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
June 26, 2025 • 29 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, recorded live at the CBAN Annual Conference in Ames, Iowa, host Brad Hine sits down with broadband leader and digital equity advocate Deb Socia. Recently retired from her role as CEO of The Enterprise Center in Chattanooga, Deb shares insights from her decades of experience supporting community broadband, digital inclusion, and infrastructure development.
They discuss the importance of early...
Mark as Played
June 24, 2025 • 41 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine welcomes back a true pioneer in the broadband space—Heather Gold, Principal at HBG Strategies and former President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. With a career spanning over 40 years across XO Communications, Sprint, ALTS, NTS, and more, Heather shares unparalleled insights into the evolution of broadband, the regulatory landscape, and the current fiber deployment ch...
Mark as Played
June 23, 2025 • 31 mins
In this episode of the Broadband Bunch, recorded live at WISPAmerica 2025 in Oklahoma City, host Brad Hine sits down with Cameron Kilton, CTO of Nextlink, for a conversation about AI, automation, and the future of broadband in rural America. Cameron shares his journey from Maine to Texas, helping scale Nextlink from 38,000 to over 100,000 subscribers across 10+ states.
He dives into the practical use of AI in network operations—fr...
Mark as Played
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, recorded live at Fiber Connect 2025, Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Denise Manka, Vice President of Business Development at MP Nexlevel. Denise shares her journey from the housing industry to telecom construction, and how MP Nexlevel’s deep roots, culture, and national reach set them apart in the broadband landscape.
They discuss the evolving infrastructure needs driven by AI and data center...
Mark as Played
June 17, 2025 • 24 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch recorded live from Fiber Connect 2025, host Pete Pizzutillo chats with Craig Thomas of Broadband Forum about the critical role of standards in today’s broadband landscape. They explore how interoperability supports smaller operators, the importance of data in enabling AI, and the shift from hardware to software-defined services. Craig also discusses challenges in open access networks—from secu...
Mark as Played
June 16, 2025 • 23 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, recorded live at Fiber Connect 2025 in Nashville, host Brad Hine sits down with Anis Khemakhem, Chief Marketing Officer of Clearfield. With over 25 years of experience in telecommunications and technology, Anis shares his unique perspective on the evolution of fiber networks, customer-driven innovation, and the future of connectivity.
The conversation explores Clearfield’s commitment to labo...
Mark as Played
June 10, 2025 • 39 mins
In this special edition of The Broadband Bunch, co-hosts Brad Hine and Pete Pizzutillo break down the biggest takeaways from one of the industry's most influential events, Fiber Connect 2025. With over 5,000 attendees and 320+ exhibitors, the conference was packed with energy, insights, and future-shaping discussions.
Brad and Pete dive into everything from the status of BEAD funding and shifting investment trends, to AI readiness...
Mark as Played
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine talks with Tim Ayers, co-founder of Gravity Path Partners, recorded live at Connected America 2025. With over 30 years in telecom and tech, Tim unpacks the growing role of edge computing—how it’s reshaping broadband infrastructure, enabling AI and low-latency applications, and becoming critical for future-ready networks.
They explore the repurposing of central offices into edg...
Mark as Played
June 3, 2025 • 17 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, recorded live from Connected America 2025, host Brad Hine sits down with Edyn Rolls, Chief Strategic Officer and founding member of the Oklahoma Broadband Office. As a key leader driving the state’s broadband expansion efforts, Edyn shares insights into Oklahoma’s $500 million deployment of ARPA funds, the BEAD subgrantee selection process, and how the state is adapting to shifting federal po...
Mark as Played
May 30, 2025 • 22 mins
In this episode, host Brad Hine reports live from the show floor at Connected America 2025 in Irving, Texas. He’s joined by returning guest Brad Randall, editor at Total Telecom and chair of the event. Together, they unpack the energy on the expo floor and dive into the rapidly evolving broadband landscape.
From the political uncertainty surrounding the BEAD program to equity concerns and the future of infrastructure investment, t...
Mark as Played
May 28, 2025 • 26 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine is joined by Rusty Williams, President and CEO of the Utilities Technology Council (UTC), for a preview of the 2025 UTC Annual Conference, taking place June 16–19 in Long Beach, California.
With over 30 years of experience spanning utilities, telecom, IT, and network integration, Rusty shares a behind-the-scenes look at this year’s event—from its deep-rooted history and evolvi...
Mark as Played
May 15, 2025 • 26 mins
Recorded live at the NTCA’s 2025 R-TIME Conference in San Antonio, this episode of The Broadband Bunch features a conversation between host Brad Hine and Roxie Jorgenson—Chair of the NTCA Board of Directors and owner of Roxberry LLC.
Roxie shares the latest from NTCA’s new strategic plan, covering universal service funding, BEAD rollout challenges, and the critical need for workforce development in rural America. Drawing from her ...
Mark as Played
May 13, 2025 • 32 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, Jay Cadman, SVP at IQGeo, joins host Brad Hine to discuss how geospatial intelligence and AI are transforming broadband operations. Jay shares insights from his 30+ year career in telecom, highlighting the importance of accurate data, digital twins, and connecting field and office teams. Learn how IQGeo helps network operators—from major carriers to small ISPs—improve efficiency, reduce error...
Mark as Played
May 8, 2025 • 44 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo welcomes leaders from Bonfire Infrastructure Group: CEO Brian Hollister, CMO Nick Dinsmoor, and Director of Business Development Drew Pappas. They discuss Bonfire’s mission to deliver sustainable, reliable broadband to underserved communities and unpack the innovative Broadband Mystery Tour—an interactive educational experience designed to help stakeholders understand the...
Mark as Played
May 6, 2025 • 29 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine welcomes Fayyaz Patwa, VP of Sales Engineering for Nokia, to discuss the latest innovations driving rural broadband expansion. With over 20 years of telecom experience, Fayyaz shares insights from his recent travels, highlighting how AI and next-generation fiber solutions are shaping the industry. The conversation covers Nokia’s work with regional providers, the importance of f...
Mark as Played
May 1, 2025 • 26 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine previews Fiber Connect 2025 with Richard Williams, President & CEO of Connect2 Communications, and Evann Freeman, VP of Government & Community Relations at EPB Chattanooga and Fiber Connect Conference Chair. They discuss what’s new at this year’s event—including 300+ speakers, expanded operator Light Talks, tribal broadband sessions, and the premiere of the Thought Waves docume...
Mark as Played
April 29, 2025 • 29 mins
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Brad Hine welcomes Elizabeth Brown, Marketing Manager at PTCI, and Brandon Johnson, VP of Sales at GOCare, for a discussion on how rural broadband providers are transforming the customer experience through digital communication tools, integration strategies, and real-time support.
Elizabeth shares how PTCI’s “Year of the Customer” initiative evolved into a long-term commitment to servic...
Mark as Played
April 15, 2025 • 24 mins
In this episode of the Broadband Bunch, recorded live at Connected America 2025, host Brad Hine catches up with Curtis Dean, president of SmartSource Consulting and co-founder of the Community Broadband Action Network (CBAN). They discuss smart ag technologies, the critical role of data ownership and AI in agriculture, and the intersection of broadband and food security. Curtis also previews the upcoming CBAN/IAMU Spring Summit and...
Mark as Played
March 28, 2025 • 29 mins
In this episode, host Brad Hine sits down with Tammy Wellbrock, a seasoned telecom leader, speaker, and connector, to explore her journey back to broadband after more than a decade away. Now leading sales for Nex-Tech Creative, Tammy shares how the in-house ad agency is helping rural broadband providers and local businesses grow through strategic marketing. They also discuss highlights from Tammy’s recent RTIME sessions on leadersh...
Mark as Played
March 25, 2025 • 28 mins
In this episode, Brad Hine chats with Barry Walton of Corning—a 40-year broadband veteran—about tackling rural deployment challenges, workforce development, and how Corning is helping connect the unconnected. From stories in the field to insights on permitting, edge data centers, and scalable solutions, this conversation is packed with wisdom and future-focused strategies.
Recorded live at NTCA’s 2025 RTIME Conference in San Anton...
Mark as Played
Popular Podcasts
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.