American Broadband Congress - BEAD & Beyond in 2024

Presented by Cablefax

JUNE 13, 2024 | Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

Join Us at the American Broadband Congress

This elevated conference is a must-attend event for stakeholders participating in the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity and Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, aimed at expanding high-speed internet accessibility across the USA. The agenda encompasses case studies of prosperous public-private collaborations, real-time updates from regulators, operators, local/state broadband officers, as well as other vested parties who are developing their own strategic plans for navigating the upcoming broadband milestones. American Broadband Congress is the only conference providing both structured and unstructured opportunities for the different players in this marketplace to meaningfully connect with goal of coming away with tangible, actionable results.

Who Should Attend

  • Broadband providers
  • Rural electric Co-ops
  • Telephone Co-ops
  • Municipal Broadband Offices
  • State Broadband Offices
  • Tribal Connectivity
  • Regulators
  • Attorneys
  • Broadband builders
  • Data Intelligence Services
  • Media Analysts
  • Data Researchers
  • Broadband Associations
  • Consultants

SPEAKERS

  • Joseph Wender

    Joseph Wender

    Director, Capital Projects Fund
  • Tamarah Holmes

    Tamarah Holmes

    Director, Virginia Office of Broadband
  • Gigi Sohn

    Gigi Sohn

    Executive Director
  • Sandip Bhowmick

    Sandip Bhowmick

    VP, Infrastructure and State Broadband Director, Arizona
  • Doug Kinkoph

    Doug Kinkoph

    Associate Administrator, Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth
  • Steven Bandy

    Steven Bandy

    General Manager of OzarksGo
  • Shirley Bloomfield

    Shirley Bloomfield

    CEO
  • Sachin Gupta

    Sachin Gupta

    Director of Government Business and Economic Development
  • Cristina Chou

    Cristina Chou

    VP, Federal Affairs
  • Justin Forte

    Justin Forte

    Chief Executive Officer
  • Ben Elkins

    Ben Elkins

    CEO
  • Rick Cimerman

    Rick Cimerman

    Vice President, External and State Affairs Lead
  • Alex Damato

    Alex Damato

    VP, Public Policy
  • Todd Eachus

    Todd Eachus

    President
  • David Kramer

    David Kramer

    Senior Director, Corporate Strategy
  • Christopher Kyle

    Christopher Kyle

    VP, Industry Affairs and Regulatory
  • Doug McCollough

    Doug McCollough

    CIO
  • Ross Lieberman

    Ross Lieberman

    SVP, Government Affairs
  • Justin Soileau

    Justin Soileau

    Senior Manager, Strategic Solutions
  • Grant Spellmeyer

    Grant Spellmeyer

    President and CEO
  • Todd Schroeder

    Todd Schroeder

    CEO
  • Michael P. O'Rielly

    Michael P. O'Rielly

    Former FCC Commissioner, Adjunct Senior Fellow

AGENDA

Thursday June 13th, 2024

    9:15am – 10:00am 45 mins
  • Registration & Morning Networking

    9:15am – 10:00am

    Registration opens and networking begins at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

  • 10:00am – 10:05am 5 mins
  • Welcome & Opening Remarks

    10:00am – 10:05am
    • Amy Maclean

      Amy Maclean

      Editorial Director // Cablefax
  • 10:05am – 10:50am 45 mins
  • The Rural Middle Mile Conundrum

    10:05am – 10:50am

    Billions of dollars are allocated for last mile service to rural America. An estimated 42 million Americans will for the first time in their lives have access to high-speed internet. The importance of creating middle mile architecture capable of supporting this new capacity and services cannot be overstated. This panel will discuss the need for rural middle mile infrastructure and the perils of not having it when millions of new last mile services are deployed.

    • Sachin Gupta

      Sachin Gupta

      Moderator
      Director of Government Business and Economic Development // Centranet
    • Justin Forte

      Justin Forte

      Chief Executive Officer // INDATEL
    • Steven Bandy

      Steven Bandy

      General Manager of OzarksGo // Ozarks Electric Cooperative
    • Sandip Bhowmick

      Sandip Bhowmick

      VP, Infrastructure and State Broadband Director, Arizona // State of Arizona
  • 10:50am – 11:10am 20 mins
  • Opening Keynote: Empowering Through Broadband

    10:50am – 11:10am

    Join us for an opening keynote address delivered by NTIA’s Doug Kinkoph. With oversight of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's monumental $48 billion allocation, including the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program, and Digital Equity Programs, Kinkoph will bring his expertise and insight to the challenges and rewards of implementing broadband connectivity in 2024 and beyond.

    • Doug Kinkoph

      Doug Kinkoph

      Associate Administrator, Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth // National Telecommunications and Information Administration
  • 11:10am – 11:30am 20 mins
  • Networking Break

    11:10am – 11:30am
  • 11:30am – 12:20pm 50 mins
  • On the Ground

    11:30am – 12:20pm

    Experts will share their first-hand experiences navigating the BEAD process, including applying for initial grants, as well as communications with state broadband offices. They’ll share what they’re seeing on the ground level, including differences in approaches across the nation, tips for structuring bids, and avoiding the pitfalls of competing for a share of government funding.

