The Community Connection: How Fiber Impacts Economics and Opportunity

Sunday, July 28, 2024

1:40 PM – 2:30 PM CT

Location: Tennessee Ballroom DE, Level 2

Moderator(s)

Jessica Koch (she/her/hers)

Senior Manager Industry Associations and External Affairs
Calix
Severance, Colorado, United States

Panelist(s)

Bryan Perry

IS/SFCN Director
Spanish Fork City
Spanish Fork, Utah, United States
Bo Coughlin (he/him/his)

Chief Operating Officer
Fybe
Aulander, United States
Mark Fahner

Vice President Market Expansion
altafiber
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Randy Everett (he/him/his)

General Manager
Connect2First Internet, LLC, CIO, First Electric Cooperative Corp. Inc.
Jacksonville, Arkansas, United States

As the industry moves to close the Digital Equity Gap, what does this mean for local stakeholders in terms of economic impact and opportunity? What role does fiber play in improving GDP, creating job opportunities, and new business development. What impact can it have on education, community services and home prices, and does fiber present the best catalyst for growth as local operators decide what technology to leverage with BEAD funding? At the heart of it is, does an option other than fiber equate to a decision to potentially leave a community behind?