Digital Infrastructure Investment 2022
The 2022 event in Houston focused on infrastructure financing from the private sector and public-sector investment in BEAD.
Articles from Digital Infrastructure Investment 2022
- Tech-Backed Infrastructure Firm Says Private Financing Needed for Shared 5G Facilities, Broadband Breakfast, May 4, 2022
- Broadband Champions Necessary to Combat Obstacles and Drive Public Financing, Panelists Say, Broadband Breakfast, May 4, 2022
- Municipalities Generally Prefer Not to Own Broadband Builds, Conference Hears, Broadband Breakfast, May 3, 2022
Riley Haight
Teralyn Whipple
T.J. York
- Introduction and Logistics for In-Person and Remote Attendees – Drew Clark, Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast;Telecom Attorney, Drew Clark PLLC – 1:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. CT
- Sponsored Presentations:
- Pinpoint Capital Advisors – Andrew Semenak, Managing Director, Pinpoint Capital Advisors
- SiFi Networks – Shawn Parker, Vice President of Business Development and Government Affairs
- Private Financing – 1:15 p.m. ET / 12:15 p.m. CT – Ownership models are evolving in the digital infrastructure investment space. Municipalities are playing a greater role in public-private partnerships. Private equity and pension funds have also stepped up their willingness to invest in fiber-grant asset classes. There are also independent internet and infrastructure providers who have bootstrapped their way into the space. This session will provide a hands-on perspective – with both operators and financers – for what to expect with private financing.
- Panelists:
- David Barron, CEO, Next Level Networks
- Andrew Semenak, Managing Director, Pinpoint Capital Advisors
- Noah Tulsky, Partner, Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners
- Shrihari Pandit, President and CEO, Stealth Communications
- Drew Clark (moderator), Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast; Attorney, Drew Clark PLLC
- Panelist resources
- “Next Level Networks’ Pilot Community Fiber in Los Altos Hills Experiences Growing Service Demands,” Broadband Breakfast, August 30, 2020
- “Noah Tulsky: Shared Infrastructure Can Make 5G Work For Cities,” Broadband Breakfast, April 18, 2022
- “Shrihari Pandit: States Can Enable Broadband Infrastructure Through Open Access Conduits,” Broadband Breakfast, September 2, 2021
- Sponsored Presentation:
- Positron Access – Pierre Trudeau, President and Chief Technology Officer
- Public Financing – 2:15 p.m. ET / 1:15 p.m. CT – The Biden Administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is about to unleash more than $42.5 billion for last-mile infrastructure, $1 billion for middle-mile infrastructure, $2 billion for Rural Utility Service funding, and many more billions through other means. What are the pros and cons of seeking a grant through the IIJA program? How can infrastructure providers navigate and make sense of the public financing – including its match component – options?
- Panelists:
- Tom Coverick, Managing Director, Keybanc Capital Markets
- Matt Schmit, Director, Illinois Office of Broadband
- Roger Timmerman, Executive Director, UTOPIA Fiber
- Sunne Wright McPeak, President and CEO, California Emerging Technology Fund
- Benjamin Kahn (moderator), Reporter, Broadband Breakfast
- Panelist resources
- “Pandemic and Funding Programs Increasing Investments in Broadband and M&A, Conference Hears,” Broadband Breakfast, September 28, 2021
- “Counties, Private Providers Clash Over Merits of Open Access Networks,” Broadband Breakfast, September 28, 2021
- “Focus of Broadband Expansion Should Be On Last Mile, Says President of CETF,” Broadband Breakfast, September 28, 2021
- “Infrastructure Bill Opportunity to Show Efficiency of Shared Infrastructure, Conference Hears,” Broadband Breakfast, September 28, 2021
- Southern California Association of Governments, Los Angeles Digital Equity Action League and California Emerging Technology Fund Announce Roadmap to Address Climate Change and Reduce GHG Emissions, California Emerging Technology Fund
- Conclusion and Lead into Program of Coalition for Local Internet Choice – 2:55 p.m. ET / 1:55 p.m. CT – Drew Clark, Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast; Attorney, Drew Clark PLLC
Photos and Bios of Digital Infrastructure Investment 2022 Speakers
Sponsored Presentations
Andrew Semenak has more than 20 years experience in telecommunications investment banking. He is the founding partner of Pinpoint Capital Advisors and has advised on numerous domestic and international capital raisings and mergers and acquisition transactions. Andrew was previously a senior investment banker with Macquarie and Rothschild.
