Broadband Leaders Gather

When Jase Wilson with Broadband Money reached out to share that he was convening a gathering of broadband leaders in Florida to have some off-the-record conversations about funding, state activity, challenges, and opportunities and asked me to be around the table, it was hard to say no. From state broadband office leaders to community leaders to a few policymakers and interested parties, the conversations were fast-paced and ran the gamut from technology to deployment to sustainability of networks to the role that anchor institutions play in the mix. We also all committed to Chatham House rules which meant that what was said in the hotel conference room stayed there. My one take-away that I can share was my own reflection that, after sitting with these folks for 24 hours, it is extremely important to expand and engage our NTCA member companies in our Smart Communities and particularly our Smart Rural Community program. The need to differentiate yourself as a community-based provider has never been more important. Much of the conversation on un/underserved areas of the country was teed up with a subtle (and sometimes not subtle) dig at incumbents.