BEAD 2026

What to Expect at the BEAD Implementation Summit 2026

Wednesday's BEAD Implementation Summit builds upon prior events in 2025 and late 2023.

Drew Clark

Mar 16, 2026 — 6 min read

Broadband Breakfast knows BEAD, the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, the federal broadband program originally designed to ensure that everyone in the United States has access to fast, affordable internet access.

But, more importantly, each of you know BEAD. You've been living it and breathing it for more than four years.

On Wednesday, we are excited to usher in the next phase on the program through the BEAD Implementation Summit 2026, the "Must-See" broadband policy event of 2026. Wednesday's event will be hosted at the National Press Club at 529 14th Street NW, 13th Floor – Grand Ballroom.

Kicking off the program at 12 Noon ET will be Assistant Secretary of Commerce Arielle Roth, administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, in a Fireside Chat with myself, Drew Clark, publisher of Broadband Breakfast.

Roth, whose agency is charged with administering the historic $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, will discuss program changes under the Trump Administration, savings of federal funds, the role of artificial intelligence in infrastructure deployment, and many other key topics.

Takeaways from the Speeding BEAD Summit

BEAD Implementation Summit 2026 is not the first marquee event that we've hosted on this topic. Last June – just after the changes announced to the program on June 6, 2025 – we hosted the Speeding BEAD Summit.

The four panels from that event drilled into the details of the changes then underway at NTIA in administering the BEAD program.

Panel 1: How Are States Thinking About Reasonable Costs Now?
Panel 2: Finding the State Versus Federal Balance in BEAD
Panel 3: Reacting to the New BEAD NOFO
Panel 4: Building, Maintaining and Adopting Digital Workforce Skills

Read the articles about the 2025 summit here:

And last year wasn't the first time that Broadband Breakfast put the BEAD program under the microscope. In September 2023, just as we thought the program was gearing up toward implementation, we launched the BEAD Implementation Summit 2023.

That event featured these topics:

Panel 1: Roundtable for State Broadband Leaders
Panel 2: Precursors to BEAD: ARPA, Capital Projects Fund and Middle Mile Deployment
Panel 3: Matching Funds, Private Sector Investment and Public-Private Partnerships
Panel 4: Town Hall on Buy America, Regulatory Compliance and Network Deployment

See the articles about the 2023 summit below:

Updated panelist information at 2026 Summit

Following the fireside chat, top technology and telecommunications reporters will moderate in-depth panels at the Summit, which will run until 5 p.m. ET:

Panel 1, the State Broadband Roundtable, will bring together Michael Baldino, Director and General Counsel of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute; Kendra Jo Grindle, Chief Program Officer, Maine Connectivity Authority; Christine Hallquist, Executive Director of the Vermont Community Broadband Board; and Connor Perry, Executive Director, Delaware Broadband Office; and Chandler Vaughan, Associate Director of the Virginia Office of Broadband.

It is moderated by Jake Neenan, Reporter at Broadband Breakfast.

Panel 2, on Technology Choices in BEAD Deployment, will examine the tradeoffs between cost, performance, and long-term network value. Confirmed panelists include Greg Bathrick, Area Vice President of Commercial Development, Calix; Madeleine Chang, Director of Policy, Satellite Industry Association (SIA); Rick Cimerman, Vice President and External and State Affairs Lead at NCTA - The Internet and Television Association; Chris Disher, Managing Director and Co-Founder, Cajun Broadband; and Carl Guardino, Vice President of Government Affairs and Policy at Tarana Wireless.

It is moderated by TRDaily Senior Editor Lynn Stanton.

Panel 3, Using Remaining BEAD Funds, will examine how states are supporting planning, workforce, technical assistance and other potential priorities for the now $20 billion in Remaining Funds. Confirmed panelists include Kathryn de Wit, Project Director of the Broadband Access Initiative at The Pew Charitable Trusts; Christian Hoefly, Senior Corporate Counsel for Policy Strategy at T-Mobile; Annmarie Lanesey, Founder and CEO of CanCode Communities; Lyndsay Moyer, Vice President, State Government Affairs, Comcast; and Thomas Tyler, Former Deputy Director, ConnectLA.

Jimm Phillips, Associate Editor at Communications Daily, will moderate.

The concluding Panel 4, Capital Constraints on Financing BEAD, will examine other aspects of infrastructure deployment beyond BEAD. Confirmed panelists include Claude Aiken, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Legal Officer at Nextlink; Brian Allenby, Director of State Solutions at CostQuest; Steve Coran, Chair of the Broadband, Spectrum, and Communications Infrastructure practice group at Lerman Senter; Evan Feinman, Vice President of Strategy and Emerging Markets at JSI; and Nat Purser, Senior Policy Advocate, Public Knowledge.

The panel will be moderated by independent journalist Nancy Scola.

In-Person and Watch Online Options for BEAD Implementation Summit

BEAD Implementation Sponsors

Gold:

Tarana is the creator of ngFWA (next-generation fixed wireless access) — an entirely new technology built from the ground up to deliver reliable residential broadband. G1, our ngFWA platform, overcomes previously insurmountable industry challenges for service providers in every market to deliver better broadband more efficiently.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, CostQuest Associates (CQA) is an internationally recognized, employee-owned firm specializing in network cost modeling, economics, asset valuation, broadband planning, mapping, and data science. Contracted by both the FCC and NTIA, CQA serves as the official and only provider of the National Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric dataset, which underpins the Broadband Data Collection, the BEAD program, and other federal broadband initiatives.

Comcast Corporation is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

Silver:

Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., Lerman Senter PLLC is a nationally recognized communications law firm exclusively focused on the legal needs of telecommunications, media, and technology businesses. Consistently ranked Tier 1 in communications law by Best Lawyers and recognized by Chambers and Partners as a top firm for telecom, broadcast, and satellite legal services, Lerman Senter represents clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to startups before the FCC, Congress, federal and state agencies, and the courts. The firm's practice spans broadband and spectrum policy, broadcast regulation, media transactions, satellite, privacy and data security, and communications infrastructure.

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