Broadband Pulse

Endeavor Business Media

In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we will address the key issues affecting the optical and broadband industry segments. Join us every week for insights on these topics from industry leaders.

  1. 1d ago

    ACA Connects, NCTC on independent cable operators’ striving for innovation and service consistency

    Independent cable operators and telcos, while the backbone of rural and secondary markets, often get overlooked. But what they lack in size and reach, they make up for with a similar dedication to service and innovation. Like the Tier 1 operators, independent providers are moving fast, not only enhancing their networks with fiber to offer higher-speed broadband, but are also looking to provide standalone wireless service, converged services, and making use of AI to better the service experience. NCTC, on its website, sums up the mission of the independent operator best: “Whether that’s launching new services, managing customer expectations or elevating our offerings, we strive to meet or exceed the big guys.​” No less important are the policy and regulatory issues that all providers are facing today. Given their dedication to expanding broadband into unserved and underserved areas, a chief policy concern for ACA Connects’ members is permitting reform, which will enable its members to deploy broadband faster. ACA is also closely watching programming regulations as well as the BEAD broadband funding program. In this episode, we talked with two key cable industry veterans about emerging trends--Lou Borrelli, CEO of NCTC and Grant Spellmeyer, president and CEO of ACA Connects.  For further perspective on ACA and NCTC, you can also listen to an earlier podcast we did with Borrelli and Spellmeyer.   Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Opening | 0:00 Host's introduction of guests | 0:03 Independent cable operators' evolution | 0:54 Borrelli addresses how all cable operators face similar competition, supply chain and service delivery issues. The regulatory outlook | 2:21 Spellmeyer outlines how ACA Connects is helping its members overcome regulatory obstacles so they can deepen broadband in rural areas. AI’s role in broadband Borrelli discusses the NCTC’s creation of its new AI center through its partnership with Ernst & Young. | 3:16 Spellmeyer addresses how Congressional actions could affect the broadband industry and the overall economy. | 5:32 State of competition | 6:41 Borrelli cites NCTC Mobile initiative, which allows independent broadband and cable operators to launch white-labeled 4G LTE and 5G mobile services without building their own wireless networks. | 7:15 Spellmeyer cites how delays in securing permits from federal, state and local government have held up new broadband deployments as well as new rules for the BEAD program. | 10:25 Highlights of the summer 2026 Independent Show | 12:38 Borrelli talks about the show’s imagination meets innovation theme and some of the keynote speakers, including Noel Russell, FCC’s Olivia Trusty and Cable One's new CEO Jim Holanda | 13:14 Spellmeyer highlights that besides the policy and technology discussions, the value of the show is the interaction between attendees. | 17:05 Final thoughts/Closing | 20:03 Lou Borrelli, CEO of NCTC, and Grant Spellmeyer, president and CEO of ACA Connects, provide their final thoughts. Meet our guests: Lou Borelli, CEO of NCTC A 40-plus-year cable television industry veteran, Lou Borrelli was named NCTC’s CEO in 2021. Before joining NCTC, Borrelli served as the CEO of Home and Entertainment for Digicel Group, which provides mobile phone, cable, and broadband services to 27 countries in the Caribbean, Central, and South America. He was responsible for cable and broadband strategy, policy, operations, content strategy and distribution rights for Digicel's sports and entertainment networks. Having owned and operated cable systems in second and third-tier markets, Borrelli has plenty of experience in the independent cable industry segment with an extensive understanding of the challenges facing operators of all sizes in today's competitive landscape. A founding partner of Marcus Cable, Borrelli and his colleagues were recognized as Cable Operator of the Year in 1998, and he was inducted into the Cable Pioneers in 2002. Grant Spellmeyer, president and CEO of ACA Connects Grant Spellmeyer oversees the daily operations and affairs of America's Communications Association (ACA Connects). Grant joined ACAC in 2022. Before coming to ACAC, he was VP of government affairs for US Cellular, where his primary duties included directing the federal and state legislative and regulatory efforts across the company’s 21-state operating territory on all policy matters. He joined U.S. Cellular in 2006 from ACA Connects Member company TDS Telecommunications.  As part of the TDS enterprise, Grant served in a variety of wireless and wireline legal and regulatory roles for more than 20 years.  Before that, Grant was an attorney in private practice in Madison, Wisconsin.  Spellmeyer is a 1988 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, he holds an M.A. in public policy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School.  He also has an MBA from Northwestern University.  About the Podcast  In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address the key issues affecting the optical and broadband industry segments. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com.

