The Broadband Bunch

The Broadband Bunch

Welcome to the Broadband Bunch, a podcast about broadband and how it impacts all of us. Join us to learn about the state of the industry and the latest innovations and trends. Connect with the thought leaders, pioneers and policymakers helping to shape your future through broadband. The Broadband Bunch is sponsored by: ETI Software: www.etisoftware.com VETRO: www.vetrofibermap.com

Episodes

November 18, 2025 18 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, sponsored by ETI Software and VETRO FiberMap, Pete Pizzutillo catches up with Chris McKenzie, VP of Network Operations at Rapid Fiber, while at Calix ConneXions 2025. Chris shares his unconventional journey from the music industry to corporate IT to rural broadband, and how that experience shaped Rapid Fiber’s fast-moving deployment strategy. In just two years, the team has grown from zero to...
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This episode of The Broadband Bunch features a conversation between host Pete Pizzutillo and Scott Neuman, Corporate Vice President of Marketing at Calix, recorded at Calix Connections 2025 in Las Vegas. Scott shares how Calix is redefining the broadband industry’s approach to AI, customer education, and ecosystem collaboration. He explains how Calix helps service providers move beyond AI “literacy” toward true AI fluency, enablin...
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This episode of The Broadband Bunch was recorded live at Calix ConneXions 2025, where host Pete Pizzutillo sat down with Bob Carrick, Director of Global Strategy at Calix Cloud. In this conversation, Bob walks through Calix’s cloud evolution—from its early managed Wi-Fi roots to today’s full-scale broadband platform that integrates Operations, Service, and Engagement Clouds. He shares how Calix’s latest innovations in AI and cloud...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Jeff Wabik of DC BLOX for a tour of how modern data centers are conceived, powered, cooled, and connected—especially across the underserved Southeast. Jeff traces his tinkerer roots (think Heathkit computers at age 12) through launching one of the earliest ISPs in the late ’80s, to helping build DC BLOX’s “bunker-plus-connectivity” model and its evolution f...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Felix Virto, Director of Operations at Blue Streak, and Stephen Rose, CEO of Render Networks, to explore how funding realities, digital transformation, and AI are reshaping large-scale fiber builds. Felix shares his 29-year journey from climbing poles in southwest Virginia to leading complex deployments—and why Blue Streak’s recent acquisition by a global p...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Lee Comer Jr., CEO of Go-Broadband, and Jeremiah Sloan of VETRO FiberMap to explore disaster recovery in the broadband industry. With extreme weather events increasingly impacting infrastructure, the conversation centers around real-world recovery efforts, the chaos of day-one response, and the emotional and operational challenges providers face when networ...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine is joined by Jeff Boozer, VP of Broadband Strategy at ETI Software, and Don Eben, CEO of CORE Consults, for a conversation on what it really takes for broadband providers to succeed with artificial intelligence. While AI is being hailed as the future of telecom operations, the trio cuts through the buzz to explore the foundational elements that make AI effective—namely, high-qu...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, recorded at Mountain Connect 2025 in Denver, host Brad Hine sits down with Peter Cresse, President of Entropy, a leading technology advisory firm. Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is beginning to transform broadband networks—from predictive maintenance and latency reduction to the rise of AI agents that will reshape how providers manage and optimize their infrastructure. Pe...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, recorded at Mountain Connect 2025 in Denver, host Brad Hine sits down with Robin Olds, Senior Business Development Manager at Cisco Systems. Together, they explore Cisco’s pivotal role in shaping the future of broadband—from reimagining network architecture with routed optical networking to advancing AI-driven connectivity and capacity management. Robin shares insights into Cisco’s broadband...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine sits down with Drew Beverage, Chief Operating Officer of 360 Broadband, from the floor at Mountain Connect in Denver. Drew shares the story of 360 Broadband’s evolution from a fixed wireless provider to a hybrid network operator bringing fiber to some of the most rural areas in Oklahoma and Texas. With 96 competitors in their expansive 12,000-square-mile footprint, Drew emphasi...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo speaks with Tracy Doaks, President and CEO of MCNC. Tracy shares her journey from state CIO to leading MCNC, which operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network. She discusses MCNC’s 5,000 miles of fiber, its role in telehealth, and how middle-mile networks empower last-mile providers to serve rural communities. The conversation covers broadband as infrastru...
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In this episode of the Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Ronan Kelly, Managing Director of AllPoints Fibre Networks in the UK. Ronan shares his 30-year journey through the broadband industry—from the early days of dial-up with U.S. Robotics to leading innovative fiber deployments across Europe. The conversation explores the consolidation of UK alt-nets, the creation of AllPoints Fibre’s wholesale-only model, and...
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In this episode of the Broadband Bunch, recorded at Fiber Connect 2025 in Nashville, Brad Hine sits down with Jason Moore, Co-Founder and CEO of RouteThis, to explore the challenges of delivering flawless in-home connectivity. Jason shares his career journey from silicon design and consumer tech to building a global platform that empowers ISPs, technicians, and subscribers to diagnose and resolve network issues right at the device ...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine interviews Juan Pinzon, a project manager at Aspire Communications, from Fiber Connect 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. Juan shares insights into the evolution of Aspire Communications from a small startup into a broadband service provider. With a focus on fiber optic network design and construction, Aspire has grown significantly, particularly in Florida and California. Juan dis...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, recorded at WISPAmerica 2025 in Oklahoma City, host Brad Hine sits down with Steve Schwerbel, Director of State Advocacy at WISPA, to explore the landscape of broadband policy across all 50 states. Steve shares thoughts on how state-level legislation, BEAD funding, and advocacy strategies are shaping the broadband deployment—particularly for fixed wireless providers. They discuss WISPA's tec...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, recorded live at Fiber Connect 2025 in Nashville, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Joe Hickey, President of PomeGran, for a conversation about the realities of expanding rural broadband in Canada. Joe reflects on his 35-year career spanning telecom, defense electronics, wireless, and broadband, sharing how his passion for connecting communities has shaped his work today. The discussion ex...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine sits down at WISPA America 2025 in Oklahoma City with Matt Mandel, Vice President of Government Affairs at WISPA. With over two decades of experience navigating Capitol Hill, Matt shares a behind-the-scenes look at broadband policy advocacy, from engaging with Congress and federal agencies to representing the needs of WISPs across the country. The conversation explores the rol...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine welcomes back Jeff Gavlinski, CEO of Mountain Connect, for a preview of the 2025 Mountain Connect Conference in Denver, Colorado. Now in its 11th year, Mountain Connect is known for its focus on honest dialogue, practical innovation, and community-centered solutions. Jeff tells how the conference has evolved from a regional Colorado event to a nationally recognized broadband f...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Gene Crusie (CEO and Head Coach), Kevin Bush (Chief Revenue Officer), and Amber Rodriguez (Senior Director of Growth Marketing) from Surf Internet. Together, they share the story behind Surf’s mission to bring future-proof fiber connectivity to underserved communities across the Great Lakes region. From their early roots as a fixed wireless and dial-up ISP...
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, recorded live from WISPAmerica 2025 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center, host Brad Hine sits down with Josh Johnson, CIO of Fibersmith. With over 25 years in telecom and software development, Josh offers a look into the evolution of OSS/BSS, the power of automation, and the responsible integration of AI in broadband operations. Josh shares the origin story of Fibersmith’s dual focus on en...
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