Fiber for Breakfast with Gary Bolton

What does 2026 hold for the future of fiber—and for the people shaping it? Join Jessica Koch, Controller at Consolidated Business Services and FBA Conference Committee Chair and Evann Freeman, VP, Government & Community Relations, EPB and FBA's Board Vice Chair and Conference Committee Board Liaison as they pull back the curtain on next year’s vision, offering a look at why Fiber Connect continues...

In the last Fiber for Breakfast episode of 2025, Gary welcomes the Senior Director, Field and Partner Marketing at Adtran and the 2026 FBA Board Chair, Ash Brown. Ash will review FBA Board priorities for 2026, and will share FBA Policy updates and plans to engage with her constituents and the FBA working groups in the new year. Ash will also share the latest on Adtran.  With Special Guest: Ash Bro...

In this episode, we deliver the 2025 annual deployment update on the progress and prospects for fiber broadband—what’s been built, what’s ahead, and what it means for the telecommunications industry. Mike Render, President of RVA, LLC, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, for his final appearance of the year to break down current deployment levels, the key drivers...

In this week’s episode, Dr. Christopher Ali – national broadband policy expert and author – joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, for a candid look at what comes after BEAD. Ali cuts through the headlines to uncover the real challenges facing broadband deployment, urging policymakers and providers to move beyond short-term objectives and adopt long-term, purpose-dr...

In this episode, Jessica Dine, Policy Analyst at New America’s Open Technology Institute and Wireless Future Project, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to unpack New America’s recent report, Exploring Paths to a U.S. Digital Skills Framework. With billions being invested in broadband deployment and adoption, the lack of a national standard for defining and meas...

In this week’s episode, we explore Recon Analytics’ compelling insight: fiber broadband isn’t just another access layer – it’s the backbone of the AI economy. Their latest survey shows that fiber users engage with AI far more frequently and intensely than users on other networks, revealing a powerful feedback loop: better connectivity drives deeper AI adoption, and that engagement further justifie...

This conversation with Brightspeed CEO Michel Combes explores his first six months at the helm of one of the nation’s fastest-growing fiber internet providers. In this discussion with Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, Michel reflects on the company’s transformation journey, progress in expanding high-speed connectivity across its 20-state footprint, and the cultural...

As the broadband industry’s focus shifts from deployment to adoption, ensuring rural residents have the tools and confidence to fully engage in the digital economy is critical. True inclusion goes beyond connectivity—it requires affordable devices, hands-on digital skills training (including AI literacy), and ongoing community support. When these elements come together, rural communities can trans...

Kansas is proving that the buck doesn’t stop with BEAD. Across the state, new broadband initiatives are laying the groundwork for a digital renaissance – connecting communities, revitalizing local economies, and creating opportunities that keep Kansans rooted where they are or even draw them back home. From ground-breaking last-mile projects bringing high-speed fiber to rural areas, to the launch...

As we look ahead to the next chapter of connectivity, it’s worth pausing to consider how far we’ve come. In this week’s Fiber for Breakfast, Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, sits down with Mike Render, CEO of RVA LLC, to explore two decades of industry evolution — how internet performance, user expectations, and daily life have been transformed. Drawing on original...

Today, many technologies can advertise 100/20 “broadband,” but few providers deliver those speeds consistently. Consumers are sold “up to” speeds – yet speed test data shows that while fiber consistently delivers as promised, other technologies fall short most of the time. On today’s Fiber for Breakfast, Jonathan Chambers, co-CEO, Conexon talks with Gary Bolton, FBA’s President & CEO about how the...

The broadband industry is at a turning point. Dell’Oro Group’s newly released 5-Year Forecast projects that the global Broadband Access Equipment market will climb steadily through 2029, with revenues peaking in 2028. Behind the numbers are powerful forces reshaping the industry: fiber expansion, DOCSIS 4.0 upgrades, and the rapid adoption of Wi-Fi 7 and fixed wireless. This week on Fiber for Brea...

Data demand isn’t slowing down—and networks can only stretch so far. As service providers race to keep up, the challenge is no longer just building connections, but ensuring they can stand the test of time. This week on Fiber for Breakfast, Bryan Darr, Vice President of Government Affairs at Ookla, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to explore how state broadban...

Grand Farm is a collaborative network of growers, startups, corporations, researchers, educators, investors, and government partners working together to solve agricultural challenges through applied technology. Based in North Dakota, with projects and partnerships across the country, Grand Farm supports real-world testing and validation of technologies like autonomous equipment, IoT sensors, and A...

What does it really take to age in place successfully? Beyond healthcare and housing, it’s about connection—and that’s where fiber broadband comes in. From telehealth and online learning to smart home safety and staying close to family, fiber is redefining what independence looks like for older adults. This week on Fiber for Breakfast, Tom Kamber, Founder & Executive Director at OATS (Older Adults...

Discover how granular location and coverage data is transforming broadband deployment knowledge, funding planning and deployment strategies. Powered by tools like historical coverage data via CostQuest’s Time Series Dashboard and Broadband in America report, stakeholders now have unprecedented visibility into broadband availability and buildout trends for fiber and broadband technologies. This cla...

Network slicing is emerging as one of the most promising developments in broadband. By enabling real-time customization at the network level, slicing could allow customers to prioritize performance for specific needs—whether that’s streaming, gaming, remote work, or even short-lived secure connections for activities like online banking. But how close is this concept to reality, and what does it me...

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program promises to transform connectivity in underserved communities — but securing funding has been anything but simple. In this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Bree Maki, Director of Minnesota’s Office of Broadband Development, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to share real-world challenges and best practi...

As work, commerce, and society move online, reliable internet access has become essential. In 2000, only 1% of U.S. adults had home broadband, compared to 80% today. Without faster speeds and higher adoption, the U.S. would have lost $1.3 trillion in economic growth from 2010–2020. Since 1996, the private sector has invested $2.2 trillion in broadband infrastructure, with the Infrastructure Invest...

Delivering high-speed internet and voice services throughout the midwest, Nextlink Internet has experienced radical, organic growth over the past decade and has become the one of the largest wireless internet service providers in the nation. Nextlink differentiates itself based on an obsession with great customer service, whether the service is provided with wireless or fiber. Nextlink maintains r...

Delivering high-speed internet and voice services throughout the midwest, Nextlink Internet has experienced radical, organic growth over the past decade and has become the one of the largest wireless internet service providers in the nation. Nextlink differentiates itself based on an obsession with great customer service, whether the service is provided with wireless or fiber. Nextlink maintains r...

Broadband is no longer a luxury—it’s essential for economic opportunity, education, and community resilience. The Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) is meeting this need by investing in infrastructure through a deeply local, collaborative approach. This past June, MCA President Andrew Butcher hit the road in his 1984 Volkswagen van—affectionately known as “Buttercup”—traveling over 800 miles to vi...

Fiber broadband is rapidly expanding across West Virginia, fueled by bold public-private partnerships and significant infrastructure investments. While meaningful progress has been made, many communities remain underserved or entirely unserved — underscoring the continued need for strategic broadband deployment. On our next episode of Fiber for Breakfast, join us as Jim Martin, President and CEO o...

FFB Episode 237 - Fidium Transforms New England’s Future with Fiber by Fiber for Breakfast with Gary Bolton

FFB Episode 236 - Continuing to Connect Wisconsin-Strategies for Statewide Broadband Access by Fiber for Breakfast with Gary Bolton