Broadband Pulse

Unlike previous generations of Wi-Fi that focused on speed, the upcoming Wi-Fi 8 standard (IEEE 802.11bn) focuses on enabling Ultra High Reliability (UHR), consistency, and lower latency in real-world, interference-prone environments.  Broadcom is taking on the Wi-Fi 8 opportunity full force. As AI reshapes how data moves, Broadcom is taking on Wi-Fi 8 with its recently launched BCM4918 Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) and two new dual-band Wi-Fi 8 devices, the BCM6714 and BCM6719.  In this episode, we talked to two key members of Broadcom’s Wi-Fi group about how it is addressing the emerging Wi-Fi 8 opportunity: In this episode, we talked two key members of Broadcom’s Wi-Fi group: Chris Szymanski, director of product marketing for the Wireless Broadband Communications for Broadcom And Kevin Narimatsu, associate director of product marketing for Wireless Broadband Communications at Broadcom Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Opening | 0:00 Host introduction of guests | 0:03 Broadcom’s CES perspective | 0:44 Szymanski shares his views about the show’s Wi-Fi trends. Broadcom’s Wi-Fi 8 ecosystem | 2:12 Narimatsu talks about Broadcom’s new Wi-Fi 8 chips: the BCM 6719 and the BCM 6714. The AI factor | 3:53 Szymanski discusses how AI is impacting next-gen Wi-Fi. Enterprise Wi-Fi trends | 7:10 Szymanski discusses how to deliver seamless Wi-Fi performance for enterprises. Broadcom’s multi-band Wi-Fi support | 11:18 Narimatsu explains that integrating multiple bands enables it to offer a platform at a similar cost point to Wi-Fi 7. Addressing vertical markets | 12:19 Szymanski addresses how Broadcom licenses its Wi-Fi technology for other adjacent markets like automotive. Addressing cost-sensitive Wi-Fi markets | 14:29 Narimatsu sees opportunities for Broadcom to accommodate the unique broadband market dynamics in Europe and other regions. Final thoughts and closing |16:37 Szymanski and Narimatsu provide their final thoughts about their new Wi-Fi platforms and how the market will continue to evolve. About our guests 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. Prior to 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. Prior to 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. And Kevin Narimatsu, associate director of product marketing for Wireless Broadband Communications at Broadcom Narimatsu leads Broadcom’s business development and product marketing team focused on the WLAN retail and service-provider router and OTT video streaming markets. During his tenure at Broadcom, he also served as the associate director of business development for Japan and as the Cisco account manager. Earlier in his career, he held sales and engineering roles at Vitesse Semiconductor and LSI Logic. Narimatsu holds a bachelor’s degree, Electrical Engineering and Economics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 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/.

In this Building Broadband episode of Broadband Pulse, we're tracking new broadband deployments from Comcast, Digital C, Intrepid Fiber Networks, Optimum, Shentel, STELLAR Broadband, and Wyyered Fiber.  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/.

