Questex’s U.S. Broadband Summit will Bring Together Over 600 Federal Funding Leaders and State Representatives with the Wider Broadband Industry to Discuss the Future of Broadband in November in Washington, D.C.
Verizon Signs on as Emerald Partner of the Summit along with 58 Other Partners
NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Questex Technology Group’s U.S. Broadband Summit will bring together more than 600 federal funding leaders, state representatives and tech leaders from across the broadband and telecommunications industries, including fiber operators, MSO's, WISP's, wireless carriers to discuss to discuss the future of broadband in the United States and the concerted effort to bridge the digital divide. The event takes place this week, November 15-17, 2023, at the Westin Downtown Hotel in Washington, D.C. Click here to register. “We are excited to join Questex, along with other government and private organizations and individuals that are committed to the goals of expanding broadband across the US and closing the digital divide,” said Randall L. René, Industry Solutions Director for Telecommunications at Esri. “People today rely on internet access for most of their daily lives, so ensuring access is foundational for infrastructure modernization. Identifying communities experiencing gaps in service is a geographic challenge, so we are happy that Esri’s location technology is already being used by numerous organizations to benefit communities across the nation.”
Alejandro Piñero, Head of Content, Fierce Technology Group at Questex said, “From conference sessions and our awards program to the exhibits and networking opportunities, we have an outstanding program planned. We’re looking forward to bring the industry together to discuss how collaboration will lead to a more connected and vibrant society, in benefit of individuals and communities throughout the country.”
*U.S. Broadband Summit** Conference Program*
The Conference Program will offer content from over 90 speakers across more than 40 sessions in a variety of formats from keynotes, to fireside chats, roundtables, and more.
Kevin Gallagher, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Commerce, Department of Commerce will deliver the opening keynote address titled “The State of Affairs in America’s Broadband Deployment – Funding Availability and Goal Setting.”
Other keynote presenters include:
· “Funding beyond BEAD – The Role of Private Equity” presented by Jonathan Adelstein, DigitalBridge
· “Future-Proofing Broadband with High Road Labor Standards” presented by Keith Busby, Communications Workers of America
· “Deploying Fiber for Rural Networks” presented by Andrew Butcher, Maine Connectivity Authority
· “Everybody’s Wrong: If the $45 billion Connect America Fund didn't close the digital divide, what makes you think the $42.5 billion BEAD program will do better?” presented by Jonathan Chambers, Conexon
· “Supercharging US Broadband: Bringing 10G to America” presented by Rick Cimerman, NCTA
· “How to Close the Digital Divide in Rural America” presented by Kerry Haughan, Calix
· “Open Network Fiber Networks” presented by Michael Horn, Radisys
· “Deep Dive: FWA, mmWave and the Digital Divide” presented by Alan Jones, C Spire
· “Broadband and Equity: How We Connect People” presented by Tony Lewis, Verizon
· “Fiber Evolution: The Brightspeed Difference” presented by Tom Maguire, Brightspeed
· “Fiber Technology & Industry Trends” presented by Kevin Morgan, Clearfield
· “Building, Launching, and Operating a Brilliant Network” presented by Elad Nafshi, Comcast Cable
· “The Role of 5G in Building Affordable Connectivity” presented by Louis Peraertz, WISPA
· “Location Technology and Extending Broadband’s Reach to Those Who Need It Most” presented by Anthony J. Puzzo and Randall L. René, Esri
· “Pioneering the Future of Connectivity: How Broadband Shapes Tomorrow’s Opportunities” presented by Erin Scarborough, AT&T
· “Making a Downpayment on the Administration’s Goal of Affordable, Reliable, High-Speed Internet for All” presented by Joseph Wender, U.S. Department of the Treasury
In addition to the keynotes, several Leaders’ Roundtables and Panel sessions will be presented.
