The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) this month announced that Fiber Connect 2022 "is where the fiber broadband industry will meet to discuss, debate and share information as the industry heads into the greatest fiber broadband expansion fueled by history’s largest federal investment."
Fiber Connect 2022 will run in Tennessee from June 12 – 15 at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, where attendees will not only gain fiber broadband industry insights through the conference, but will also visit the Fiber Connect 2022 expo floor for the latest products and technology updates from a wealth of companies and organizations in the fiber-optic broadband and ICT industry sphere.
FBA in a statement said this year's "conference includes presentations from leading experts representing the companies that are driving new levels of capacity demand that only fiber can satisfy, as well as policy and regulatory thought leaders and officials, think tanks, state broadband offices, service providers, municipal and utility broadband experts, and industry media and analysts."
“The challenges and opportunities our industry faces as we look to take fiber further are complex and will require the best minds from across all aspects of the fiber broadband ecosystem to make the next investment cycle impactful and successful,” contends Gary Bolton, President and CEO, Fiber Broadband Association. “We’re bringing that collective intelligence to Fiber Connect 2022 so that everyone has access to the tools, insights and expertise they need to ensure that every community can reach its full potential in today’s Gigabit Economy.”
The conference program includes keynotes from Meta, Pew Charitable Trust, TiVo and Farm Fresh Broadband author, Dr. Christopher Ali.
Per FBA, the conference theme, “If Capacity is Unlimited, the Possibilities are Limitless,” "will showcase how fiber broadband is the only infrastructure capable of supporting the long-term connectivity goals of communities, as well as serving as the foundation for delivering the capacity-intensive services and applications consumers want to consume."
General session plenaries will tackle topics ranging from the federal focus on broadband infrastructure to how communities can leverage fiber as a mechanism for economic growth, and will include the following perspectives. The list of plenaries is as follows:
Federal, Regulatory and Public Policy
- Doug Kinkoph, Associate Administrator, Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, NTIA
- Xochitl Torres Small, Under Secretary for Rural Development, USDA Rural Development
- Radha Sekar, CEO, Universal Service Administrative Company
- Jim Stegeman, CEO, CostQuest Associates
- Ji Soo Song, Broadband Advisor, Office of Educational Technology
State Broadband Offices
- Peggy Schaffer, Executive Director, Connect Maine
- Taylre Beaty, State Broadband Director, Tennessee Economic & Community Development
- Tamarah Holmes, Director, Office of Broadband, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
- Jessica Simmons, Deputy CIO, Broadband & Special Projects, Georgia Technology Authority
Operators
- Chris Altomari, VP of Integrated Broadband Build Planning, AT&T
- Jimmy Todd, CEO and GM, Nex-Tech
- Reed Nelson, Senior Director, Construction and Engineering, Frontier Communications
- Trent Fellers, Vice President, Head of State Government Affairs, Windstream
- Ritchie Sorrells, CEO, GVTC Communications
- Hu Meena, CEO, C-Spire
- Jay Winn, Chief Commercial Officer, Lumos/NorthState
- Monica Webb, Senior Director, Market Development, Strategic Partnerships, Ting Internet
Utility Broadband Providers
- Jeremiah Sloan, COO, Craighead Electric Cooperative Corporation,
- Tim Culpepper, CEO, Cullman Electric Cooperative
- Jeffrey Dykes, CEO, BrightRidge Communications
- Steve Bandy, General Manager, OzarkGo
- Lance Irwin, VP, Research & Portfolio Optimization, Seven States Power Corporation
- David Wade, CEO, EPB
Industry Associations
- Godfrey Enjady, President, National Tribal Telecommunication Association
- Tarryl Clark, Chair of NACO Telecommunications & Technology Steering Committee; Commissioner, Stearns County, MN, National Association of Counties
- Gary Bolton, CEO, Fiber Broadband Association
- Matt Polka, CEO, ACA
- Paul Breakman, VP for Cooperative Business Solutions, NRECA
- David Grossman, VP Regulatory Affairs, CTA
- Shirley Bloomfield, CEO, NTCA
Municipal/Community Broadband Providers
- Pete Hoffswell, Superintendent of Broadband Services, Holland Board of Public Works
- Chad Crager, Broadband Executive Director, City of Fort Collins
- Kevin Comstock, Smart City Director, City of Chattanooga
Solution Providers
- Michel Langlois, CTO, Calix
- Cheri Beranek, CEO, Clearfield
- Charlie Vogt, CEO, DZS
- Stefaan Vanhastel, CTO Fixed Access, Nokia
- Robert Conger, Senior Vice President, Technology and Strategy, ADTRAN
- Jeff Gavlinski, Global VP of Telecom & Wireless Associations, Plume
In addition to the conference general session keynotes and panels, Fiber Connect 2022 will also include eight breakout session tracks focused on:
- Operator Best Practices
- Deployment: View from the Field; Industry Perspectives
- Case Study Central: Lighting Up a Brighter Future
- Public Private Partnerships (organized by Telecompetitor)
- Innovation: Taking Fiber Further
- Analyst Take: Mapping the Market
- Fiber Drivers: The Applications Driving Multi-Gig
Fiber Connect 2022 will also include a Proof-of-Concept demonstration program, pre-conference workshops, the FBA's Fiber OpTIC Train the Trainer program, networking events and a sold-out expo show floor.
Companies interested in exploring sponsorship opportunities should contact Lucy Green at [email protected].