As the demands from AI have created new bandwidth expectations, the Optical Interoperability Forum (OIF) realizes that it has to respond to new demands for industry interoperability in near real time. This was reflected in the OIF’s Next Generation CEI-448G Framework Document, released at its recent Q4 2025 Technical and MA&E Committees Meeting. OIF’s CEI-448G Framework Document defines the application spaces, technical challenges and potential solution paths for electrical interfaces operating at 448 Gbps per lane. During this podcast, we talked to two optical industry veterans about OIF’s recent CEI documents and its expectations for OIF’s first quarter 2026 Technical and MA&E Committees meeting at the OFC show in March: Nathan Tracy, President of OIF And Cathy Liu, board member of OIF Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Opening | 0:00 Host introduction of guests | 0:03 Update on recent OIF activities | 0:30 Nathan Tracy and Kathy Liu address the OIF’s new CEI 448G framework. Focus on interoperability | 2:00 How AI/ML has created the hardest data rate jump it has ever faced. OIF’s February Q1 meeting | 6:20 Tracy and Liu give a preview of the OIF’s upcoming quarterly meeting and a preview of OFC activities. Coherent optics | 10:24 How the OIF can deliver value by creating coherent optic standards recommendations for shorter lengths, including in campus or building settings. The Data Center Interconnect (DCI) opportunity |14:25 The OIF is helping its membership address the hyperscale and AI compute needs. Final thoughts/closing | 16:30 Tracy and Liu give their final thoughts about OIF's activities at their upcoming meeting and the OFC trade show in March.  About our guests Nathan Tracy, President of OIF Nathan Tracy currently serves as OIF’s President on the Board of Directors. Over the past 13 years, he has also served OIF as vice president of marketing, co-chair of the market awareness and education (MA&E) committee, technical committee chair, and technical committee vice chair. As a technologist on the system architecture team for the Digital Data Networks business unit at TE Connectivity (TE), he is responsible for driving standards activities and working with key customers to enable new system architecture. Tracy has more than 30 years of experience in technology development, marketing, and business development for TE, with a focus on RF/microwave and high-speed signaling technologies for the networking, telecom, wireless, automotive, and defense markets. He is also an active member of other industry standards and associations. He is currently a regular attendee and contributor to IEEE 802.3 and the Ethernet Alliance. Additionally, he is active in several industry MSAs and forums, where he has held leadership roles. And Cathy Liu, board member of OIF Cathy Liu, distinguished Engineer, currently leads Broadcom’s SerDes architecture and modeling group. Since 2002, she has been working on high-speed transceiver solutions. Previously, she developed read channel and mobile digital TV receiver solutions. She specializes in signal processing, FEC, and modeling for high-speed optical and electrical transceiver solutions, has published numerous journal and conference papers, and holds over 20 U.S. patents. She currently serves as the vice president of the board director of Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF), a member of the board of advisors for the department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) of University of California at Davis, a member of Signal Integrity Journal editorial advisory board, and the co-chair of the DesignCon technical track of high speed signal processing, equalization and coding. She received the DesignCon 2021 Engineer of the Year award. She earned her B.S. in Electronic Engineering from Tsinghua University in China and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Hawaii. 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/.

Founded in 2023 in Houston, Texas, by Carter Old and SDC Capital Partners, Lyte Fiber focuses on delivering fiber-based broadband in Texas and beyond. Old, a former US Navy officer, has extensive experience in developing new approaches to broadband delivery and financial expertise across various industry segments. Lyte Fiber is not Old's first fiber rodeo. Before co-founding Lyte Fiber, he co-founded Tachus, which fellow fiber broadband provider Ezee Fiber recently acquired. Lyte offers both residential and business internet service plans supported by an XGS-PON access network capable of delivering up to 10 Gbps. Today, Lyte Fiber serves nine Texas communities and plans to expand further in the coming year. Old acknowledged that while the fiber broadband industry is “really competitive,” there’s a big opportunity to address underserved communities with fiber-based broadband services. Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Opening | 0.00 Host introduction of guests | 0:03 Founding Lyte Fiber | 0:18 Old discusses how he worked with SDC Capital to form his latest startup. Network expansion | 3:13 How Lyte Fiber has prioritized fiber builds in underserved communities. Engaging with communities | 5:35 Lyte Fiber focuses on leading first with building long-term relationships. Fiber’s community impact | 8:02 How the presence of fiber-based broadband makes a community more attractive for existing and new residents. Underserved communities | 11:43 Old addresses the challenges of bringing fiber to underserved communities.   Community permitting | 13:12 As it moves to get fiber lit in 15 markets, permitting is an all-hands-on-deck effort. Navigating the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) Program | 15:11 The state of Texas recently awarded Lyte Fiber $142 million to connect seven communities. The broadband M&A wave |18:41 Lyte Fiber is actively evaluating potential opportunities. Broadband competition | 20:22 Within Lyte Fiber’s markets, the provider mainly faces competition from cable operators. Final thoughts/closing | 23:17 Looking ahead, Lyte Fiber will focus on scaling, delivering solid customer service, ensuring network reliability, and addressing each community’s needs.   About our guest Carter Old is Founder and CEO of Lyte Fiber, LLC, a Texas-based fiber broadband internet company formed in partnership with SDC Capital Partners. Before he founded Lyte, Carter co-founded Tachus, LLC, a Houston-based fiber broadband internet company that he helped build and grow to nearly 160 employees, 70,000+ passed homes, and 20,000+ customers in three and a half years. Under his leadership, Tachus raised over $190 million in total debt and equity capital. While at Tachus, he and his business partner were named finalists for the 2022 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® Central South Awards. In addition to his fiber broadband experience, Old was the co-founder of OmniEarth, an Earth intelligence and analytics company based in Arlington, VA. He also worked at Fieldstone Partners, where he served as Senior Vice President and COO and co-led Fieldstone’s space and ground infrastructure business areas. Earlier, Old served on active duty for four years as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy. He was initially the First Lieutenant and then the Naval Infantry Officer for USS BULKELEY (DDG 84) on his first tour, and then the Operations Officer for MCM CREW LEADER on his second tour. He attended the University of Texas at Austin on a Navy ROTC scholarship and graduated with a B.A. in Government. He also has an M.B.A. from UT-Austin. 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/.

