Fiber for Breakfast with Gary Bolton

The BEAD program represents a once-in-a-generation investment, but it also creates a major oversight challenge for state broadband offices. How can states ensure every project meets specifications without stretching staff or exhausting limited budgets?

On this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Colin Reilly, Vice President of Data Strategy & Technical Services at Connected Nation, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to discuss a smarter approach. Using a proprietary risk-modeling framework powered by machine learning and statistical sampling, Connected Nation helps transform grant monitoring from a reactive burden into a proactive strategy.

By identifying high-risk projects early and using milestone-based checkpoints, states and subgrantees can collaborate more effectively, avoid end-of-project surprises, and maximize the impact of BEAD investments while accelerating efforts to close the digital divide.

With Special Guest:

Colin Reilly, VP, Data Strategy & Technical Services, Connected Nation

In this week’s episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Ahmed Ali, Senior Analyst and Lead of CRU’s Optical Fibre and Cable Service, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to discuss how AI, cloud and data centre growth are reshaping the requirements placed on optical networks. While conventional single-mode fibre will remain the foundation of global connectivity, some high-performance applications are beginning to push practical limits around latency, capacity density, signal integrity and physical infrastructure.

The conversation will examine where hollow-core fibre (HCF) and multicore fibre (MCF) fit within this evolving market, including their potential role in data centre interconnect, high-density data centre environments and other specialist network applications. The discussion will also explore demand trends, early trials and commercial signals, barriers to adoption, and the latest market outlook covering supply-chain implications, manufacturing scalability, standards development and strategic considerations for fibre buyers and producers.

With Special Guest:

Ahmed Ali, Lead, Optical Fibre & Cable Service, CRU Group

Quantum networking is quickly moving from research concept to infrastructure conversation—and fiber providers may already hold the foundation. In this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Professor Prem Kumar, Director, Center of Photonic Communications and Computing at Northwestern University joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to explore how existing fiber infrastructure can support next-generation quantum technologies. Drawing on recent breakthroughs in transmitting quantum signals alongside high-capacity classical traffic, the discussion will examine how operators can leverage today’s optical networks to enable future applications including quantum communications, distributed computing, synchronization, and secure data exchange. Learn why the path to quantum may not require rebuilding networks—but evolving the fiber assets already in place.

With Special Guest:

Professor Prem Kumar, Director, Center of Photonic Communications and Computing, Northwestern University

AI is transforming broadband networks from simple connectivity platforms into intelligent infrastructures that can predict, adapt, and optimize performance in real time. As AI applications drive new traffic patterns, latency requirements, and customer expectations, service providers face both significant challenges and new revenue opportunities. On this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, welcomes Robin Olds, Senior Sales Business Development Manager from Cisco's Americas Service Provider organization, to discuss what it takes to build AI-ready networks. Together, they explore network modernization, automation, observability, edge computing, and strategies for monetizing AI-driven services. Register now!

With Special Guest:

Robin Olds, Senior Sales Business Development Manager, Broadband Program Office, Americas Service Provider, Cisco

FTTH technology is clearly the “end game” solution for wireline broadband access services, however, the speed and scope of operator migration to full-fiber networks varies widely, depending on factors such as operator roadmaps and competitive landscape conditions. On the next episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Erik Keith, Principal Analyst for Broadband Infrastructure at S&P Global Market Intelligence, joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to discuss key findings from S&P’s most recent global surveys of telecom and cable operators. The conversation will examine key factors in the ongoing evolution towards more pervasive FTTH network deployments, including data points from both the telco and cable operator perspectives. 

With Special Guest:

Erik M. Keith, Principal Analyst for Broadband Infrastructure at S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan