November 17, 2026: Washington’s Broadband Agenda

Tuesday, November 17 | 2:00 PM ET

What’s happening in Washington, and what could it mean for your next fiber build? Join The CommLaw Group’s Jim Booth and Leela Vangala for a timely look at the FCC proceedings, proposed legislation, and federal policy developments shaping broadband deployment. The discussion will connect Washington’s agenda to the practical challenges providers face when securing access, obtaining permits, and navigating competing government requirements.

Panelists

• Leela Vangala, Of Counsel, CommLaw Group
• James Booth, Of Counsel, CommLaw Group
• Drew Clark (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast

Leela Vangala is a transactional attorney with over 15 years of experience negotiating complex technology, telecommunications, media, and commercial contracts, along with guiding regulatory compliance programs in fast-moving in-house environments. Her practice spans network agreements, infrastructure deployment, spectrum and satellite services, data center operations, and federal telecommunications compliance. She currently serves as Of Counsel at The CommLaw Group, where she advises clients on broadband and infrastructure deployment, pole attachments, rights of way, easements, landowner dispute resolution, and railroad crossings. In this role, she also develops forward-looking compliance programs and risk mitigation strategies for emerging technologies and evolving business models.

James F. Booth is a digital infrastructure and construction attorney with decades of experience advising carriers, network operators, and infrastructure developers on fiber optic network deployment, telecommunications infrastructure development, rights-of-way strategy, construction contracting, and commercial transactions. His experience includes lead legal support for the development of an 18,500-mile nationwide fiber-optic network, service as General Counsel of two telecommunications carriers, and representation of clients seeking to reduce deployment risk and accelerate infrastructure execution. Mr. Booth works closely with legal, engineering, operations, commercial, and executive teams to help move complex infrastructure projects from concept to completion.

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.