In this latest issue of Building Broadband, we’re tracking new broadband deployments from Bluepeak, Cajun Broadband, Comcast, Ezee Fiber, Fidium, Ripple Fiber, Surf Internet and Ziply. 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/.

Arelion enhances its European reach while carving out a position in the ever-evolving enterprise services market.    As chief evangelist at Arelion, Mattias Fridström is passionate about networking. A nearly 30-year veteran of the service provider, Fridström not only has insights into the networked economy but also into the challenges network providers will face tomorrow in meeting ever-increasing traffic demand and customer quality expectations within the same cost framework. However, his passion is not limited to networks: he has played golf professionally and competed at the national level in football and in in-line hockey (the Swedish name for floorball).  Arelion has continued to evolve since it began building its network in 1993, when its Autonomous System (AS) 1299 was allocated. The provider has continued to grow organically ever since. The service provider’s network now stretches 77,000 km across Europe, North America, and Asia. Customers connect directly to over 2,900 wholesale customers in more than 129 countries. Also, Arelion has over 450 local access partners worldwide. In 2025, the service provider took a significant step to enhance its European network reach by expanding its Baltic network, constructing a fully diverse, high-capacity route between Helsinki and Warsaw. And while Arelion is a well-known wholesale carrier, earlier this year it began to expand into the enterprise services market. Arelion continues to succeed in selling its products to businesses directly and via agents. In this podcast, we spoke with Fridström about the service provider’s ongoing network expansion and its move to establish a stronger brand foothold in the enterprise services market. Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Opening | 0.00 Host introduction of guests | 0:03 Arelion’s recent Baltic to Western Europe network route | 0:27 This new network is built to bypass traditionally congested routes, providing resilience for carrier and enterprise customers.  The EU's Connecting Europe Facility 2 (CEF2) program | 2:07 How Arelion is leveraging CEF2 funding to modernize transport networks in underserved areas of Europe, like the Baltics. Arelion’s European network plans | 3:27 Fridström explains how the Baltic expansion fits into the broader European connectivity trends. Arelion’s network redundancy approaches | 4:22 How Arelion’s customers value having multiple network paths to data centers and other critical locations. Approaching data center opportunities | 5:31 Arelion works to provide the best path for extending fiber to new data centers. Local and regional data centers | 7:03 How new data centers drive Arelion’s network expansion plans. Arelion’s broad network reach | 8:20 The service provider’s network can accommodate customers with global reach needs. Serving enterprise customers | 9:23 How Arelion can apply its wholesale service experience to meet business customer needs. Establishing an enterprise services brand |10:55 Arelion is working to show enterprises that it is a viable provider. The role of Network as a Service (NaaS) | 12:51 While Arelion's view of NaaS is excellent, it faces several challenges. AI’s influence | 14:32 How AI-driven traffic influences Arelion’s network planning process.     Looking forward to 2026 |16:36 Arelion sets its course for carrier and enterprise service opportunities. Final thoughts and closing |18:32 Besides anticipating additional traffic growth, Fridström sees potential upside in the enterprise services market. 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/.

