Fiber for Breakfast with Gary Bolton

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280

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Jun 2026

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About the show

The Fiber Broadband Association provides advocacy, education and resources to companies, organizations and communities who want to deploy the best networks through fiber to the home, fiber to the business and fiber everywhere. Get Association updates and Fiber for Breakfast The Fiber Broadband Association's weekly 30-minute live video discussion hosted by our President and CEO, Gary Bolton, and featuring industry thought leaders on current topics that explore fiber as the critical infrastructure for 21st century communications as well as other connectivity and workplace issues presented during these challenging times.

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60 recent

June 10, 202633 min

FFB Episode 282 - HyperFRAME Research Lens: State of I&O Strategy in AI Era 2H 2026

AI is rapidly reshaping enterprise infrastructure and operations (I&O), placing new demands on compute, networking, virtualization, security, and talent management. On the next episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Ron Westfall, Vice President and Practice Leader for Infrastructure and Networking at HyperFRAME Research, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to discuss new global research examining how enterprises are adapting I&O strategies for the AI era. The conversation explores how organizations are prioritizing investments, scaling data and network infrastructure, and addressing operational complexity to move AI from experimentation to secure, production-ready deployment. With Special Guest: Ron Westfall, VP and Practice Leader for Insfrastructure and Networking, HyperFRAME Research

June 3, 202632 min

FFB Episode 281 - Broadband Access and Home Networking Forecast

In this episode, we explore the latest Dell’Oro Group Broadband Access and Home Networking forecast and what it signals for cable, fiber, and fixed wireless providers worldwide. After three consecutive years of revenue declines, the market is projected to grow at just a 0.3% CAGR through 2030, with another dip expected in 2025 before a potential rebound in 2026 driven by DOCSIS 4.0 and XGS-PON rollouts. Jeff Heynen, Vice President of Broadband Access and Home Networking Research at Dell’Oro Group, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to break down what this means for network operators — from timing infrastructure investments and managing capital amid macro uncertainty to balancing fiber expansion with cable upgrades and planning for moderating bandwidth growth. The message is clear: disciplined deployment decisions over the next three years will shape long-term competitiveness and ROI. With Special Guest: Jeff Heynen, VP of Broadband Access and Home Networking Research, Dell'Oro Group

May 27, 202630 min

FFB Episode 280: New RVA/FBA Consumer Research: Fiber’s Role in a Disruptive Era: AI, Video Proliferation, and Counter-Urbanization

The 2026 study of the general public across the U.S. and Canada takes the deepest market research dive yet into attitudes toward and participation in AI, as well as other emerging societal shifts. A key component of the study explores the evolving role of fiber as these trends continue to develop. Join us for the next episode of Fiber for Breakfast as Michael Render, CEO of RVA LLC, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to discuss new perspectives on fiber’s current and future role. A deeper understanding of these paradigm shifts is critical for fiber manufacturers, installers, service providers, and end users alike. Register now! With Special Guest: Michael Render, CEO, RVA LLC

May 13, 202632 min

FFB Episode 279: Fiber in the Fast Lane: Powering the Autonomous Future

Autonomous vehicles are moving beyond early pilot programs and driving a multi-million-dollar industry. Goldman Sachs Research forecasts that the robotaxi rideshare market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 90% from 2025 to 2030. While AVs make split-second driving decisions onboard, low-latency fiber infrastructure is critical to supporting backend operations. Join Clayton Tino, President & COO of Beep, Inc., and Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, as they discuss how fiber powers the AV ecosystem—delivering the reliability, scalability, and efficiency required to operate at scale. With Special Guest: Clayton Tino, President and COO, Beep Inc.

May 6, 202633 min

FFB Episode 278 - The Fourth Pillar of the A.I. Era

As AI evolves from centralized data centers to massive, distributed systems, the physical layer—glass and photons—is becoming the true architecture of intelligence. Join us on the next episode of Fiber for Breakfast as Allan Isfan, AI, Telecom, and Streaming Executive at AI Squared, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to explore fiber as the “Fourth Pillar” of AI. Together, they’ll unpack how fiber serves as the nervous and circulatory system of modern intelligence, why legacy networks are reaching a structural ceiling, and what it takes for operators to evolve from bandwidth providers to AI architects. Don’t miss this deep dive into the infrastructure powering the AI era. Register now! With Special Guest: Alan Isfan, AI Telecom, and Streaming Executive, AI Squared

April 29, 202635 min

FFB Episode 277 - The Fiber Network Consolidation Wave: Are you ready?

