Ask anyone in the broadband world what matters most, and you’ll hear a familiar answer: close the digital divide.
They’ll also agree on the goal of making broadband both universal and affordable.
But spend an hour listening to leaders in policy, industry, and advocacy, and the consensus stops there.
Should “affordable” mean price caps, targeted subsidies, or simply more competition?
Should BEAD funding be technology-neutral, or favor fiber above all else?
Should satellites be a last resort, or a coequal player in the nation’s broadband strategy?
A Front Row Seat in the Conversation
These are the kinds of questions that have played out week after week on Broadband Breakfast Live Online, a Wednesday webcast where regulators, executives, and analysts exchange ideas in real time.
The series isn’t designed to manufacture agreement. Instead, it captures the broadband industry mid-argument, showing where alignment is forming and where differences still run deep.
Guests have included FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and former Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, offering distinct viewpoints on broadband funding and policy implementation. Other participants, such as Blair Levin, Senior Fellow at Brookings, and Andrew Lipman of Morgan Lewis, have explored infrastructure deployment and regulatory compliance. Industry executives including AT&T’s Erin Scarborough and Gigapower CEO Bill Hogg have shared insights on operational and market considerations.
This year’s sessions have spanned a wide range of timely topics:
- Policy and funding: Recapping the Biden Administration's Legacy on Broadband Infrastructure, The New USF Working Group, States and the Next BEAD Round.
- Technology and deployment: The New Convergence: Fiber and Wireless, Spectrum and the Opportunities for LEO Satellite Broadband, City-wide Wi-Fi Projects
- Industry challenges: Copper Theft and Broadband Vandalism, Solving Cybersecurity Challenges, The Future of Data Centers.
- Broader impacts: Kids and Social Media, Precision Agriculture, Will DEI Trip Up Mergers & Acquisitions?
Rather than presenting a single narrative, the program highlights a range of ideas, showing where experts align, where they differ, and the considerations that shape America’s broadband landscape.
Where They Agree
After more than 200 episodes, some broad truths have emerged:
- The digital divide is real, measurable, and urgent - a point consistently emphasized by FCC officials, broadband executives, and public interest advocates alike.
- Access without affordability isn’t enough; broadband must be both reliable and reasonably priced.
- Sustainable infrastructure funding matters as much as short-term deployment goals.
These areas of consensus provide the foundation for ongoing policy and industry discussions.
Where They Differ
Differences appear in the details:
- Affordability tools: Experts explore the balance between subsidies, regulation, and market-driven solutions.
- Technology mix: Fiber, wireless, and satellite advocates discuss which approaches work best in different contexts.
- Regulatory pace: Policymakers and industry leaders weigh how quickly to implement new rules and standards.
The program captures these nuances, giving viewers insight into why broad agreement on goals can coexist with divergent strategies on execution.
Why This Moment Matters
With $42.45 billion in BEAD funding, a new Universal Service Fund Working Group in Congress, and ongoing regulatory reviews, broadband decisions are entering a pivotal stage. Panelists at BBLO illustrate the stakes, offering perspectives on how funding, technology choices, and regulatory requirements will affect the rollout of broadband for millions of Americans.
For example, discussions have included:
- Tribal broadband sovereignty initiatives and approaches for tribal communities.
- Spectrum policies affecting smart cities and rural connectivity.
- Cybersecurity requirements tied to federal funding.
- Lessons from alternative technologies like satellite broadband in high-cost regions.
Sign up every week for Broadband Breakfast Live Online airs every Wednesday at 12 noon ET.
No two weeks are the same, but every week offers insight into how the broadband industry is thinking about the challenges and opportunities ahead.