Broadband Nation Expo 2024

• How does broadband in the United States stack up against international standards.
• Tackling connectivity non-spots.
• Update on funding status and available mechanisms.

• Understanding public and private funding mechanisms.
• The role of private equity and private sector partners in continuing the roll-out of broadband.
• Measuring risk and reward in broadband investment.

• Identifying the states’ needs for workforce expansion in the wake of increased broadband investment.
• Fair labor, diversity and an creating a vibrant workforce
• Cybersecurity, Build America, Buy American and Financial Security

• Funding application strategies for regional and rural ISPs and CSPs
• Has BEAD created an uneven competitive playing field in terms of funding access?
• What organizational challenges do smaller companies face in applying for funding?

• The importance of the strategic allocation of the BTOP federal broadband grant that maximized coverage and accessibility across the state of Maryland
• Addressing strategies for ensuring the long-term sustainability of broadband infrastructure beyond initial grant funding
• Explore the concept of future-proofing broadband infrastructure to accommodate diverse stakeholders, technological advancements and funding challenges

• Construction Costs, Considerations & Strategies.
• Workforce planning and deployment.
• Engineering capabilities.
• Urban and rural construction challenges.

Since the BEAD program launched, the program has rightly prioritized connecting all the remaining un- and under-served with reliable, high speed broadband. But the intention of the program has always been for BEAD funding to be available not just to sustainably close the availability gap in the long-term, but to also address barriers to broadband adoption. This presentation will demonstrate that, even though BEAD funding is not limitless, smart policy choices and the right mix of technologies deployed will allow every state to reserve significant BEAD funding for much-needed digital equity programs. With additional digital equity funding at their disposal, state broadband offices can ensure that this once-in-a-generation Internet for All program is truly closing the digital divide, not building a road to nowhere.