  2. Jul 20

    Lightelligence's Steinman on the data center and computing world’s hunger for optical solutions

    In this latest Broadband Pulse podcast, we talked with Mo Steinman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Lightelligence. About our guest Maurice (Mo) Steinman is Senior VP and General Manager, US at Lightelligence. Throughout his forty-year career, he has worked for various companies in the networking and computing industry, including Digital Equipment Corp., Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, and AMD. He joined Lightelligence in 2018. He holds a BS in Computer and Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and is named as an inventor on over fifty US patents. About the Podcast  In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

  3. Jul 7

    Welcome to Data Center Insights 2026

    In this podcast, we're highlighting the upcoming Data Center Insights event.  On July 15 and 16, Lightwave will join several of its “sister” media outlets to host an online conference-style event titled Data Center Insights. Comprising 11 technical sessions, the event will be broadcast from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm EDT each day. The full agenda, available at https://endeavor.swoogo.com/DataCenterInsights2026, reflects the breadth of these outlets’ audiences and coverage areas. Sean Buckley, Editor in Chief of Lightwave will host the panel: Testing High-Density Fiber Links: Best Practices for VSFF, and 400G+ Networks on Wednesday, July 15 at 1:30 ET. Joining Lightwave on this panel will be Jim Davis, Product Application Specialist from Fluke Networks.  About the Podcast  In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

  4. Jun 29

    Mission Telecom’s Colwell on reaching 20K families with affordable wireless broadband service

    When the FCC voted last fall to strip hotspot and school bus Wi-Fi from the E-Rate program, Mission Telecom responded swiftly – growing its network of partners and launching new services to ensure vulnerable communities were not left behind. The service provider recently reached a key milestone: it connected 20,000 families and impacted 50,000 lives. But it’s not stopping there. Through its Project: Volume Up, Mission is now providing a nationwide initiative designed to help public libraries launch or expand hotspot lending programs in their communities. Volume Up brings together hardware, nationwide 4G and 5G coverage, and nonprofit pricing into a single, ready-to-launch solution – so libraries can quickly get hotspot programs up and running. Partnerships are a big focus. Mission Telecom established partnerships with nonprofits, including CACRC, to close the digital divide by providing affordable computers to Louisiana families who need them most, and it launched the RESPOND Kit – a portable hotspot and broadband solution designed to keep communities connected before, during, and after natural disasters. In this new Broadband Pulse podcast, we talked with Mark Colwell, director of broadband operations at Mission Telecom, about how its new offering will make schools' and libraries' budgets whole after the E-Rate cuts. Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Opening | 0:00 Host's introduction of guests | 0:03 Mission’s progress | 0:21 The service provider recently reached a key milestone, connecting 20,000 families and impacting 50,000 lives. Service partnerships | 1:11 Colwell discusses how Mission Telecom expanded its network of partners to help communities bridge the gap created by the FCC's decision to cut hotspot and school bus Wi-Fi from the E-Rate program. FCC's proposed childhood E-Rate service usage protections | 2:50 How Mission views the FCC’s consideration of a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on measures to protect children better when using E-Rate-funded networks. Mission Telecom’s Volume Up program | 4:52 With libraries being Mission Telecom’s fastest-growing segment, Colwell talks about how the Volume Up program helps public libraries launch or expand affordable hotspot lending programs. Belen Public Library | 6:39 How Mission Telecom’s low-cost hotspot program is giving the rural New Mexico community, where many families can’t afford home broadband. Capital Area Corporate Recycling Council (CACRC) device refurbishment | 9:12 Mission works with CACRC to provide low-cost computing devices to families in need.   Navigating the BEAD broadband program | 12:01 Colwell notes that non-deployment funds could be a good way to bring broadband to public housing facilities in urban poor communities. Mission bolsters its board of directors | 13:29 Adding new voices like Sabrina Hersi Issa, who will also serve on the board of the organization’s philanthropic arm, Mission Telecom Giving, broadens the board by bringing in people from diverse backgrounds. Final thoughts/Closing | 14:55 Mark Colwell provides his final thoughts. Meet our guest: Mark Colwell is the Interim Executive Director and the Director of Broadband Operations. Before joining Mission Telecom, Mark served as the Senior Manager of Broadband Programs for the Colorado Broadband Office, where he managed a team overseeing federal broadband grant programs, including the Capital Projects Fund (CPF) and the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. In addition, Mark was appointed by Governor Polis to serve on the Colorado Broadband Deployment Board, funding state and federal grants to connect unserved and underserved Coloradans. Colwell began his career as a Legislative Assistant in the U.S. Congress, focusing on telecommunications, spectrum, rural broadband, and IT issues. He also worked as a Senior Business Operations Analyst at DISH Network, managing projects focused on delivering world-class customer experience. Mark earned a master's degree from the Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Program at the University of Colorado-Boulder, graduating at the top of his class. About the Podcast  In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

