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2024 Fiber Connect
A Collaboration of Converge! Network Digest and AvidThink
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Heather Moyer, President, CEO & Founder of HNM Systems, leads a tech-enabled consulting and staffing firm specializing in wireless, wireline networking, utility construction, and IT verticals. HNM Systems partners with FBA to connect talent with industry needs, focusing on workforce development strategies, grant funding, and approvals.
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Views expressed are those of the presenting individuals and companies and may not necessarily represent views of Converge! Network Digest or AvidThink.
Robert Conger, SVP of Technology and Strategy at Adtran, explores advancements in fiber technology across the network, including the transition to multi-gig speeds in the access network and the implementation of intelligent monitoring systems. Conger highlights the industry’s shift from focusing solely on speed increases to improving network operability and enhancing user experience through technologies like fiber monitoring and cloud-based analytics.
Cheri Beranek, President and CEO of Clearfield, discusses the company’s focus on fiber technology and innovative tools like its “Built” app to improve broadband deployment. Clearfield aims to reduce operational costs in network construction through new products that simplify labor requirements.
Kevin Morgan, Chief Marketing Officer at Clearfield, discusses the company’s emphasis on developing user-friendly field engineering products for fiber network installations. Morgan introduces Clearfield’s latest innovation, the Deploy Real Tap Box, which aims to reduce installation time and increase installer productivity, showcasing the company’s commitment to accelerating fiber deployment and improving connection efficiency.
Bill Thomson, Vice President of Marketing and Product Management for DC Blox, outlines the company’s strategy to expand data center and fiber network infrastructure in the southeastern United States. Thomson highlights DC Blox’s efforts to build dark fiber capacity, following the example set by hyperscalers, to meet the growing demand for improved connectivity and bring infrastructure closer to end users.
Geoff Burke, Chief Marketing Officer at DZS, outlines the company’s strategy to accelerate fiber deployment through complementary technologies like G.fast and MG-fast for challenging environments. He also introduces DZS’s new DWDM coherent optics services, designed to enhance middle-mile infrastructure and deliver high-speed connectivity to the network edge.
Gary Bolton, President of the Fiber Broadband Association, outlines five key priorities for advancing the fiber future at Fiber Connect 2024. Bolton highlights the importance of fiber infrastructure, accelerated deployment, network protection, workforce development, and universal adoption while inviting attendees to the next Fiber Connect event in Nashville.
Kajsa Arvidsson, Chief Marketing Officer of Genexis, highlights the company’s focus on enhancing life through broadband connectivity and their expertise in smart fiber installation for homes. Genexis offers rapidly installable ONTs compatible with any OLT, designed for ease of use and comprehensive home connectivity, aligning with their mission to seamlessly connect every household to fiber broadband.
Heather Moyer, President, CEO & Founder of HNM Systems, leads a tech-enabled consulting and staffing firm specializing in wireless, wireline networking, utility construction, and IT verticals. HNM Systems partners with FBA to connect talent with industry needs, focusing on workforce development strategies, grant funding, and approvals.
Jimmy Todd, CEO of Nex-Tech and chairman of the Fiber Broadband Association, emphasizes the critical role of fiber infrastructure in connecting rural communities and addressing the digital divide.
Stefaan Vanhastel, Head of Marketing & Innovation at Nokia, discusses the enduring nature of fiber infrastructure and its progression through various speed tiers, from the current 10 Gig era to future 100 Gig capabilities. He emphasizes how Nokia’s investments in proprietary chipset technology have facilitated trials of higher-speed fiber networks with partners like Google and Frontier, expanding connectivity options for diverse applications beyond residential use.
Sam Pratt, CEO of Render Networks, outlines four crucial elements for advancing fiber network deployment at Fiber Connect 2024. These components include streamlined field adoption, well-defined construction scope, real-time insights, and digital documentation, which Pratt claims can accelerate network buildouts by at least 15%.
Jason Moore, Co-founder and CEO of RouteThis, discusses how his company is advancing the fiber future by helping service providers deliver a seamless fiber experience to all devices within consumers’ homes. RouteThis leverages generative AI to empower frontline teams, automating tasks like issue diagnosis and Wi-Fi environment analysis, enabling more efficient network deployment and enhanced customer experiences across all end devices.
Jenni Dettman, VP of Marketing at RouteThis, emphasizes the critical importance of customer experience in driving the future of fiber networks. RouteThis aims to accelerate the fiber future by enabling service providers to deliver an optimal customer experience from day one, regardless of network build or CPE choices.