In this latest issue of Building Broadband, we’re tracking new broadband deployments from Dobson Fiber, Fidium, Henderson Municipal Power & Light, Metronet Fiber, Omni Fiber, Spectrum, TDS Telecom and Wecom Fiber. 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 our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com. 

While LightRiver, a network integrator, operates in multiple customer spheres—telecom providers, data centers and the public sector- the one thing they all have in common is that they operate high-reliability communications networks. The company is focused on building networks that they sell services to every fund from the Internet at your house to multi-terabit networks between data centers and enterprises of all sizes in between. Out of its main customer segments, the largest of the networks that it builds is in the service provider sector. As a result, LightRiver keeps a keen eye on what's happening there and what's happening in the other areas so it can bring value to our customers by sharing ideas that it has learned as best practices across different areas. In this episode, we talked to two experts at LightRiver about providing a seamless experience for their provider customers: Walt Paskowski, SVP marketing and sales operations for LightRiver And Matt Briley, Senior VP of global sales for LightRiver Here is a timeline of the episode: 0:03    Opening and introduction of guests 0:26    Customer diversity The unique elements of the three main industries LightRiver serves—service providers, data centers, and the public sector. 2:04   LightRiver’s factory-built networks approach How LightRiver’s approach to building a network in its own facility minimizes disruption for its customers. 4:41    Customer examples LightRiver shares how it helped Gigabit Fiber build a new network for interconnecting about 12 different data centers in Dallas and other markets. 5:56    Integrating network assets How LightRiver can help service providers integrate assets they purchase. 8:02    Cable’s coax and fiber transition Giving cable customers a common view of their assets. 10:59 The evolving data center industry LightRiver’s factory-built network process is finding resonance with data center providers. 12:33 AI’s growing influence How LightRiver has incorporated AI to help its customers track assets, network data, and building agents into its software. 15:16 Light River’s geographic reach The company has personnel in 26 out of the 50 states across the US and 150 team members in North America and the UK to respond to its diverse customer set. 17:46 Final Thoughts/Closing Walt Paskowski and Matt Briley share their final thoughts with Broadband Pulse host Sean Buckley. About our guests Walt Paskowski, SVP marketing and sales operations for LightRiver Walt Paskowski oversees LightRiver’s marketing and sales operations, reporting to the CEO. He originally joined LightRiver in 2013 as Senior Vice President of Sales, focused on Utility, Transit, State & Local Government, Public Safety and Research & Education market verticals. He brings over 20 years of experience driving client-centric, mission-critical technology and business solutions, sales leadership and bottom-line revenue contributions to LightRiver and its customers from best-of-breed transport equipment manufacturers, like Alcatel-Lucent and Harris Corporation. Walt has a background in finance, manufacturing, operations and sales. Walt has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Strayer University and another Bachelor of Science in Finance & Business Administration from the University of Connecticut. Matt Briley, senior VP of global sales for LightRiver Matt Briley is at the helm of LightRiver’s Global Sales and Network Solutions Engineering teams, where he oversees both the business and technology aspects of providing customers and partners with problem-solving technology. His primary focus is empowering companies to automate, modernize, and optimize their communications networks, ensuring they stay ahead in the ever-changing industry. With over two decades of experience, Matt has held crucial roles in the industry, including leading Nokia’s Optical Networking business in North America. He also made significant contributions in sales and engineering management positions at Infinera and Ciena, expanding businesses across multiple geographies and sectors. Matt’s passion for the industry is entwined in his background, holding a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Oklahoma, and beginning his career with the MCI engineering development program. When he’s not shaping the future of telecommunications, Matt enjoys spending quality time with his family in Heath, TX, just outside Dallas. Together, they relish activities such as biking, sporting clays, golf, and Jeeping. 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 our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com. 