    • Cristina Chou

      Cristina Chou

      VP, Federal Affairs // Altice
    • Christopher Kyle

      Christopher Kyle

      VP, Industry Affairs and Regulatory // Shentel
    • Ross Lieberman

      Ross Lieberman

      SVP, Government Affairs // Hotwire Communications
    • Alex Damato

      Alex Damato

      VP, Public Policy // Charter Communications
    • Ben Elkins

      Ben Elkins

      CEO // AireBeam
  • 12:20pm – 12:45pm 25 mins
  • Partnership Case Study: Cox Communications & Indian Electric Cooperative

    12:20pm – 12:45pm

    When it comes to broadband expansion, no one needs to go it alone. Cox Communications has decades of experience building and running networks, but last year it struck its first lease-operate partnership with a private entity, 85-year-old cooperative Indian Electric Cooperative, which serves members in seven Oklahoma counties. Hear from both partners on how the relationship works, what challenges they’ve overcome and how the innovative approach has accelerated broadband in the communities.

    • Justin Soileau

      Justin Soileau

      Senior Manager, Strategic Solutions // Cox Communications
    • Todd Schroeder

      Todd Schroeder

      CEO // Indian Electric Cooperative
  • 12:45pm – 1:30pm 45 mins
  • Networking Lunch

    12:45pm – 1:30pm
    NCTI
  • 1:35pm – 1:55pm 20 mins
  • Afternoon Keynote: Charting the Path: Where the Capital Projects Fund is Today

    1:35pm – 1:55pm

    With the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund doling out $10 billion to states, territories and Tribal governments for broadband expansion efforts, get a full download on how the initiative is progressing as states open up bids and announce awards for providers of all sizes. Time is of the essence as all projects using Capital Projects Fund dollars must be completed by 2026.

    • Joseph Wender

      Joseph Wender

      Director, Capital Projects Fund // U.S. Department of Treasury
  • 1:55pm – 2:45pm 50 mins
  • State Perspectives

    1:55pm – 2:45pm

    Leaders in the trenches take the stage to provide updates on their latest BEAD endeavors and how you can benefit from their experiences.

    • Todd Eachus

      Todd Eachus

      President // Broadband Communications Association of Pennsylvania
    • Rick Cimerman

      Rick Cimerman

      Vice President, External and State Affairs Lead // NCTA
    • Tamarah Holmes

      Tamarah Holmes

      Director, Virginia Office of Broadband // State of Virginia
    • Sandip Bhowmick

      Sandip Bhowmick

      VP, Infrastructure and State Broadband Director, Arizona // State of Arizona
  • 2:45pm – 3:10pm 25 mins
  • Networking Break

    2:45pm – 3:10pm
  • 3:10pm – 3:35pm 25 mins
  • P3 Case Study: altafiber & City of Dublin, Ohio

    3:10pm – 3:35pm

    Cablefax’s 2023 Public-Private Partnership honoree altafiber has brokered more than a dozen P3 arrangements over the past few years. Its partnership with the City of Dublin involves an investment of roughly $35 million in a fiber optic network providing 10 gigabit internet service. Dublin will be the first completed fiber high-speed broadband service area of comparable size in the central Ohio region. This undertaking, coupled with Dublink, the 100-Gig Fiber Optic Network available to Dublin businesses, will make Dublin the most connected City in the U.S. Hear how it all happened.

    • David Kramer

      David Kramer

      Senior Director, Corporate Strategy // Altafiber
    • Doug McCollough

      Doug McCollough

      CIO // The City of Dublin, Ohio
  • 3:35pm – 4:15pm 40 mins
  • Affordable Access: Low Cost Broadband Solutions

    3:35pm – 4:15pm

    With BEAD funding intricately linked to providing affordable options and the looming possibility of the ACP program discontinuation, our experts will dissect available alternatives and innovative approaches to meet this critical provision.

    • Michael P. O’Rielly

      Michael P. O’Rielly

      Former FCC Commissioner, Adjunct Senior Fellow // Free State Foundation
    • Shirley Bloomfield

      Shirley Bloomfield

      CEO // NTCA
    • Grant Spellmeyer

      Grant Spellmeyer

      President and CEO // ACA Connects
    • Gigi Sohn

      Gigi Sohn

      Executive Director // American Association for Public Broadband

Pricing

PUBLIC SECTOR

  • Book by event date
    Pay $529/person

PRIVATE SECTOR

  • Book by event date
    Pay $699/person

Venue

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center - 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20004

View Venue Information

Sponsors

ACA Connects
NCTI

Sponsor This Program

Interested in sponsoring the first annual American Broadband Congress?
Contact Ellen Kamhi, Director of Sales at [email protected] 

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