  5. Jun 17

    Fort Collins Connexion's Josh Hales on making fiber services relevant and competitive

    Fort Collins Connexion, a municipal broadband utility that was created by and for the community, has as its sole purpose to improve life and business in Fort Collins, Colorado through what it says is better, more affordable internet. Connexion offers affordably priced symmetrical multi-gig service with no long-term contracts. In addition to residential broadband, Connexion offers competitive phone and TV services. Also, Connexion has become a key source of broadband and enhanced services for local businesses. Joining other Colorado communities like Longmont, Montrose, Boulder and Yuma County, Connexion’s emergence is the result of a Colorado State effort to enable local governments to become broadband providers. Signed into law in 2023, Colorado’s Senate Bill 23-183 repealed the restrictive Senate Bill 05-152. Previously, the 2005 law prohibited most local governments from entering the broadband market or using municipal funds for infrastructure without a local voter referendum. SB 23-183 explicitly eliminates this requirement, allowing cities, towns, and counties to deploy advanced communication services directly. Helping to lead the service charge for Fort Collins Connexion is Josh Hales, Senior Manager of Broadband Sales. When the Broadband Pulse caught up with Hales, who has been with Connexion for four years, he said the effect is clear: incumbent cable and telcos are now responding with new broadband options. Opening/introduction | 0:03 Fort Collins’ Connexion fiber focus | 0:24 Hales talks about how Connexion’s fiber network enables it to move quickly on many of the things residents were asking for that weren’t possible on the legacy copper network. Broadband evolution | 2:52 Connexion’s gigabit-speed evolution is predicated on staying ahead of the competition and on using it for other applications, such as providing connectivity for a community center in Fort Collins. Incumbent provider’s response | 4:43 Traditional providers like AT&T and others are responding with their own fiber-based broadband offerings. Gigabit speed subscriber adoption | 7:06 By preparing its network to handle multi-gigabit speeds, Connexion noted that 33% of its newest customers are opting for them. Voice and video services | 9:29 While Connexion continues to maintain voice and video services because they ease the complexity of switching, it continues to evaluate adoption rates. Community services | 11:48 Connexion is leveraging its fiber network to provide services such as Wi-Fi in city parks and, potentially, smart traffic applications. PON technology evolution | 14:09 Connexion is leveraging 25G PON to support its downtown community center Wi-Fi deployment and local businesses that require higher bandwidth. Business services growth | 16:00 Given the competitive environment for business services, Connexion is focused not just on selling higher speeds but on reliable connectivity. Greenfield housing developments | 20:09 By working with developers during the construction phase, Connexion is helping ensure that every new single-family home or multi-dwelling unit (MDU) is built to be sold in a fiber-ready state. Final thoughts | 21:55 The Broadband Pulse gets Josh Hales' final thoughts about his work at Connexion. About our guest With over a decade of experience in sales and operations, Joshua Hales is currently serving as the Senior Manager of Broadband Sales at Fort Collins Connexion, contributing to customer acquisition and operational excellence. In previous leadership roles at Comcast and Xerox, Hales honed his expertise in sales operations, project management, and team leadership. He is passionate about driving growth through innovative strategies and collaborative approaches that align with organizational goals. A key focus of Hales is enhancing customer experiences and delivering impactful results in the broadband industry. About the Podcast  In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