With most people being distracted during the holidays, online scammers are ready to pounce on consumers. According to Optimum, the most common online scams identified by Optimum’s cybersecurity team this season include phishing websites, smishing scams, non-delivery schemes, charity fraud and travel scams. The company shared these insights in October during the worldwide Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Today, Optimum’s network blocks thousands of malicious attack attempts daily for our customers, ranging from phishing, smishing, spam, malware and other scams.  Optimum is in an interesting position to help consumers with battling online threats. Consider that over the last three years, the cable MSO has been transforming its business, which includes investing heavily in its network to expand service across its 21-state footprint. This year, the company has surpassed 3 million Fiber passings and has seen 50% fewer network outages. In this episode, we talked to Ben Smith, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Optimum, about the top security threats consumers face and how to avoid potential traps. Here is a timeline of the episode: 0:03    Opening        0:40    Optimum’s celebration of Cybersecurity Awareness Month       How scam artists and hackers ramp up their attacks on consumers during the holiday season. 6:54    Scammers leveraging AI.             Using AI to conduct phishing to spoof the look and feel of an email that might come directly from a company. 8:09    Optimum’s cybersecurity efforts The service provider is scaling its security controls, visibility and governance. 10:31 Bundling security with broadband   Optimum is developing an advanced security offering that will allow consumers to manage their own Internet security. 12:09 Regulatory compliance and resilience. Optimum continues to hold operational testing of its cybersecurity operations. 14:09 Final thoughts/wrap up About our guest Ben Smith serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Optimum, where he leads the company’s enterprise cybersecurity, governance, and IT risk management strategy. With over 20 years of experience across telecommunications, healthcare, and financial services, he has built and led security and IT risk management programs that align technology with organizational strategy, operational resilience, and regulatory requirements. He serves on the Board of Directors of Hudson Valley Credit Union as Board Secretary and is a member of the Governance and Nominations Committee as well as the Finance Committee. In the past, he has served on multiple not-for-profit and community Boards and Advisory Committees. A seasoned advisor to leading cybersecurity organizations, Ben leverages his executive and board experience to drive product strategy and market expansion within regulated industries. He holds both an MBA and a B.S. in Management Information Systems from Rochester Institute of Technology, along with CISSP and CHCIO certifications.  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 our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com. 

In this week's episode of Building Broadband, we're tracking new broadband builds from Alabama Fiber Network (AFN), Breezeline, Brightspeed, eX² Technology, Home Telecom, and Ziply Fiber.   These providers are all using a mix of public and private funding for a host of new broadband build-outs across a diverse set of communities. Lightwave is tracking service providers' ongoing efforts to extend broadband to more homes and businesses via our Building Broadband series. If you want to share a new broadband build, contact Lightwave Editor in Chief Sean Buckley at sbuckley@endeavorb2b.com. 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 our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com. 

In this special edition of the Broadband Pulse podcast, we're in Dallas, Texas, covering this year’s Mplify (formerly MEF) Global NaaS Event GNE 2025 show. For this episode, we’re taking a look at the key highlights of the first day of the event:  Mplify’s leadership transition Mplify Market Brief Positioning NaaS as Foundation for Agentic AI Mplify’s Carrier Ethernet for AI certification Advancing Mplify's certification efforts in wireless through aligning with the GSMA Addressing standardized automation for enterprises 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 our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com.   

In this week's episode of Building Broadband, we're tracking new broadband builds from Brightspeed, Digital C, Ezee Fiber, Fidium, Greenlight Networks, Junction Internet, Lyte Fiber, Metro Communications, Metronet, and Vero Fiber are all using a mix of public and private funding for a host of new broadband build-outs across a diverse set of communities. As part of this mix, we also saw three service providers move to expand their footprints through M&A:  Greenlight Networks to acquire FastBridge Fiber Metro Communications’ Clearwave Fiber Southern Illinois deal bolsters its FTTH plans Vero Fiber extends its Southeast reach with the acquisition of Telephone Electronics Corporation (TEC) acquisition 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 our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com. 

