Broadband Action

Host Curtis Dean chats with three of the headlining speakers at the 2026 Spring Summit.--Gary Bolton, Fiber Broadband Association--Ryan Mulhall, Iowa Communications Network--Brent Legg, Connected NationJoin us April 1-3, 2026 in Ames, Iowa! https://broadbandaction.com/cban-events/cban-2026-spring-summit/

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 turns 30 years old this year. To "celebrate", CBAN talks with Sean Stokes of Keller & Heckman LLP about the origins of the Act, how it's working, and what changes are needed in today's telecommunications environment.

https://www.khlaw.com

Doug Dawson with CCG Consulting joins Curtis Dean and Jon Willow to discuss what he believes are the top 5 "turkeys" of the year in the broadband industry. Doug blogs daily at https://potsandpansbyccg.com. His "Turkey Awards" are available at https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2025/12/08/broadband-turkeys-of-2025/

BEAD is putting a lot of broadband eggs in one high-flying basket - low earth orbit satellite internet. In this edition of Broadband Action, CBAN's Curtis Dean chats with Glenn Fishbine of Breaking Point Solutions about whether LEO can deliver.

It's a holiday tradition at CBAN! Doug Dawson of CCG Consulting reveals his broadband predictions for 2026 to CBAN's Jon Willow and Curtis Dean. https://potsandpansbyccg.com

In 2010, Chattanooga's municipal utility EPB made a controversial $396 million bet on citywide fiber infrastructure. Fifteen years later, economist Dr. Bento Lobo and EPB's William Plank reveal the results in this episode of Broadband Action: $5.3 billion in economic value, 10,420 jobs created, and a 6.4x return on investment. The fiber network powers both gigabit internet and a smart grid that's prevented $632 million in storm damage. The conversation covers how municipal fiber forced competitors to improve service, connected 16,000 low-income students through digital equity programs, and why EPB is now investing $30 million in quantum computing. A masterclass in infrastructure investment with practical lessons for communities nationwide.

Read the full study here: https://static.epb.com/media/documents/Lobo-Plank_2025_-_Nov_12_2025.pdf

Curtis Dean with CBAN chats with Doug Adams of Broadband Marketers. Doug has been following the rollout of NTIA approvals for state BEAD programs for the past several weeks, and has some good insights as to what may be coming next. Be sure to check out Doug's insightful articles at www.broadband.io.www.broadbandmarketers.com

CBAN's Curtis Dean talks about the NTIA's announcement that it has approved 18 state/territory final BEAD plans, an important step forward to bringing better broadband to many Americans.https://www.ntia.gov/press-release/2025/ntia-announces-approval-18-bead-final-proposals

In this episode of Broadband Action, we discuss how broadband operators can serve their community through video coverage of community events. Curtis Dean chats with Karyn Leininger of Spencer Municipal Utilities and Monte Goodyk with Pella Fiber about their services.

In this episode of Broadband Action, host Curtis Dean explores Yuma County, Arizona's innovative approach to digital infrastructure with PJ Way, Broadband Program Manager. Way details how the county has strategically combined ARPA and local funding to construct an extensive middle mile fiber network spanning the region. The conversation highlights how this connectivity initiative particularly benefits Yuma's agricultural sector, enabling farmers to implement precision agriculture technologies that optimize crop production while significantly reducing resource consumption—especially critical water usage in this arid region. Dean and Way discuss how this digital transformation represents not just technological progress but a sustainable path forward for rural agricultural communities facing resource challenges.https://www.yumacountyaz.gov