The U.S. fiber market has entered a phase of consolidation, with larger operators acquiring smaller networks at an accelerating pace. Integration can unlock scale and efficiency, but execution risk varies widely by architecture, technology stack, and operational maturity. Which networks integrate cleanly—and where do problems emerge? Join us as Jack Burton and David Strauss of BSP Technical Advisors, talk with Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, for a practical discussion on readiness, risk, and value creation. Register now! With Special Guests: Jack Burton, Principal and Co-Founder, BSP Technical Advisors David Strauss, Principal and Co-Founder, BSP Technical Advisors

April 22, 202632 min

FFB Episode 276: Latest Trends and Developments in the North American Broadband Market - 2026 Edition

As high-speed internet becomes essential to daily life, this episode explores Omdia’s latest report on what’s next for broadband across North America. The report examines emerging trends reshaping connectivity—from expanding rural access and improving home network experiences to evolving pricing models and intensifying competition. In this week’s episode, Gary Bolton, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, is joined by Jaimie Lenderman, Research Manager, Service Provider Networks and Alzbeta Fellenbaum, Practice Leader, Service Provider–Consumer, to discuss forward-looking strategies operators can adopt to strengthen customer loyalty, attract new subscribers, and drive sustainable revenue growth in a rapidly changing market. Register now! With Special Guests: Jaimie Lenderman, Research Manager, Service Provider Networks, Omdia Alzbeta Fellenbaum, Practice Leader, Service Provider Consumer Research, Omdia

April 16, 202630 min

FFB Episode 275: Smart Funding, Smart Deployment: The Strategy Driving 100% Coverage

Affordability and access are converging in New Mexico’s broadband strategy. In this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Jeff Lopez, Director of the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) talks with Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the FBA, about Senate Bill 152, unanimously approved by the New Mexico Senate and recently signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, creating the Low-Income Telecommunications Assistance Program, the nation’s first state-level, post-ACP broadband affordability program to help up to 27,000 families afford service. Lopez also discusses federal approval of the state’s $382 million BEAD proposal through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which will connect 42,500+ locations statewide. He explains New Mexico’s tech-neutral approach — blending fixed wireless, fiber, and low Earth orbit satellite — and how affordability and infrastructure together will drive the state to 100% coverage. Register now! With Special Guest: Jeff Lopez, Director of the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE)

April 10, 202632 min

FFB Episode 274: The State of Broadband: What the Data Really Reveals

The U.S. broadband market is entering a new competitive phase as fiber expands deeper into legacy territories, fixed wireless scales across more markets, and public funding accelerates network deployment. With tens of billions in federal BEAD funding flowing into broadband, private capital fueling fiber builds, and operators making billion-dollar investment decisions, the stakes have never been higher. Yet much of the industry conversation still relies on incomplete data, marketing announcements, and anecdotal evidence. In this week’s Fiber for Breakfast, we take a deep dive into CostQuest’s two landmark Broadband in America reports to examine the real state of fiber deployment and competitive dynamics across the United States. Join Jim Stegeman, President & CEO of CostQuest, and Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, for a data-driven discussion that challenges conventional wisdom and offers actionable insights for industry stakeholders. Register now to join the conversation. With Special Guest: Jim Stegeman, CEO & President, CostQuest

April 1, 202632 min

FFB Episode 273: Capacity, Competition & Cash Flow: The Upstream Equation

On this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, hosted by Fiber Broadband Association President & CEO Gary Bolton, we’re joined by Mark Trudeau, Founder & CEO of OpenVault and Jeff Heynen, VP of Broadband Access and Home Networking at Dell'Oro Group to unpack the 4Q25 OpenVault Broadband Insights report. For the first time, the report compares Fiber and DOCSIS subscribers, revealing that symmetrical fiber speeds unlock significant pent-up upstream demand — with fiber users consuming 66% more upstream bandwidth. The conversation explores what this means for network investment, capacity planning, revenue growth, and the growing impact of absolute traffic increases on operator networks. Get your questions ready and register to attend! With Special Guests: Jeff Heynen, VP of Broadband Access and Home Networking, Dell'Oro Group Mark Trudeau, Founder & CEO, OpenVault