Ryan O'Sullivan - AFL
Robert Whitman - Corning Optical Communications
Dave Hawkins - Fujitsu
Evaluate this session
After years of anticipation, broadband-construction projects funded in whole or in part by the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program soon will be underway. As service providers and engineer/furnish/install (EF&I) contractors get closer to breaking ground on these historic projects, their preparation is now paramount. How prepared are these organizations to commence these projects, including their ability to comply with requirements administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)? This session, moderated by ISE magazine Executive Editor Joe Gillard, will provide information gathered from service providers and EF&I contractors about their plans, their perceptions, and their unanswered questions concerning building broadband networks to BEAD specifications.
After presenting data acquired from a survey of service providers and EF&I contractors, Gillard will host a roundtable-style discussion with experts in the field of broadband system deployment. The discussion will cover topics including Build America Buy America (BABA), product specification and procurement, inventory management, network architecture considerations, talent/workforce issues and challenges, and project management. Attendees will learn best-practice approaches to BEAD implementation as well as practical tactics for ensuring minimal disruption and maximum efficiency in BEAD-funded projects.