In late August, the Arkansas State Broadband Office released the state’s final proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, officially opening the plan for public review and comment. According to the Arkansas State Broadband Office, the state's $1 billion BEAD program represents the largest public broadband investment in Arkansas history. The state's BEAD program garnered a strong response. Arkansas' State Broadband Office received 730 applications from 33 internet service providers (ISPs), and 23 providers were selected by the broadband office for preliminary awards.  During this Broadband Pulse podcast, we talked to Glen Howie, director of the Arkansas State Broadband Office, about how it will apply the BEAD program to bring broadband to its communities. Here is a timeline of the episode: Opening 0:39    Arkansas's Broadband Efforts How state and federal grants like Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) are helping the state expand broadband availability. 2:12    Arkansas's landscape How the state can extend broadband to rural and urban areas. 3:06    Final BEAD proposal for public comment Howie sees BEAD as the true blueprint to achieve universal broadband access across the state. 5:04    BEAD provider diversity Arkansas’s BEAD proposal drew a wide swath of service providers: 29 from Arkansas and 19 from outside the state. 7:55    Navigating BEAD uncertainty Even with the change of the White House administration, Arkansas continued to move with a sense of urgency. 9:26    Sharing BEAD experiences with other states Arkansas continues to talk to other states about its best practices. 9:56    Digital skills training As the state wires more locations with broadband, it is also focusing on helping people acquire digital skills to access and use the service for employment and education opportunities. 14:30 Communicating with communities How the state and the BEAD participants are working with local leaders to provide information on how the BEAD program will impact their communities. 16:55 Final thoughts/wrap up About our guest Glen Howie is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in both the private and public sectors. A proud native of a small town of about 12,000, he understands the sense of pride and "community" that permeates Main Street USA, as well as the concerns and challenges facing rural Arkansas. In his current role as Director of the Arkansas State Broadband Office, he is leading an "all-of-state" effort to provide "all-of-state" solutions for the "all-of-state" issue of broadband. With a once-in-a-century opportunity to transform the Arkansas economy, Glen's vision, and the Arkansas State Broadband Office's mandate, is to be a leader in the South and a Top Ten state in the country, in all things broadband. Glen earned an undergraduate degree in finance and a master’s degree in public administration from LSU. After he completed the MPA program, he was selected as the recipient of the David B. Johnson Award for Academic Excellence, highlighting his academic achievement, critical analysis of public policy issues, and commitment to improving public management. 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 our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com. 

