Latest Fiberoptics Podcast Episodes
MN BEAD Labor Requirements: More Problems Than Solutions? - Episode 602 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - May 28, 2024 16:19 - 27 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode of the podcast, Chris discusses the challenges of prevailing wage laws on small broadband providers in Minnesota with Brent Christensen and Jill Huffman. They explore the administrative and financial burdens these regulations impose and their impact on broadband expansio...
The Success of Urbana-Champaign's Broadband Revolution - Episode 601 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - May 21, 2024 16:52 - 31 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsJoin Chris as he talks with Paul Hixson and Mike Smeltzer about the UC2B (Urbana-Champaign Big Broadband) project, which has revolutionized internet access in Champaign-Urbana, IL. They discuss the project's origins, its impact on local broadband competition, and the successful public-p...
The Power of Empowering Marginalized Communities - Episode 600 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - May 14, 2024 18:43 - 26 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsOn the 600th episode of the podcast, Chris talks with Dwayne Douglas from The Quilt Corporation about bridging the digital divide in marginalized Chicago communities through innovative solutions like mesh Wi-Fi and point-to-point fiber connections. Dwayne highlights the importance of di...
Discussion on the Black Brilliance Research Project with Shaun Glaze and Chris Webb - Episode 599 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - May 07, 2024 19:43 - 26 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this special edition, we showcase the latest episode of our biweekly podcast, the Building for Digital Equity Podcast, featuring Dr. Shaun Glaze and Chris Webb from the Black Brilliance Research Project in Seattle. They discuss the project's origins after George Floyd's tragedy, emph...
Middle-Mile Madness - Episode 598 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - May 01, 2024 20:29 - 52 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsTune in to this week's special edition of the podcast as we revisit a dynamic discussion from our biweekly livestream, Connect This! Co-hosts Christopher Mitchell and Travis Carter, along with guests Doug Dawson, Kim McKinley, and Doug Maglothin, explore the state of middle-mile infrast...
Wired for Good: Exploring Rural Connectivity in West Virginia - Episode 597 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - April 23, 2024 18:57 - 35 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this latest episode of the podcast, Chris and Derek from Hardy Telecommunications discuss the cooperative's journey since 1953, expanding from phone to broadband services, vital for rural areas. They share the challenges of being a small provider, the impact of federal funding, and e...
Debunking Municipal Broadband Myths - Episode 596 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - April 17, 2024 19:01 - 31 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this latest episode of the podcast, Chris and Sean explore the arguments against municipal broadband, addressing claims made by opponents and highlighting success stories of community-owned networks. They emphasize the importance of local autonomy in broadband decisions, advocating f...
A Deep Dive into Iowa Broadband: Challenges, Solutions, and Collaboration - Episode 595 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - April 02, 2024 14:19 - 29 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this latest podcast episode, Christopher and Curtis Dean from the Community Broadband Action Network (CBAN) discuss the state of broadband in Iowa. They highlight the challenges faced by local providers, emphasize the importance of local control, and announce upcoming events like the...
The Question of Internet Affordability Beyond ACP - Episode 594 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - March 26, 2024 15:50 - 25 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn the latest podcast episode, Christopher, Ry Marcattilio, and Sean Gonsalves discuss the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the urgent need for sustainable internet affordability solutions in the U.S. They highlight successful models of community-owned broadband netw...
Unlocking Community-Driven Broadband Initiatives with Brian Snider - Episode 593 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - March 19, 2024 22:48 - 40 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this podcast episode, Christopher speaks with Brian Snider, founder of Lit Communities, discussing his extensive experience in the broadband industry and the importance of community-driven broadband initiatives. They emphasize the need for innovative business models to bridge the dig...
Data Challenges for Equitable Broadband Access In Fresno, CA and Beyond - Episode 592 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - March 12, 2024 14:03 - 43 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this podcast episode, Christopher speaks with Philip Neufeld, Executive Officer for Information Technology at the Fresno Unified School District, about the vital role of data in addressing broadband challenges in low-income areas. They discuss Neufeld's proactive data collection effo...
Without Political Power, There is No Path to Digital Equity - Episode 591 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - March 05, 2024 19:32 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsEpisode 591 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast features a panel from Net Inclusion that Christopher Mitchell moderated entitled, "Without Political Power, There is No Path to Digital Equity." In it, panelists raise difficult questions for the digital equity movement about whether t...
Lincoln Park and Smart City Initiatives in Fort Pierce with Jason Mittler - Episode 590 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - February 27, 2024 20:55 - 29 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this podcast episode, Christopher and Jason Mittler discuss the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority Network, a fiber optic network in Fort Pierce, Florida, highlighting its diverse applications in providing Internet, utility services, smart grid solutions, and smart city services. They a...
People Over Profit: DigitalC's Mission to Connect Communities in Cleveland- Episode 589 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - February 20, 2024 18:44 - 38 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Joshua Edmonds, CEO of DigitalC, a nonprofit in Cleveland, Ohio, dedicated to bridging the digital divide. DigitalC provides fast, affordable internet at $18/month, along with digital literacy training and device deployment. They've recen...
Planning is Good, but Pivoting is Better in Fort Collins, Colorado - Episode 588 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - February 14, 2024 20:19 - 38 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Chad Crager, Broadband Executive Director at City of Fort Collins, to talk about the rapidly maturing city-owned network they call Connexion. From a feasibility study in 2018 to the lion's share of construction completed today, Connexio...