Heather B. Gold, VP of External Affairs at Tak Communications, highlights three key factors to accelerate the fiber future: simplifying regulations, addressing financial requirements, and choosing experienced partners. Gold emphasizes the importance of partnering with reputable vendors and leveraging resources from medium to large companies to support local construction efforts.
Trent Edwards, President of Broadband Solutions at Tak Communications, views the current industry landscape as an opportunity and emphasizes the importance of collaboration, coining the term “cooperati” to describe the balance between competition and cooperation. Edwards identifies workforce development as the primary challenge, stressing the need to engage younger generations in the industry while expressing enthusiasm for upcoming projects.
Tom Counts, CEO of Velox, highlights the company’s commitment to delivering peace of mind through top-quality fiber networks built by the industry’s best talent. Velox’s growth strategy involves expanding its workforce and implementing rigorous training processes to meet the demand while maintaining high standards of quality, precision, and safety.
Jeff Babbitt, Solution Architect at Tejas Networks, addresses the growing complexity of telecom networks and presents a strategy to streamline operations by reducing vendor and management system count. Drawing on Tejas Networks’ extensive experience and comprehensive product portfolio, Babbitt encourages interested parties to reach out for discussions on simplifying network architectures and boosting operational efficiency.
Larry Johnson, President of Fiberstory, explores the evolution of fiber optic technology since 1977, highlighting its progress in enabling high-speed internet communication worldwide. Johnson discusses the industry’s resilience, ongoing construction efforts, and the technology’s benefits, including low latency and future-proofing capabilities, while expressing optimism for fiber optics’ continued advancements.
Alberto Patron, CEO of Condor Technologies, advocates for open networks at Fiber Connect, emphasizing their importance for sustainable fiber network growth and cost-effective multi-operator sharing. Condor Technologies offers solutions for operators to open and manage networks for various ISPs, showcasing their Host Network Portal solution integrated with Nokia’s Altiplano using standard protocols defined by the Broadband Forum.
Rich Williams, CEO of Connect2 Communications and content director for Fiber Connect, highlights the industry’s collaborative efforts to address current challenges and advance fiber connectivity. Williams emphasizes the shared commitment among federal speakers, service providers, vendors, and technologists to work together in ensuring universal access to fiber-based connections.
Jenni Dettman, VP of Marketing at RouteThis, emphasizes the critical importance of customer experience in driving the future of fiber networks. RouteThis aims to accelerate the fiber future by enabling service providers to deliver an optimal customer experience from day one, regardless of network build or CPE choices.
Tom Counts, CEO of Velox, highlights the company’s commitment to delivering peace of mind through top-quality fiber networks built by the industry’s best talent. Velox’s growth strategy involves expanding its workforce and implementing rigorous training processes to meet the demand while maintaining high standards of quality, precision, and safety.
Rich Williams, CEO of Connect2 Communications and content director for Fiber Connect, highlights the industry’s collaborative efforts to address current challenges and advance fiber connectivity. Williams emphasizes the shared commitment among federal speakers, service providers, vendors, and technologists to work together in ensuring universal access to fiber-based connections.
Doug Mohney, Editor-in-Chief of Fiber Forward Magazine, recounts his experience at Fiber Connect 2024 in Nashville, describing it as an action-packed event with hundreds of vendors, dozens of sessions, and interactions with service providers building future networks. Mohney notes the event’s significant size, with over 5,000 attendees, and anticipates continued growth as funding flows into fiber projects.
John Carr, VP of Business Development at TransUnion, explores the intricacies of fiber network construction and sales, emphasizing TransUnion’s proficiency in order management to streamline fiber promotion and delivery. TransUnion’s Universal Order Connect system and Order Insights application offer automation and customization, enhancing the efficiency of fiber deployment processes and improving customer experience.
Joel Silverman, Chief Customer Officer at Actifai, explains how the company uses AI to enhance broadband sales and customer experiences for fiber companies. Actifai’s AI-driven approach compares customer data with previous buyers to recommend suitable products and services, leading to improved outcomes for both companies and customers.
Kajsa Arvidsson, Chief Marketing Officer of Genexis, highlights the company’s focus on enhancing life through broadband connectivity and their expertise in smart fiber installation for homes. Genexis offers rapidly installable ONTs compatible with any OLT, designed for ease of use and comprehensive home connectivity, aligning with their mission to seamlessly connect every household to fiber broadband.