Additionally, more than 20 thought leaders from around the country will convene to discuss the impact BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment) will have on the future of connectivity, as well as funding opportunities beyond federal funds and the merits of different technologies in connecting remote and underserved communities. Select U.S. state speakers include:
· MJ Barton, Oklahoma Broadband Office
· Sandip Bhowmick, Arizona Commerce Authority
· Tasha Boerner, California State Assembly
· Andrew Butcher, Maine Connectivity Authority
· Judson Cary, Colorado Attorney General’s Office
· Rebecca Dilg, Utah Broadband Center
· Quinn Jordan, Mississippi Broadband Association
· Henry Lofton, Office of the CTO, District of Columbia
· Brian Newby, North Dakota Information Technology
· Jade Piros, Kansas Office of Broadband Development
· Brieana Reed-Harmel, City of Loveland Pulse
· Alejandro Roark, Bureau Chief, Consumer & Governmental Affairs, FCC
· Edyn Rolls, Oklahoma Broadband Office
· Meghan Sandfoss, Kentucky Office of Broadband Development
· Sandeep Taxali, New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion
· Thomas Tyler, Jr, Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity
· Peter Voderberg, Ohio Department of Development
View the U.S. Broadband Summit agenda.
Verizon has signed on as Emerald Partner of the Summit. "We are excited to be part of the first U.S. Broadband Summit, which will bring together a number of state and national broadband leaders at a critical time," said Katharine Saunders, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Verizon. "At Verizon, digital inclusion is at the center of everything we do, because providing people with the technology and connectivity they need benefits all communities. Industry and government working together is a critical element of this effort, so I look forward to a highly substantive dialogue focused on connecting the millions of homes in this country that still lack access to reliable, high-speed broadband service."
The Summit will feature industry leading sponsors and partners in a variety of formats and connection opportunities. Nearly 60 partners including Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, Calix, Esri, NCTA, Boldyn, Cisco, Harmonic, Clearfield, Conexon, Radisys, Grain Management, Lumos, Visionary Broadband, Wavelo, Vivacity Infrastructure Group, Amphenol Network Solutions, CHR Solutions, Ciena, DIRECTV, EBI Consulting, Enghouse Networks, Edgecore Networks, MyBundle, Power & Tel, Ribbon Communications, TriLeaf, SMOptics, VantagePoint, TEKsystems, 123Net, Arcadian, Arthur D. Little, CCI Systems, CostQuest Associates, Dycom, Forvis, Foxhound Advisors, Frontier, FTI Delta, Guidehouse, Render, Sanborn, Superior Essex, Tarana Wireless, Vetro, 5G Americas, ACA Connects, Broadband Forum, CCA, Fiber Broadband Association, Fierce Telecom, Five Nine Podcast, GSMA, ICF, NATE and TIA will participate at the Summit.
For sponsorship opportunities of the U.S. Broadband Summit, contact Scott Gruntorad at sgruntorad@questex.com.
*U.S. Broadband Awards*
The inaugural U.S. Broadband Awards honors and celebrates the best solutions, programs, use cases, technology, and individuals working to connect everyone across the U.S. through broadband. The finalists were chosen based on effectiveness, technical innovation, financial & community impact, individual efforts in driving broadband investment and true innovation in addressing the digital divide. View finalists here. Winners will be revealed at the U.S. Broadband Awards Gala on November 16.
Click here to register for the U.S. Broadband Summit.
Stay connected with the U.S. Broadband Summit on LinkedIn and Twitter*. *
*About U.S. Broadband Summit*
The first ever U.S. Broadband Summit brings together federal funding leaders and state representatives with the wider broadband industry, including fiber operators, MSO's, WISP's, wireless carriers and more, to discuss the future of broadband in the United States. As attention focuses on bridging the growing digital divide, and the need to bring connectivity to the under- and un-served, the industry must come together to address the challenge. There is no golden key to connect everyone, and the U.S. Broadband Summit aims to bring everyone together to discuss how collaboration will lead to a more connected and vibrant society, in benefit of individuals and communities.
*About Questex*
*Questex helps people live better and longer*. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people *live better*: travel, hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people *live longer*: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these *new experiences*. We live in *the **experience economy *– connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. *It happens here.*
*Media Contact*
Charlene Soucy
Senior Director
Questex Technology Group
csoucy@questex.com