Viewpoints
To be held on June 1-4, Fiber Connect 2025 is expected to draw over 5,000 people to the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville.
By: Gary Bolton, President and CEO, Fiber Broadband Association
The state of today’s fiber industry is constantly changing but always moving forward as the Fiber Broadband Association and its nearly 600 members continue to connect homes and businesses around the nation to the most secure, reliable, durable, and sustainable broadband access technology available, delivering the highest possible performance in terms of speed and capacity with ultra-low latency and jitter.
It should be no surprise that state broadband offices across the land recognize that fiber is an investment that drives lasting economic growth and job creation for communities and states.
Preparations are nearly complete for Fiber Connect 2025, the world’s largest event of its kind.
To be held in Nashville, on June 1-4, this year’s event is expected to draw over 5,000 people to the Gaylord Opryland to learn more about the state of today’s fiber industry through its multiple pre-conference workshops, general session keynote presentations, operator ‘Light Talks,’ afternoon breakout sessions, exhibitors, meet ups, parties, expo hall theater presentations, and other curated content.
Theme of Fiber Connect 2025 is “Light it Up”
At Fiber Connect 2025, we will focus on lighting up networks throughout the country. This year is especially important, with the states finishing their ARPA-funded projects, getting clarity on how BEAD funding will move forward, and a lot of publicly and privately funded network construction projects already underway. Specialty programs at Fiber Connect include the State Broadband Summit, the C-Suite Summit, the Women in Fiber Luncheon, and the Broadband Policy Symposium. Tracks in the conference will also dive into fiber economics, middle-mile, tribal broadband, and workforce development.
We’ll be bringing some heat, as well as light, to this year’s proceedings.
Sean Evans, of the “Hot Ones” YouTube series, is hosting a fiber broadband hot seat discussion on the main stage on Monday, June 2. Two industry executives will have a bold and spicy conversation with Sean that will challenge minds and palates, answering industry questions and eating increasingly hot wings.
Fiber Connect 2025 will kick off on Sunday, June 1, with several pre-conference workshops, including the FBA’s long-running Broadband Starter Toolkit, packed full of lessons learned, tips, and tricks for people and organizations just entering the broadband market. Confirmed and newly added pre-conference workshops are “Brand Economics and How Brand Impacts Fiber” and “AI Impacts on Telecom” sessions.
The half-day Fiber Broadband Toolkit, a long-running favorite of attendees planning to build a fiber network or just getting started in the planning process, provides a comprehensive view of the fiber deployment process, along with insights and strategies new network operators need to bring connectivity to their communities. The workshop addresses how to navigate legal and regulatory policies, explore funding options, and launch end-user installations.
‘Demystify the complexities of deployment’
In “Brand Economics and How Brand Impacts Fiber,” industry leaders will demystify the complexities of deployment and share actionable solutions to ensure attendees will be ready to succeed in building the connected future. The workshop goal is to help operators, vendors, and other ecosystem participants understand the role brand equity and brand knowledge plays as providers introduce new service, contacting people for the first time who’ve never considered high-speed broadband. These interactions and perceptions could affect how a service provider’s brand is perceived, and how it can launch and manage services in those new areas.
It will also delve into the intersection of branding and financial performance, with industry experts providing actionable insights on establishing a brand in new markets, creating value with high-impact service launches, strengthening partnerships to enhance brand recognition, and how to leverage customer experience to drive success.
Light Talks to return in 2025
Fiber Connect starts in earnest on Monday, with the first operator Light Talks. A total of six operator Light Talks are scheduled during the main stage general sessions, with Charlene Gavel, President and CEO, SaskTel, leading off the discussions. Other service providers that will take the stage and share their knowledge and insights include CJ Ehrenreich, Vice President of Construction and Customer Operations, Ting Internet; Ron Beerman, Chief Network Officer, Alta Fiber; Suzy Hayes, President and CEO, C Spire; Clayton Dowell, President and CEO, Bristol Tennessee Essential Services; and Jonathan Restivo, Chief Development Officer, Cityside Fiber.
General session panel discussions include “Bringing Fiber to the Most Remote Locations on Earth,” “Expanding Fiber’s Reach,” “Creating the Ultimate Smart Home,” and “Architecting for Growth.” Through this group of main stage presentations, network operators and industry experts will share their experience in overcoming significant deployment challenges and obstacles; discuss fiber’s ability to provide new services, technologies, and applications; explore the Smart Home evolution from home appliances to security systems; and explore the workforce, governmental, and network infrastructures needed to scale when adding millions of rural, suburban, and urban households to fiber networks over the next five years.
What else to expect in Nashville
In afternoon breakout sessions, numerous information and education sessions will take place. Among the highlights are Tuesday’s Broadband Policy Symposium discussing the latest perspectives on legislative and policy efforts aimed at closing the digital divide and addressing challenges in unserved and underserved communities.
Tuesday will also showcase the Overbuilder Toolkit program. As fiber providers will find themselves in competition with established telco and coax incumbents, new operators will have to carefully evaluate their value proposition by offering more than just a fast pipe. Other sessions examine the growing open access network model where multiple service providers share the same physical infrastructure and discuss adoption challenges in crowded markets with multiple high-speed broadband options available.
But there will be more than just talking at Fiber Connect 2025. On Monday and Tuesday, June 2 and 3, the FBA will introduce its first annual OpTIC Path Rodeo. This showcase of fiber technician excellence will offer fiber technicians an opportunity to demonstrate their skills, knowledge, and expertise in constructing high-quality fiber optic networks. In addition to bragging rights, the winner of this two-day event will take home $1,000. Technicians will be tested across numerous topics, including troubleshooting, safety, tools, and more, with hands-on exercises and a splicing challenging to be judged on both speed and quality.
3rd-running State Broadband Summit to get underway
Wednesday, June 4, will mark the third State Broadband Summit, a gathering of state broadband officers from around the country who have begun the process of delivering fiber using both state and federal funding with everyone ready to go once BEAD funding is unleashed.
It will also include panel discussions on how fiber delivers increased economic impact and opportunities by delivering higher household incomes, new job opportunities, and new business development along with higher home prices. The mayors of Charlottsville, Va., Danbury, Conn., and Adams County, Colo., will additionally be sharing their perspectives on deploying fiber broadband and its impacts on their communities. A discussion on the many challenges of fiber construction will also occur.
On the expo hall floor, the Smart Home Open House track will highlight how firms are putting broadband and fiber into every part of the residence to ensure the best experience, applications, and services leveraging the full potential of fiber, and the economic advantages fiber brings to households and home values.
Social and networking events
Among the social and networking highlights for this year’s Fiber Connect include the “Backyard BBQ Welcome Reception” on Sunday evening, the second annual FBA Award Luncheon on Monday, FBA’s Live Karaoke Dive Bar on Monday evening, and the Women in Fiber Luncheon on Tuesday.
No matter what your role or experience level, whether you’re a veteran or brand new to the industry, you’ll find events, activities, and sessions tailor-made for your interests. If you’d like to learn more about who will be at Fiber Connect 2025 and details on the sessions, you can find more about the event at the Fiber Connect 2025 website. I hope to see you there as we celebrate the fiber industry and the people who make it shine.
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