Broadband Breakfast on March 11, 2026 – Network and Infrastructure Sharing

Network and infrastructure sharing refers to multiple service providers using the same physical or active network assets to deliver broadband services. As deployment costs rise and funding programs demand efficiency, sharing may become a critical strategy for expanding coverage without duplicating infrastructure. Sharing can lower capital costs, speed deployment, and enable greater competition. But shared networks introduce operational complexity, governance challenges, and performance risks. What conditions actually make sharing work at scale? Where should boundaries be drawn between shared and dedicated assets? How can networks be designed today to avoid becoming constraints tomorrow?

Panelists

• Ashley Poling, Vice President of Business Development, COS Systems
• Gregg Shepperd, Senior Engagement Leader, Managed Network Services, 1Finity America
• George Wellings, President, Network Access Partnerships, SiFi Networks
• Walter Tustin, Federal Funding Program Manager, Crown Castle
• Drew Clark (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast

Ashley Poling is a Vice President of Business Development at COS Systems, where she works to connect communities with high-speed fiber broadband through open-access shared infrastructure. She brings over a decade of experience in broadband consulting and implementation, including nearly eight years at Magellan Advisors working with ISPs and municipalities on network planning and deployment. A fierce advocate for closing the digital divide, Poling holds a B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University and has been a recognized voice at broadband industry events nationwide.

Gregg Shepperd serves as the Senior Solutions Management Engagement Leader at 1Finity America, Inc. He is a technology leader with 36 years of experience in networking solutions and broadband markets. Gregg specializes in broadband operations solutions and leads the development of Day 2 operations and maintenance strategies for broadband network builds. His work leverages 1Finity’s Network Operations Center, OSS/BSS platforms, and field maintenance solutions to support reliable, scalable network operations.

George Wellings has worked in the telecom and information technology industry for over 30 years across the UK, Australia and USA. Having previously held senior roles at British Telecom in the UK, Telstra and Oracle in Australia, George now leads ISP Partnerships and Multi-Unit Property Engagements for SiFi Networks who is at the forefront of the Open Access Fiber revolution in the US.

Walter Tustin is the Federal Funding Program Manager at Crown Castle. He is an experienced and collaborative IT leader with a strong track record of delivering successful shared-infrastructure solutions. In his role, Tustin focuses on securing federal funding and guiding projects from planning through execution, ensuring they meet business objectives while maintaining full compliance. His work leverages synergies across a range of technology environments, including telecommunications infrastructure, internet and cloud services, project management, and broadband and digital equity initiatives.

Breakfast Media LLC CEO Drew Clark has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing tool to collect and verify broadband data left unpublished by the Federal Communications Commission. As CEO and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media community advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative.