With Special Guests:

• Coleman Bazelon, Partner and Co-Lead of IP Practice, Brattle Group’s DC Office
• Paroma Sanyal, Partner and Co-Lead of Telecom, Media, and Entertainment Practice, Brattle Group’s DC Office

There is an urgent need to recruit and train 180,000 staff to complete federal and state-funded broadband networks. Who will do the work? Thanks to the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) and the Power & Communication Contractors Association (PCCA) the recently published “Broadband Market Workforce Needs” report details when, where, and what type of workforce is needed over a 10-year demand cycle. Join this session for insights into the workforce need to be measured by dollars and people, existing workforce supply, and wage rates for critical positions across the Broadband spectrum. The results are unique and unavailable elsewhere. We look forward to seeing you on Fiber for Breakfast on November 13th.

With Special Guest:

Mark Bridgers
Principal
Continuum Capital

Based on the 2024 Consumer study, Michael Render with RVA will share the latest on tested fiber advantages, as well as key messages for fiber that most resonate with consumers.

In addition, the session will highlight ways to build on fiber superiority with better service and maximize the capabilities of fiber with localized products that build on fiber attributes such as low latency.

The goal for fiber providers should be maximum satisfaction and trust resulting in higher take rates, higher net promoter scores, and higher retention rates.

Special Guest:

Michael Render, CEO & Principal Analyst, RVA LLC

Resources:

Episode Slides – FFB Week 45 – 11.06.24 – RVA

Join FBA’s President and CEO, Gary Bolton, in an enlightening chat on the importance fiber brings to communities and the opportunity to create strong connections through real estate industries. Matt Fowler, Executive Director of Doorify MLS in North Carolina, will discuss how they leverage fiber to attract buyers and sell homes in partnership with Fiber Homes and broadband service providers. Additional guests include John Sullivan, CRO at DxTEL/Fiber Homes and Amanda Scherer, director of solutions marketing at Adtran, to uncover how impactful these connections can be to service providers and their take rates.

Special Guests:
• Amanda Scherer, Director of Solutions Marketing, Adtran
• John Sullivan, Chief Revenue Officer, DxTEL/Fiber Homes
• Matt Fowler, Executive Director, Doorify MLS

As society continues to expand our digital universe, the development of broadband infrastructure has never been more vital, especially in underserved communities. The permitting processes required by federal, state, and local agencies play a crucial role in ensuring that broadband projects meet regulatory standards and serve the public interest. While these processes can be complex and involve coordination among numerous agencies, they are essential for the successful deployment of broadband infrastructure. Rather than viewing regulatory requirements as obstacles, operators can approach them as opportunities for partnership and collaboration in order to set themselves up for success.

This week, Gary welcomes Ryan Kudera, Manager of Client Services at Finley Engineering Company, to discuss Finley’s recently published whitepaper, “The Four Steps to Successfully Navigating Complex Permitting Processes”. The essential steps outlined in the paper enable efficient navigation of the permitting landscape, fostering smoother project implementation and ensuring that broadband services reach those who need them most.

With Special Guest:

Ryan Kudera, Manager, Client Services, Finley Engineering Company Inc.

What’s the real economic impact of digital equity? How does it affect the rate at which businesses open in rural communities? Does it increase income? How about GDP? These are the questions the Center of Rural Innovation (CORI) set out to answer in a ground-breaking, data-driven study to demonstrate the true value of reliable broadband in non-metro locations.

Join Gary Bolton, CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, as he sits down with Dr. Amanda Weinstein and Dr. Adam Dewbury to discuss the full impact of their study, “Beyond Connectivity: The Role of Broadband in Rural Economic Growth and Resilience.” Discover the methodology, metrics, and motives behind the research and learn about the case studies enforcing the findings in this eye-opening episode of Fiber for Breakfast.

Special Guests:

• Dr. Amanda Weinstein, Director of Research, Knowledge, and Evaluation, Center on Rural Innovation
• Dr. Adam Dewbury, Researcher, Center on Rural Innovation

This week on Fiber for Breakfast, Gary Bolton welcomes special guest Andy Berke, Administrator of Rural Utilities Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Andy Berke will discuss how the Rural Utilities Service is implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which, among other priorities, includes a historic $65 billion investment in broadband infrastructure.

Prior to his appointment as Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service by President Biden in 2022, Andy Berke served as a Special Representative for Broadband at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). As Mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2013 to 2021, Andy Berke received national recognition for improving access to high-speed internet for underserved communities.

Join us for this episode to discover how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Rural Utilities Service will help address the digital divide to ensure every American has access to reliable high-speed internet.

Special Guest:

Andy Berke, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture