Community Broadband Bits

Latest Episodes:

Previewing Mountain Connect 2022 – Episode 503 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast May 06, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Jeff Gavlinski, CEO of Mountain Connect to preview this year’s event. During the conversation, the two talk about what makes Mountain Connect different from other broadband conferences, what’s on deck for this year, and Jeff’s perspective on larger trends in the broadband industry. They also discuss … Continue reading "Previewing Mountain Connect 2022 – Episode 503 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast" ★ Support this podcast ★

Los Angeles County and California Are Building A Broadband Future – Episode 502 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Shayna Englin, Director of the Digital Equity Initiative at the California Community Foundation. During the conversation, the two talk about Shayna’s work with the Digital Equity Initiative, how their coalition brought about recent wins for community broadband in LA County, and what’s next in the fight … Continue reading "Los Angeles County and California Are Building A Broadband Future – Episode 502 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast" ★ Support this podcast ★

What New York State Got Right and No Answers on States Rights Question – Episode 501 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Apr 19, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by three colleagues from the Community Broadband Networks Initiative at ILSR including Sean Gonsalves (Communications Team Lead), Ry Marcattilio-McCracken (Research Team Lead) and DeAnne Cuellar (Outreach Team Lead). During the conversation, the four talk about Sean’s writing that highlights improvements to New York’s new budget bill, and … Continue reading "What New York State Got Right and No Answers on States Rights Question – Episode 501 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast" ★ Support this podcast ★

Y-ZONE is Connecting Families with CBRS – Episode 500 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Margaret Kaufer, President of the New York-based STEM Alliance, and Bob Cacase, Commissioner of Information Technology for the City of Yonkers. During the conversation, the three talk about Y-ZONE, a partnership between several community groups working to connect households in Yonkers. They discuss origins of the … Continue reading "Y-ZONE is Connecting Families with CBRS – Episode 500 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast" ★ Support this podcast ★

Empowering Community in Cleveland, with Digital C – Episode 499 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

This week on the show, Christopher is joined by Angela Thi Bennett, Director of Advocacy & Impact at DigitalC, a community-based Cleveland nonprofit which operates a fixed wireless network in the city’s unserved and underserved neighborhoods. Before she leaves to become the first Digital Equity Director for National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Angela sits down with … Continue reading "Empowering Community in Cleveland, with Digital C – Episode 499 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast" ★ Support this podcast ★

Breaking Down BEAD Funding Requirements with Nancy Werner – Episode 498 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Mar 22, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Nancy Werner, General Counsel of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA). During the conversation, the two talk about NATOA and it’s role in supporting community broadband projects, how the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Act is structured, and how exactly BEAD grant … Continue reading "Breaking Down BEAD Funding Requirements with Nancy Werner – Episode 498 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast" ★ Support this podcast ★

ARPA Funding, Telehealth and a Good Rant – Episode 497 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Mar 15, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by ILSR Community Broadband Networks Research Team Lead Ry Marcattilio-McCracken and Communications Team Lead Sean Gonsalves. During the conversation, the three discuss stories from the big list of American Rescue Plan Community Broadband Projects, Sean’s Broadband Breakfast Telehealth Op-Ed with Craig Settles, and why healthcare providers aren’t … Continue reading "ARPA Funding, Telehealth and a Good Rant – Episode 497 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast" ★ Support this podcast ★

Special Report: Baltimore Builds Muni Fiber, Prioritizing Equity – Episode 496 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Mar 08, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, radio producer Matt Purdy reports a story on Baltimore’s efforts to build a municipal broadband network that prioritizes equity for historically marginalized communities. This show is 13 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed. Transcript coming soon. We want … Continue reading "Special Report: Baltimore Builds Muni Fiber, Prioritizing Equity – Episode 496 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast" ★ Support this podcast ★

Accelerate! Program Shows Promise in Midwest Communities – Episode 495 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Mar 01, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Bill Coleman, Founder of Community Technology Advisors in St. Paul, Minnesota. During the conversation, the two discuss the origins of the Blandin Foundation’s Accelerate! Program, how facilitating team dynamics helped to breath new life into pre-recorded webinars, and why Bill believes that approach, along with an … Continue reading "Accelerate! Program Shows Promise in Midwest Communities – Episode 495 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast" ★ Support this podcast ★

CUDs are Connecting Rural Vermont – Episode 494 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast Feb 22, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Christopher is joined by Will Anderson, Program Coordinator at Vermont Communications Union Districts Association (VCUDA) and Evan Carlson, Board Chair at NEK Broadband (Northeast Kingdom, VT). During the conversation, the three discuss the origins and progress of Vermont’s Communications Union District (CUD) model, how the Department of Public Service has … Continue reading "CUDs are Connecting Rural Vermont – Episode 494 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast" ★ Support this podcast ★