Connecting the Last Twenty Percent in Newark - Episode 587 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - January 31, 2024 21:26 - 28 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsNewark, New Jersey has been operated a dark fiber network for more than a decade. In recent years, the city has expanded its efforts to leverage those assets in an incremental effort to improve connectivity and competition for local business and residents, while also building out a robu...
Bridging Bytes: Empowering Communities Through Local Broadband Growth - Episode 586 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - January 25, 2024 23:26 - 38 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this latest podcast episode, Christopher and Sean discuss the remarkable growth of municipal broadband networks in the U.S., noting the establishment of 47 new networks since 2021, bringing the total to over 400. The conversation explores diverse network models, challenges faced by m...
Predictions for 2024 - Episode 585 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - January 17, 2024 22:10 - 48 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThe fading sound of holiday bells and soft stillness that comes with plunging temps can only mean one thing; it's January again, which means it's time to break out the crystal ball and have a conversation about the year to come. Joining Christopher in the recording booth are a slew of C...
Navigating the Broadband Horizon and ACP's Future - Episode 584 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - January 10, 2024 14:12 - 44 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis week on the podcast, Christopher explores the broadband and telecommunications landscape with Blair Levin, anticipating its significance in 2024. They delve into crucial FCC issues, including the ACP and the future of Title II, while also addressing industry mergers, the evolution ...
Fiber Fusion: Navigating Municipal Fiber Networks with Traverse City Light and Power- Episode 583 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - January 03, 2024 19:46 - 34 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis week on the first podcast of the year, Christopher chats with Scott Menhart, CTO of Traverse City Light and Power, delving into the history of TCLP and the advantages of constructing a municipal fiber network for Traverse City, Michigan. Despite challenges from major corporations, ...
Year in Review 2023 - Episode 582 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - December 19, 2023 22:12 - 49 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis week on the final podcast of the year, the team reflects on the 2023 broadband landscape, covering topics such as the BEAD rollout, municipal fiber projects, the FCC's new commissioner, and noteworthy broadband "scandals." Tune in for insights and a look back at the accuracy of las...
The Future of LTE - Episode 581 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - December 14, 2023 21:58 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this special Connect This! edition of the podcast, co-hosts Christopher Mitchell and Travis Carter, along with guests Doug Dawson, Kim McKinley, and special guest Mike Dano (Light Reading), revisit the future of mobile wireless and LTE networks, exploring their evolution and addressi...
Catalyzing Connectivity: Triumphs and Trials in Community Broadband Initiatives - Episode 580 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - December 05, 2023 21:10 - 41 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this special podcast edition, local leaders from East Carroll Parish, Louisiana, share their triumph over expensive and inadequate broadband service despite resistance from a regional monopoly provider. The discussion explores grassroots efforts to overcome obstacles and misleading d...
Chattanooga Leads with Innovative Services and Pioneering Programs for Low-Income Individuals - Episode 579 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - November 28, 2023 22:04 - 38 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Deb Socia and Geoff Millener from the Enterprise Center in Chattanooga. They discuss the HCS ED Connect program, which provides free home Internet to low-income students, its positive impact on education, and tech initiatives like the Orc...
Building and Expanding a Tribal Network for Northern Idaho and Beyond - Episode 578 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - November 21, 2023 18:25 - 22 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis week, Christopher talks with Valerie Fast Horse, IT director and creator of Red Spectrum, a broadband company serving the Coeur d'Alene Reservation in North Idaho. They delve into Red Spectrum's history, infrastructure upgrades, and challenges in expanding services, highlighting th...
Universal Service Fund Reform and Long-Term Affordability Solutions - Episode 577 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - November 14, 2023 20:31 - 35 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Angela Siefer and Greg Guice to explore the crucial topic of Universal Service Fund (USF) reform in bridging the digital divide. The podcast delves into the challenges of the overcommitted USF, emphasizing the need for modernization and...
Cities Like Syracuse Surge Ahead while the FCC and NTIA Take Baby Steps - Episode 576 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - November 07, 2023 17:33 - 32 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Sean Gonsalves to talk about a bold new wireless deployment in Syracuse and unpack whether recent federal action will make a difference with looming deadlines on the horizon for both the Affordable Connectivity Program and BEAD. ★ Su...
Wireless Mesh Brings Durable Change in Rhode Island - Episode 575 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - October 31, 2023 20:11 - 32 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsAfter three years and half a million dollars in capital costs, the nonprofit-run ONE|NB Connects network in Providence, Rhode Island has improved its wireless service to 100Mbps symmetrical speeds, and enabled thousands of unique users per month access reliable connections for as long a...
The Burden of Proof - Episode 574 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - October 23, 2023 20:54 - 36 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsMapping is hard. You know it, and so do we. Despite that reality, it looks like the FCC has spent the entirety of this decade avoiding the hard decisions necessary to make sure precious federal dollars are wisely used and the data that drives our policy is easily accessible and faithful...
West Des Moines, Iowa is a Model for Open Access Conduit Networks - Episode 573 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Community Broadband Bits - October 17, 2023 14:00 - 36 minutes ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsA little more than three years ago, the city of West Des Moines, Iowa announced that it would build a citywide open access conduit system to lower the cost of new broadband deployment to facilitate better connections at lower costs for residents. With four providers licensing space and ...
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