Broadband feels abstract until it breaks — a job application that never loads, a doctor’s visit that can’t happen or even a 911 call that drops.
Behind those moments isn’t just infrastructure, it’s people that most users never see: technicians in splice trailers, crews pulling conduit, tower climbers working against weather and gravity, support staff troubleshooting problems no one else wants to touch. Their work doesn’t make headlines, but it quietly underpins daily life in an increasingly connected world.
The profiles collected here tell that side of the story — the people who shape how communities connect, communicate and function every day.
Here are a few of their stories:
1. Internet ‘at the speed of trust’ – Indigenous-led broadband in Hawai'i
Internet currently sits in a unique gray area between essential utilities — like electricity and heat — and commercial products like smart TVs and Apple watches. But for the Nation of Hawai'i, that line is clear: connection is not a commodity; it's a communal responsibility.
The pandemic exposed a growing reliance on internet infrastructure across the globe. But for Hawai'i — isolated, with many communities deeply tied to a tourism-driven economy — the effects were especially harsh... (Full story)
2. Getting paid in a trade while earning a degree for free
Kameryn Cofield has always been drawn to how technology works — how it moves from concept to real-world applications. Today, she’s tapping into that full spectrum every day: getting paid to fix problems in the field while studying the systems behind them.
Working in customer support over the phone for a while made something clear for Cofield — she wanted to be the fix, not explain it. “I was always going the extra mile,” she told us, “but I kept thinking, I wish I could just get out there and show them.” So, she made the move to do just that... (Full Story)
3. From sniper to splicer: bringing sharpshooting precision to fiber
Chance Baumann splices fiber with the same steady hands that recently won him ‘Top Marksman’ at the Army's 54th Wilson Sniper National Championship. Seven years in the National Guard has honed his precision and patience — traits well-suited to the world of fiber-optic splicing.
That specialized skill didn’t always seem like it would carry into a civilian career. In 2017, Baumann would have never imagined himself a broadband technician, let alone a nationally ranked sharpshooter... (Full Story)
4. Broadband tech: ‘College is not always the answer’ — especially today
Despite low unemployment rates, today’s college grads aren’t grazing on a lush array of job prospects. Instead, they’re competing for fewer openings and face slowed hiring predictions within several industries.
While more folks look to trade industries for stable incomes and careers, many of those sectors still struggle to get the number of people they need. And the concoction of current workforces aging out, misconceptions, stigmas and stagnant hiring practices make it a tough nut to crack.
When it comes to many of these issues —particularly that of industry perception — broadband is no exception... (Full Story)
5. From lineman to lifeline: What it’s like to be a 911 technician
From an at-home therapy session to a job interview, we rely on communications networks to connect our daily lives, yet the trade workforce that keeps those networks running remains largely unrecognized.
This is especially true in emergency communications where the stakes are higher, the pressure constant and the technology more complicated, yet few people understand the technology behind 911 calls — and what's involved in getting help to exactly when and where it’s needed.
Robert Reifendifer has spent nearly 25 years in this world as a technician servicing Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), the centers where 911 calls are received and routed to first responders. His job sits between backend engineering and frontline dispatch — making sure the technology works flawlessly when someone dials those three numbers... (Full Story)
6. Broadband Beyond everyday broadband: The critical role of network recovery teams
Internet connection has become a household pillar powering everyday essentials, from education to healthcare. But when it comes to disaster scenarios, it’s become a vital lifeline. Emergency response depends on effective communication — that relies on connectivity.
While firefighters and medics work to protect lives, network disaster recovery teams restore the connectivity and power that keeps responders coordinated and communities connected when it matters most... (Full Story)
7. Florida technician: 'I thought I wouldn’t like it — now I love it'
A lot of job listings never get a second glance. The title sounds too technical. The description is confusing. Or you just can’t picture yourself doing it, so you scroll past, assuming it’s not for you.
But sometimes that job application you avoid can become the job you didn’t know you’d love. This was Claire Mudd’s story when she unexpectedly found herself working as a broadband technician — installing internet service in Florida neighborhood homes.
From graphic design at a newspaper to online orders at Lowe’s, Mudd worked in a slew of jobs that never felt like more than a means to an end. “I didn't really like the office job. It was kind of slow for me,” she recalled to us over the phone... (Full Story)
8. From esports to the trades – DIY-ing a career in internet technology
Dakota Kreps didn’t imagine himself in the trades, not while making solid money as an esports gamer. But the toll of time at a screen — and a fiancé nudging him towards less blue light and headsets — made clear: it was time for a career change.
In the meantime, while flipping Call of Duty skins online, his internet would sporadically cut out. Even after technician visits from his cable provider, the connection would often drop.
At some point, Kreps thought to himself, “If they're not going to fix my stuff, why don't I just learn how to fix it myself? And that started a deep dive into the industry,” he told Broadband Nation... (Full Story)
9. The 'why’ behind the work – an industry veteran on finding purpose in the field
Randy Dusenberry never imagined himself developing a double-decade career servicing the internet of all things — but he quickly clicked with the blend of hands-on, outdoor problem solving and working directly with people. “I feel like broadband found me,” he said.
Currently a regional training manager at MasTec, Dusenberry sat down with Broadband Nation while he was training a group of aerial lineman at Miami Dade College in Florida. “I enjoy being outside," he told us in the outdoor training facility. "I enjoy working with other people, not really a desk person. I just love everything about it..." (Full Story)
10. ‘You’re creating a livelihood’: Earning a living by connecting communities
Before Alex Gonzalez ever installed internet into a household relying solely on hotspots — let alone led an entire team of trade technicians — he understood the value of showing up.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Gonzalez is a natural connector — bridging technology and people with an infectious energy and unwavering enthusiasm for what he does. Serving in the National Guard of both Puerto Rico and New Jersey, Gonzalez followed his mother to the mainland, where she made one thing clear: “You need a job.” That nudge led him to an entry-level field technician role — where he quickly connected to the craft and the people it served.
“I fell in love with it from day one,” he reflected fondly in an interview with Broadband Nation... (Full Story)
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