Perfect Timing to Attend Digital Infrastructure Investment in Washington on Nov. 17
One day before the release of the broadband map, Digital Infrastructure Investment could not come on a more appropriate date.
WASHINGTON, November 11, 2022 – Digital Infrastructure Investment–Washington could not come on a more appropriate date.
Next Thursday, November 17, Broadband Breakfast will host its first free-standing, day-long event in person at Clyde’s of Gallery Place. The next day, the Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to release its preliminary draft of the agency’s national broadband map.
The CEO of the lead contractor producing the map, Jim Stegeman of CostQuest Associates, will speak as a panelist on one of the four sessions at Digital Infrastructure Investment–Washington.
“The next eight weeks are critical for our federal efforts to connect the unconnected,” said Alan Davidson, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Commerce Department. Davidson, a prior guest of Broadband Breakfast, was speaking Thursday about the period that begins following the November 18 unveiling of the FCC map.
Rick Gordon, Jim Stegeman, Bob Wack, Tom Coverick
“The FCC’s upcoming challenge process is one of the best chances to ensure that we have accurate maps guiding us as we allocate major…awards in 2023,” Davidson said.
Speaking at Digital Infrastructure Investment–Washington will be Phil Murphy, a senior advisor in the NTIA Office of the Assistant Secretary.
Other luminaries from broadband operations and finance will highlight Digital Infrastructure Investment
In addition to a full breakfast and wonderful lunch, the panelists, moderators and attendees will drive our conversation conversation at the event, which brings together the broadband infrastructure and financial services communities to focus on the digital infrastructure and investment asset profile, including fiber, small cells, towers and data center assets, that is required to support a 21st century information economy.
The first panel session will introduce, “What’s the State of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act?” Coming one year after the law’s passage, this panel will include several key state broadband leaders, including Glen Howie of Arkansas and Kenrick Gordon of Maryland.
Gordon is director of Maryland’s Office of Statewide Broadband, joining us for a panel discussion on the state of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act. Rick oversees digital inclusion efforts and the expansion of broadband capabilities statewide to ensure broadband access is available to all unserved households and businesses in Maryland.
The second panel will include discussion of the fabric challenge process, which will be critical in the time between the map’s release and the NTIA’s allocation of funds from the $42.5-billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, expected by June 2023.
Robert Wack, former Westminster Common Council President and leader of the Open Access Citywide Fiber Network initiative, will participate in our panel about financing mechanisms for community broadband. His insights will draw from years of experience using an innovative Public Private Partnership business model that has enabled every Westminster resident and business to access dedicated, symmetric gigabit services at very competitive rates.
The conference will close with a financing roundtable featuring Tom Coverick, managing director for Keybanc Capital Markets. Tom has extensive experience in municipal broadband and public finance across the U.S. and has worked for broadband initiatives such as UTOPIA Fiber, the Utah Infrastructure Agency and MINet.
Hearing from NTIA, state, and private sector broadband leaders
Murphy, the NTIA senior advisor who will headline the event, served as Senior Advisor and Legislative Director to Congressman Mike Doyle, D-Penn., Chairman of the Communications and Telecommunications Subcommittee on the Energy and Commerce Committee. He has directed and overseen the Congressman’s legislative agenda and his Chairmanship of the Subcommittee.
He also served as Staff Director of the Congressional Robotics Caucus. Previously, he served as a Legislative Clerk for the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet under then Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell.
Each panel moderator for Digital Infrastructure Investment spoke at a Broadband Breakfast Live Online event Wednesday to set the scene for the conference and pose important questions about their respective topics.
