Broadband Breakfast Live Online on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 — Mapping the Rural Broadband Buildout

See “Local Communities Are Essential to Improving Internet Mapping, Say Broadband Breakfast Experts,” Broadband Breakfast, February 3, 2021

Our Broadband Breakfast Live Online events take place every Wednesday at 12 Noon ET. You can watch the February 3, 2021, event on this page. You can also PARTICIPATE in the current Broadband Breakfast Live Online event. REGISTER HERE.

Tools for Broadband Deployment: This series explores the way that geospatial data and asset management is shaping the future of rural network delivery and performance. This series explores how market-leading fiber builders are using digital tools to map, analyze, manage and deploy new networks – with a focus on rural success stories.

Wednesday, February 3, 2021, 12 Noon ET — “Tools for Broadband: Mapping the Rural Broadband Buildout”

• Mapping broadband assets is only the first step. This session will explore how end-to-end data is showing that successful rural fiber networks begin with the end in the mind. Think broadband mapping.

WATCH HERE, or on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

This event is part of a five-part event series, “Tools for Broadband: Preparing for Success,” on Broadband Breakfast Live Online sponsored by Render Networks and ADTRAN.

Panelists include:

• Brian Mefford, Vice President, Broadband Strategy, Vetro Fiber
• Peggy Schaffer, Executive Director of ConnectME
• Mike Wilson, Vice President of Professional Services, CostQuest
• Drew Clark (Moderator), Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast; Of Counsel, The CommLaw Group

Panelist resources

• See “Brian Mefford: A Radical and Realistic Approach to Rural Broadband Mapping,” Broadband Breakfast, December 10, 2020
• See “Drew Clark: Broadband Maps Are a Mess, So Let’s Focus on Actually Improving Them,” Broadband Breakfast, July 30, 2019
• See “In One of Last Acts as FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai Tries to Fix Broadband Maps,” Broadband Breakfast, January 20, 2021
• CostQuest’s State Broadband Dashboard
• Presentation by Peggy Schaffer, State of Maine, Broadband Breakfast Mapping

Brian Mefford serves as Vice President of Broadband Strategy for VETRO, where he is head of the Digital Divide Solutions Practice. He works to deploy VETRO solutions to communities globally to create opportunities through better access to broadband technologies. Brian founded Connected Nation, helping shape federal and state policies and leading local broadband programs, particularly in rural areas. Brian also serves as adjunct faculty in the University of Kentucky’s Gatton School of Business and Economics, teaching entrepreneurship in the MBA program.

Peggy Schaffer is the Executive Director of ConnectME, which aims to facilitate the universal availability of broadband to all Maine households and businesses. She was previously the Small Business Advocate for the Secretary of State’s office, and served as the Co-chair of the Maine Broadband Coalition, a statewide group advocating for high speed broadband. Schaffer also previously served as the Chief of Staff in the Senate Majority Office and the Senate President’s office.Mike Wilson is Vice President of Professional Services at CostQuest Associates.

Mike Wilson is Vice President of Professional Services at CostQuest Associates, where he oversees Broadband Mapping and related projects for the firm. His background is in Federal and State Universal Service Funding and telecommunications data and business intelligence. Wilson’s consulting efforts focus on rural telecommunications policy, universal service funding, interconnection, and operational analysis for wireless, competitive, and incumbent local carriers.

Drew Clark is the Editor and Publisher of BroadbandBreakfast.com and a nationally-respected telecommunications attorney at The CommLaw Group. He has closely tracked the trends in and mechanics of digital infrastructure for 20 years, and has helped fiber-based and fixed wireless providers navigate coverage, identify markets, broker infrastructure, and operate in the public right of way. He is the former executive director of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, one of the State Broadband Initiatives that created the National Broadband Map.

Events in “Tools for Broadband Deployment” series, which is sponsored by ADTRAN and Render Networks, include:

• Wednesday, October 21, 2020, 12 Noon ET — “Tools for Broadband Deployment: Preparing for Success”
  • Are you ready for rural deployment? The United States is currently in the midst of multiple, significant efforts pushing for Better Broadband for Rural America. Think of the big picture opportunity.
• Wednesday, November 25, 2020, 12 Noon ET — “Tools for Broadband Deployment: Connecting Providers and Customers Faster”
  • Case studies of network-building with an all-digital workflow. How fiber-builders are finding success in construction management, workflow processes and on-the-fly changes. In a phrase: Think workflow and business systems.
• Wednesday, December 16, 2020, 12 Noon ET — “Tools for Broadband Deployment: RDOF and Other Rural Broadband Deployments”
  • The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, the Connect America Fund and other rural deployments: How new awardees are laying the future for managing their deployments. Think managing your budget.
• Wednesday, February 3, 2021, 12 Noon ET — “Tools for Broadband Deployment: Mapping the Rural Broadband Buildout”
  • Mapping broadband assets is only the first step. This session will explore how end-to-end data is showing that successful rural fiber networks begin with the end in the mind. Think broadband mapping.
• Wednesday, February 17, 2021, 12 Noon ET — “Tools for Broadband: Fueling the Fire of Rural Innovation”
  • We’ll showcase how broadband deployment is accelerating the digital future for rural America at a time of COVID-19. Think success.

“Tools for Broadband Deployment” is sponsored by:

Render Networks

ADTRAN

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See a complete list of upcoming and past Broadband Breakfast Live Online events.