Shawn Parker is a native Texan, with experience spanning industries from being an executive at Coca-Cola in New York and Los Angeles, to addressing public policy in the energy industry with one of the nation’s largest electric providers. He joined Alcatel Lucent/Nokia’s Community Broadband Team in 2014, and has been helping to bridge the digital divide for municipalities across North America every since. Today, Shawn is Vice President of Business Development and Government Affairs for SiFi Networks where he champions ubiquitous, open access broadband networks across the United States.
Topic 1: Private Financing
David Barron is the CEO of Next Level Networks, a Silicon Valley company that has pioneered a disruptive approach to funding, building and operating ultra-high-speed fiber broadband networks. Next Level Networks works with HOAs, building owners, real estate developers and cooperatives to design, install and operate FTTP networks as a turnkey solution to deliver multi-gigabit service as a community amenity or opt-in service. Barron has been leading emerging technology and product commercialization efforts for more than three decades in the telecommunications, computer and media industries for companies such as Apple, AT&T (formerly SBC Communications), Disney, Microsoft and Motorola. Barron was most recently Head of Corporate & Business Development at CableLabs, where he created and managed partnerships with startups, investment/VC firms and universities to identify innovative technologies and funnel them into CableLabs’ R&D efforts and cable company operations worldwide. He earned a J.D from Chicago-Kent College of Law, an MBA from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Marketing and Computer Science from Ithaca College.
Andrew Semenak has more than 20 years experience in telecommunications investment banking. He is the founding partner of Pinpoint Capital Advisors and has advised on numerous domestic and international capital raisings and mergers and acquisition transactions. Andrew was previously a senior investment banker with Macquarie and Rothschild.
Noah Tulsky is a Partner at Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP), where he focuses on SIP’s CoFi platform, which works to advance shared broadband solutions, and 5G strategy. SIP owns, operates, and invests in innovative technology to transform infrastructure systems, advancing scalable solutions to society’s biggest challenges. Previously, Noah worked at Goldman Sachs, where he invested across the power & energy, transportation, and telecommunications & data sectors on behalf of the firm’s infrastructure funds.
Shrihari Pandit is the President and CEO of Stealth Communications, the NYC-based ISP he co-founded in 1995. Stealth, having built its own fiber-optic network throughout the city, provides high-bandwidth connectivity services to a broad roster of customers in business, education and government. Prior to Stealth, Mr. Pandit was a network-security consultant to various software and telecom companies, including MCI, Sprint and Sun Microsystems. He also served as an independent consultant to several U.S. agencies, including NASA and the National Infrastructure Protection Center, now part of the Department of Homeland Security.
Drew Clark, Editor and Publisher of Broadband Breakfast, is a telecom attorney at Drew Clark PLLC. He has helped fiber-based and fixed wireless providers negotiate telecom leases and fiber IRUs, litigate to operate in the public right of way, and argue regulatory classifications before federal and state authorities. He has also worked with cities on structuring Public-Private Partnerships for better broadband access for their communities. As a journalist, Drew brings experts and practitioners together to advance the benefits provided by broadband, and – building off his work at Broadband Breakfast – was appointed Executive Director of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois under Gov. Pat Quinn. He is also the President of the Rural Telecommunications Congress.
Sponsored Presentation
Pierre Trudeau is President and Chief Technology Officer at Positron Access. Prior to joining Positron in 2013 to lead the development of Positron’s GAM, Pierre founded Colubris Networks, a leader in advanced Wi-Fi solutions for wireless ISPs, carriers and enterprises in March 2000. Colubris was acquired by Hewlett-Packard in 2008. Pierre holds multiple networking related patents, and has an M.Sc and B.Sc degree in Computer science from Sherbrooke University in Quebec. Watch his Broadband Breakfast interview.
