California Broadband Summit

At the CalMatters Ideas Festival in Sacramento, June 5-6, 2024

Two-Day Event for $175

Beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5, 2024 | Sacramento, California

The event in Sacramento on Wednesday, June 5 is part of the CalMatters Ideas Festival on June 5-6, 2024. The event takes place at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel, 1230 J Street, Sacramento, California 95814.

Included in the registration price is:

Luncheon, panels and speeches at the California Broadband Summit on June 5.
Evening keynote speech and reception at the CalMatters Ideas Festival on June 5.
Two-day pass to the CalMatters Ideas Festival on June 5-6.

Reserve Your Spot

Two-Day Event for $175

California Broadband Summit Program

Panel 1: The California Broadband Moment

As billions flood into broadband development nationwide, California is riding high on this wave, netting $1.86B from the government’s flagship Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program. For the nation’s leading tech hub, how has this pivotal moment unfolded? How does this dovetail with the state’s ongoing initiatives aimed to drive innovation in the technology and telecom sectors?

Pre-Lunch Interlude: Fixing Broadband Affordability and Digital Equity

By popular demand, following the scene-setting panel on "The California Broadband Moment," we'll hear advocates with their ears to the ground (in Sacramento and in Washington) address a key issue on everyone's mind: With the potential demise of the federal government's Affordable Connectivity Program, how will the Golden State react to the crisis in affordability?

Panel 2: California’s Pathbreaking Middle Mile Program

In 2021, California unanimously passed SB 156, earmarking a $6 billion broadband investment to bridge the statewide digital divide. More than half of the funds are funneled towards building open-access, state-owned middle mile networks with high capacity fiber. As this expansive investment fans out across the state, how is California positioned to capitalize on it? What opportunities and potential pitfalls might the state encounter along the way?

Panel 3: California’s Cost to Build

With one of the country's most extensive highway networks, California must also wrangle with the prickly issue of broadband right-of-way, which often drive up the cost of deployment. This legal clearance for deploying and maintaining broadband infrastructure along public routes often muddies the waters around broadband expansion plans. Where does the state stand on this issue? Are there still any bottlenecks that need ironing out for seamless broadband flow across the state?

Panel 4: Net Neutrality and Privacy

While federal net neutrality rules hang in limbo, California has long upheld its own law regarding the equal treatment of data, as well as its state-leading law on internet privacy. With its sights on universal broadband access statewide, how does net neutrality factor into California’s game plan? What has California’s leadership role on net neutrality and privacy had on broadband for California?

Speaker Bios

Stay tuned!

Interested in learning more?

Sign up below to be the first to hear when new speakers are announced, or check this page for regular updates. For sponsorship information, please contact sales@breakfast.media.