  6. Jun 10

    Broadcom’s Szymanski on how creating a quality 50G, FWA broadband experience

    Broadcom is addressing the emergence of 50G PON and fixed wireless access (FWA) with a series of new products and partnerships aimed at helping service providers ensure users experience sound quality of service (quality of service) on their broadband and wireless connections. While still emerging, the transition to 50G PON delivers the massive network headroom and deterministic latency required for the next era of broadband. According to Market Intelo, the 50G PON market was valued at $3.2 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $18.6 billion by 2034, growing at a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6% from 2026 to 2034. However, Dell’Oro notes that as services transition from GPON to XGS-PON, the focus has shifted from 10G speeds to reducing latency. The research firm notes that this “approach is fundamentally reshaping PON roadmaps, pushing large-scale 50G PON adoption out by 3-5 years as operators instead invest in XGS-PON enhancements that deliver immediate quality improvements.”  Nevertheless, Broadcom is moving forward with its 50G plans. The silicon vendor recently debuted its 50G ITU-PON home gateway system-on-chip (SoC), featuring an integrated neural processing unit (NPU) and native Wi-Fi 8 compatibility. It also enhanced its Wi-Fi 8 portfolio with a new trio of highly integrated SoC devices. On the fixed wireless access (FWA) front, Broadcom has partnered with Samsung Electronics to develop a new, cost-optimized reference platform featuring the Samsung B1320 5G Modem and Broadcom BCM6776 Wi-Fi 8 SoC. This platform unifies 3GPP Release 17 connectivity with the emerging Wi-Fi 8 (IEEE 802.11bn) standard. In this latest podcast, we talked with Chris Szymanski, director of product marketing for the Wireless Broadband Communications for Broadcom, about its latest 50G and FWA developments. Here’s a timeline for the interview: Opening/Introduction | 0:03 50G PON market | 0:30 Broadcom’s Szymanski addresses how 50G will enable service providers to deliver a much higher level of service. 50G deployment strategies| 2:41 Broadcom expects initial rollouts to begin in the central office, then move to ONUs, and finally to the 50-gig PON Wi-Fi gateways it recently announced. Broadcom’s new BCM 68850 50G platform | 3:21 When broadband providers upgrade to a 50G PON gateway, they can reduce latency and improve the user experience at home. A path from the CO optical line terminal to the network edge | 4:48 How Broadcom’s 68850, a 50G gateway device with Edge AI compute and native Wi-Fi support, enables operators to build an intelligent 50G pipe. Pairing 50G PON with Wi-Fi 8 | 5:48 How Broadcom is eliminating the Wi-Fi and WAN bottleneck. Wi-Fi 8’s streamlined approach requirements | 8:41 By integrating chipsets, Broadcom can reduce form factor size and overall bill-of-materials costs for its partners. Consolidating silicon elements | 10:26 Broadcom’s SoCs consolidate the application processor, network processor, radios, and Ethernet PHY onto a single die. Broadcom and Samsung’s Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) partnership | 11:40 The design is ideal for gateways that use the 5G modem as a wireless backup for fixed broadband. Unifying 3GPP’s Release 17 connectivity and the Wi-Fi 8 standard |12:43 Ensuring 5G speeds and reliability are handed off to smart home devices. Final thoughts/closing |13:37 About our guest Chris Szymanski, director of product marketing for the Wireless Broadband Communications for Broadcom Christopher Szymanski is Director of Product Marketing for Broadcom Inc.’s Mobile Connectivity Division, with a focus on technology strategy, spectrum policy, regulatory affairs, and standards development. Mr. Szymanski serves as Director on the Wi-Fi Alliance Board and the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance Board. Before taking on this role, Mr. Szymanski served as Global Trade Compliance Officer, Director of Global Regulatory Affairs, and Secretary of the Political Activity Committee (PAC) for Broadcom Corporation. Before joining Broadcom, Szymanski lived in China for over four years, serving in a compliance and government relations role for a semiconductor foundry. For the last three of those years in China, he also served as co-chair of the Export Compliance Working Group (ECWG) of the American Chamber of Commerce to improve the U.S.-China high-tech trade relationship. Before working in China, Szymanski served on Capitol Hill for Congressman Don Manzullo, the House Committee on Small Business, and the U.S.-China Interparliamentary Exchange, advising on manufacturing, trade, and defense policies and accompanying and hosting official delegations to and from China. Szymanski received his master’s in business administration (MBA) from the Washington University Olin School of Business, with a focus on leadership in China. About the Podcast  In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

  7. Jun 3

    Debra Freitas, CEO of Light Source Communications, on being a dark fiber resource for hyperscalers

