What's Next For Broadband?

Community Broadband Action Network

Tuesday, October 3, 2023 - 10:00am to Thursday, October 5, 2023 - 11:30am
Time Zone: 
EST
Live Event

As BEAD and other funds begin to flow into states and communities, the landscape is evolving quickly and taking on new dimensions of opportunity and need. No longer simply about fast, reliable access, today's broadband advocates must take a myriad of new goals and considerations into account.

Join CBAN for three mornings of virtual learning and conversation designed to provide insight - and actionable ideas - to everyone working towards better broadband for all.

Tuesday, October 3, 2023



10:00am

Opening and Welcome

10:05am

Sponsor Spotlight

10:07am

Keynote: What's Next for Broadband?

John Horrigan, Benton Institute

After years - in some cases, decades - of work to bring reliable broadband to everyone in America, we are finally on the blocks and waiting for the starting gun, when BEAD funds are dispersed and all the years of planning and incremental progress will finally come together for communities everywhere. But before we get too comfortable believing we know what pitfalls and opportunities the future holds, let's step back and get some perspective on where we've been to help us see forward clearly.

John Horrigan is a Benton Institute Senior Fellow and a respected national expert on digital equity policy, from USAC and the ACP to the critical role of skills training - and many things in between.

10:47am

Sponsor Spotlight

10:49am

Preparing for BEAD

Host: Curtis Dean, CBAN

Learn about avoiding common BEAD challenges for communities and for states,

from red tape to letters of credit, procedural pitfalls and more.

Guests:

Chris Hall, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (confirmed);

Other guest(s) TBD

11:29am

Closing Remarks

 

Wednesday, October 4, 2023



10:00am

Opening and Welcome

10:05am

Sponsor Spotlight

10:07am

Smart Cities: Key to Urban Digital Equity

Hosts: Curtis Dean and Jon Willow, CBAN
Interconnected cities can deliver coordinated services seamlessly, to the benefit of all. But inequity

in broadband connections could serve to reinforce existing barriers instead.

Guests:

Ken Demlow, HR Green (confirmed)

Deb Socia, The Enterprise Center (confirmed) 

 

10:47am

Sponsor Spotlight

10:49am

Mapping Your Broadband Ecosystem

Host: Jon Willow, CBAN

As local and regional digital equity ecoystems develop and evolve, information sharing and

ongoing mapping of available resources will be key to digital equity success.

Learn how Michigan and others are getting it done.

Guests:

Eric Frederick, CCO, Michigan High Speed Internet Office (confirmed);

Wes Kerr, Connected Nation (confirmed)

11:29am

Closing Remarks

 

Thursday, October 5, 2023



10:00am

Opening and Welcome

10:05am

Sponsor Spotlight

10:07am

The Future of the Affordable Connectivity Program

Host: Jon Willow, CBAN

Current ACP funding is slated to be exhausted by mid-2024, sunsetting the program unless

Congress acts. Learn about what's being done to ensure the program's future, and what

you can do in your community to help keep the ACP strong.

Guests:

Tsion Tesfaye (confirmed), NDIA;

Sean Gonsalves, Institute for Local Self-Reliance (confirmed)

10:47am

Sponsor Spotlight

10:49am

The Role of Devices in Digital Equity

Host: Curtis Dean and Jon Willow, CBAN

Wait, there's more to broadband access than connectivity? The need for quality, connected

devices to achieve digital equity is finally being recognized on a broader scale. But which

devices help the most, and how can communities tap into affordable device options?

Guests:

Karisa Tashjian, Digitunity (confirmed)

11:29am

Closing Remarks