Topic 2: Public Financing
Tom Coverick serves as the managing director for Keybanc Capital Markets, working with their public sector division. Tom has extensive experience in municipal broadband and public finance in the Midwest, Southwest, and Northeast. Tom has worked for broadband initiatives such as UTOPIA Fiber, the Utah Infrastructure Agency, and MINet.
Matt Schmit serves as the Director of the Illinois Office of Broadband. In this capacity, he is responsible for facilitating the deployment of the Connect Illinois broadband infrastructure grant program. He also served as a state senator for Minnesota between 2013 and 2016.
Roger Timmerman has been serving as UTOPIA Fiber’s Executive Director since 2016 and has been a technology management professional in telecommunications and information technology for over 15 years. Roger has been designing and building networks throughout his career in various roles including Vice President of Engineering for Vivint Wireless, CTO for UTOPIA Fiber, Network Engineer for iProvo, and Network Product Manager for Brigham Young University. Roger earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Information Technology from Brigham Young University.
Sunne Wright McPeak is President and CEO of California Emerging Technology Fund, a statewide non-profit foundation with 15 years of experience addressing broadband issues to close the Digital Divide in California.
Reporter Ben Kahn is a graduate of University of Baltimore and the National Journalism Center. His work has appeared in Broadband Breakfast, Washington Jewish Week, and The Center Square, among other publications. He primarily covers Big Tech and spectrum policy.
About the Broadband Communities Summit:
The Broadband Communities Summit is the leading conference on broadband technologies for communities. It will take place in Houston, Texas, from May 2 – May 5, 2022.
The Summit attracts broadband system operators, network builders and deployers of all kinds. Many of the country’s major property owners and real estate developers attend the Summit each year, along with independent telcos and cable companies, municipal and state officials, community leaders and economic development professionals.
For more information on the Summit, visit Broadband Communities, as well as 2022 Travel & Hotel Information.
This year, Broadband Breakfast is offering free admission to the online portion of Digital Infrastructure Investment 2022. Or register in person to attend the Broadband Communities Summit.
Digital Infrastructure Investment 2022 Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors
BroadbandNow is a data aggregation company helping millions of consumers find and compare local internet options. BroadbandNow’s database of providers, the largest in the U.S., delivers the highest-value guides consisting of comprehensive plans, prices and ratings for thousands of internet service providers.
Pinpoint Capital Advisors is a boutique corporate finance advisory firm specialized in the wireless tower, fiber and data center sectors. They are a leader in advising small and middle market companies on equity and debt capital raising, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.
Silver Sponsors
SiFi Networks funds, builds and owns FiberCity™ networks for use by Internet Service Providers, 4G/5G carriers and other service providers wishing to deliver ubiquitous high-speed broadband services to business and residential properties as well as connectivity for city-wide Internet of Things applications.
Created by a group of Utah cities, the Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA Fiber) is a community-owned fiber optic network that uses the Open Access model to promote competition by giving customers the freedom to choose which telecommunication services they want.
Positron Access specializes in carrier-grade telecommunications products that increase bandwidth delivered and the distance covered within both core access networks and residential buildings using existing wiring infrastructure. These include line powered digital subscriber line amplifiers/extenders that double the customer serving areas and increase the bandwidth, G.hn Gigabit Access Mulitplexors (GAM) that provide managed non-blocking symmetrical gigabit bandwidth to subscribers in multiple-dwelling units/multi-tenant units over copper pairs or coaxial cables; and bonded copper solutions for mobile backhaul, core transport, access and edge aggregation.
The California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) has been on a mission over the last decade to forge partnerships and foster public policy to close the Digital Divide. This work has been strategically-focused, results-oriented, and people-centered. CETF is a leading proponent of the Digital Equity Bill of Rights.
To inquire about Digital Infrastructure Investment 2022, contact drew@breakfast.media.
Live Online registration for Digital Infrastructure Investment 2022 is available free of charge. Alternatively, join us in person by registering for Broadband Communities Summit in Houston.