    Debra Freitas, CEO of Light Source Communications (LSC), has a simple view of its role as a dark fiber provider: a primary hyperscale and data-center resource on a growth path. LSC is a carrier-neutral, customer-agnostic provider focused on designing, building, and operating custom dark fiber infrastructure purpose-built to deliver capacity for GPU-dense clusters, minimal latency for real-time processing, and diversity to ensure network resilience. The dark fiber provider’s metro rings in Phoenix, Tulsa, Las Vegas, Kansas City and Indianapolis, as well as its long-haul route linking Tulsa and St. Louis, are delivering connectivity to support hyperscalers, neoclouds, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and other High-Performance Computing (HPC) applications. Growth is clearly a priority for LSC. In April, LSC announced its latest dark fiber route, bridging Amarillo, Texas, with Oklahoma City, Stillwater, and Tulsa, Oklahoma — the third new dark fiber build LSC has commenced this year. Construction is currently underway on dark fiber networks in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tulsa. Additionally, in June, LSC completed a 35-mile ring in Kansas City. Broadband Pulse recently caught up with Freitas to discuss how Light Source Communications is building new fiber routes based on customer demand and how dark fiber can transform the surrounding communities where data centers are located. Here’s a timeline for the interview: Opening/Introduction | 0:00 LSC’s dark fiber | 0:39 Freitas addresses its role as a dark fiber resource for the hyperscale and data center space. Prioritizing fiber builds | 3:03 LSC is building out new fiber routes based on customer demands. Regulatory/permitting challenges | 4:50 LSC is taking a proactive approach to getting ahead on permitting by engaging regional vice presidents and right-of-way specialists in each market it serves.   Competitive differentiation | 7:36 Freitas notes that it can stand out from other wholesale providers by focusing on supplying dark fiber to hyperscaler data center providers. Enterprise service opportunities | 8:42 While they are slower to adopt, LSC sees the potential to extend dark fiber to local governments and educational institutions. Smart city potential | 10:03 A city could use LSC’s dark fiber for a private fiber backbone. Workforce issues | 10:17 LSC has created a deep staff of experienced technicians and network planners to ensure it can complete projects on time and on budget. Working with ISPs |12:42 LSC notes the potential to provide ISPs with a fiber backbone that would enable them to connect to major data centers and technology hubs. Network maintenance and co-location services | 13:53 How its managed network service capabilities ease the strain for its customers. Final thoughts/closing | 15:52 About our guest Debra Freitas, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, has led Light Source Communications (LSC) since 2014, overseeing business development, strategic planning, and customer relationships for the dark fiber network owner-operator. A recognized leader in the technology sector, Debra was named to Inc.’s 2026 Female Founders 500 and has received multiple honors from the TITAN Women in Business Awards, including Platinum recognition for Outstanding Chief Executive Officer and Gold for Outstanding Female in Digital Transformation. She was also recognized by the TITAN Business Awards in 2025 for her leadership and impact in digital transformation. She earned a Bronze Stevie® Award for Best Female CEO of the Year that same year, when LSC was additionally named a Silver Stevie® Company of the Year. A University of Michigan alumna, Debra is an active member of the Arizona Technology Council, Women’s Tech Forum, and iMasons. She lives in Michigan with her husband and three children, where they enjoy traveling and supporting Michigan football. About the Podcast  In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

  8. May 29

    Show Daily 3 Fiber Connect 2026 news roundup

    In the third and final episode of the Fiber Connect 2026 show-daily podcast, we're chronicling the last day and wrap-up of the Fiber Connect 2026 trade show. Here’s a breakdown of the episode’s key moments: 0:00 Opening/Introduction 0:13 | New market research Fiber Broadband Association research highlights the requirements for fiber broadband in precision agriculture. 1:30 | Fidium’s Fiber Drive Sarah Davis, Vice President of Marketing Development at Fidium, discussed its community-centric approach to expanding its fiber network presence. 2:27 | Quantum and AI We noted that our colleague Matt Vincent, Editor-in-Chief of Data Center Frontier, covered Fiber Connect’s focus on quantum computing and artificial intelligence. 4:07 | Keynote Dr. Michio Kaku gave a speech on the connection between fiber and quantum computing technology. 4:38 | Final panel The Infinity and Beyond AI Quantum and Telecom panel featured speakers from Gigapower, Cisco and Emtelle. 5:14 | Wrap up and Closing About the Podcast  In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

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About

In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we will address the key issues affecting the optical and broadband industry segments. Join us every week for insights on these topics from industry leaders.

Information

  • Creator
    Endeavor Business Media
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    118
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Broadband Pulse

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