The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), the trade group dedicated to the promotion and support of all-fiber access network deployments in North America, including to the home, business, and other locations that would benefit, announced that it has postponed its annual Fiber Connect conference and exposition this year from June 6-8 to July 25-28.
The event also is being moved, from Dallas, TX, to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN. The association made the change to “make it more accessible for attendees to adhere to any remaining modified corporate travel protocols during the pandemic,” the FBA said in its announcement.
The announcement added:
The demand for fiber broadband speeds and capacity is at an all-time high. Driven in part by the growth in work-from-home, remote learning and the video-based communications that keep friends and family connected, network operators and communications service providers are upgrading internet connectivity with fiber optic technology at a rapid pace.
Fiber Connect 2021 offers a live, immersive educational experience for all stakeholders in the broadband industry, including new information, investment, and deployment methodology to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband communications to homes, businesses, government, and schools.
The association points out that this year’s event comes as the pandemic has placed a spotlight on the importance of fiber broadband networks and government-backed initiatives, such as the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), to ensure more people have access to them.
As further noted by the FBA:
With more than 85% of RDOF funding dedicated to Gigabit broadband networks, it is a critical time for the fiber investment cycle and in-person conference attendees will hear from leading experts, policy makers, regulators, operators, OEMs, and engineering firms as they discuss the challenges and opportunities of today’s market.
“It is important for the fiber ecosystem to come together to collaborate on new technologies, opportunities for business development, and advance investment in fiber,” commented Gary Bolton, FBA’s president and CEO. “We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Fiber Broadband Association and look forward to highlighting the innovation and fiber industry advancements that have led to the creation of jobs, increased economic possibilities, and the positive and long-lasting impact on communities of all sizes across North America.”
The FBA notes that the Fiber Connect event's new venue, the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, is following CDC health and safety guidelines. The event will be organized to enable social distancing throughout the conference areas, the resort, and during all activities.
The event kicks off on Sunday, July 25, with workshop sessions, including the popular Fiber Broadband Starter Kit workshop for communities and emerging broadband service providers. Ahead of the July start date, the FBA has opened the Fiber Connect 2021 Call for Speakers with an April 2, 2021, deadline. To submit an abstract, visit http://www.fiberconnect2021.com/call-for-speakers-2/.
The Fiber Broadband Association is part of the Fibre Council Global Alliance, which is a platform of six global FTTH Councils in the Americas, LATAM, Europe, MENA, and APAC. Learn more at www.fiberbroadband.org.