In this episode of the Broadband Pulse, we talked to the Ethernet Alliance about the upcoming High-Speed Networking (HSN) Plugfest that will be held from December 8-12, 2025, at Keysight Technologies in Santa Clara, CA. The Plugfest will feature interoperability testing for Ethernet devices ranging from 200GbE to 1.6TbE, covering various interconnects and transceivers. The event supports the transition to 200Gbps per lane, enabling breakthroughs in AI, cloud computing, and high-performance data centers. Besides the Plugfest, the Ethernet Alliance is also hosting the TEF 2025: Ethernet for AI. Taking a page from the TEF 2024: Ethernet in the Age of AI event, held in October 2024, the new event will take a deeper exploration into 400 Gbps electrical and optical signaling in response to the industry’s need to address the growing demands of AI workloads. During the podcast, we talked to two key members of the Ethernet Alliance:  John D’Ambrosia, a Distinguished Engineer with the Datacom Standards Research team at Futurewei and Ethernet Alliance TEF Chair And Sam Johnson, HSN Subcommittee Chair for the Ethernet Alliance and manager of the Link Applications Engineering team within Intel’s Networking Solutions Group Here’s a timeline of the episode: Opening 0:03    Host introduces guests Broadband Pulse host Sean Buckley introduced John D’Ambrosia and Sam Johnson 1:08    Ethernet Alliance Plugfest event The details of the Ethernet Alliance’s High-Speed Networking (HSN) plugfest event in December at Keysight Technologies’ headquarters in Santa Clara, California. 5:16    200 Gbps per lane How 200G is the next building block speed in the evolution of Ethernet. 7:34    Seeing the potential in 1.6 Tbps The HSN interoperability tests will look at Ethernet devices ranging from 200GbE to 1.6TbE. 11:15 Coalescing around the Ethernet standard and the IEEE How vendors and the Ethernet industry are trying to find commonality. 12:14 TEF 2025: Ethernet For AI How the TEF 2025 for AI will address how to help the Ethernet industry address increased bandwidth, faster signaling, power delivery challenges, advanced packaging technologies, next-generation test equipment and methodologies, and new approaches to cooling. 15:05 AI networking based on 400Gbps signaling How the next generation of AI networking, based on 400 Gbps signaling, is likely to diverge significantly from today’s architectures. 19:14 Final Thoughts/Closing John D’Ambrosia and Sam Johnson give their final thoughts about the ongoing evolution of Ethernet. About our guests: John D’Ambrosia, a Distinguished Engineer with the Datacom Standards Research team at Futurewei and Ethernet Alliance TEF Chair John D’Ambrosia is a Distinguished Engineer with the Datacom Standards Research team at Futurewei Technologies, a U.S. subsidiary of Huawei.  John has over 25 years of experience supporting standards development.   John is currently the chair of the IEEE P802.3dj 200 Gbps, 400 Gbps, 800 Gb/s, and 1.6 Tbps Task Force.  Previously, John chaired the IEEE 802.3 Task Forces that developed 40 GbE and 100 GbE, 200 and 400 GbE, and 800 GbE. Additionally, he chaired other IEEE 802.3 task forces, as well as the IEEE 802.3 New Ethernet Applications Ad hoc.  John is also a member of the IEEE 802 LAN / MAN Standards Committee and is an IEEE Senior Member.  In addition to his multiple roles in IEEE 802, John is one of the founders of the Ethernet Alliance and served as Chairman from 2011 to 2019.  John served as an advisor to the European Photonics Industry Consortium from 2019 to 2022c. His previous work experience includes Dell, Force10 Networks, and Tyco Electronics. Sam Johnson, HSN Subcommittee Chair for the Ethernet Alliance and manager of the Link Applications Engineering team within Intel’s Networking Solutions Group Sam Johnson is an Engineering Manager with Intel Corporation, leading the Link Applications Engineering team within the Network and Edge Group. Sam started at Intel in 2010 with a focus on 10G Serial Ethernet debug and has built a career based on High Speed Serial Ethernet PHY and pluggable media behavior, configuration, and interoperability. He and his team work to define and develop the Ethernet hardware control infrastructure and to enable and support Intel customers' Ethernet solutions. Sam holds multiple patents related to Ethernet interoperability and is a co-chair of the High Speed Networking subcommittee within the Ethernet Alliance, with a focus on L1 protocol and interoperability testing. Outside of work, Sam enjoys spending time with his family, woodworking, and all forms of outdoor recreation. 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 our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com.     

As bandwidth demand accelerates and power consumption issues become more acute, the emergence of Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO) has become a welcome technology. LPO is a technology that creates low-power optical modules for ultra-short-reach data center connections by removing the complex DSP (Digital Signal Processor) chip from the module. This design reduces power consumption, cost, and latency, making it ideal for AI clusters and hyperscale data centers.  Industry standards groups have focused on two main developments: electrical interface standards and testing and optical link performance and deployment. The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) is moving forward with electrical interface standards while the LPO Multi-Source Agreement (LPO MSA) is addressing optical link performance and deployment challenges. In this podcast, we talked with Mark Kimber, the senior principal product definition specialist for Semtech. Here’s a timeline of the episode: Opening 0:05    Host introduces guests Broadband Pulse host Sean Buckley introduced Kimber to the program.  0:38    LPO’s emergence Mark Kimber addresses emergence of LPO and Semtech’s role.   1:54    The LPO Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) How the new LPO MSA is establishing a specification and a methodology to make LPO work. 3:40    LPO standards efforts How the LPO MSA and the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) call for creating optical and electrical standards. 4:56    Semtech’s direct edge portfolio Semtech’s LPO platforms can help data center providers accommodate AI’s new power, latency and size requirements. 6:31    LPO plug and play operations Plug-and-play is key to help simplify large data center operations and management. 11:04 OIF’s Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS) role CMIS manages the LPO module's diagnostic capabilities, including monitoring the optical and electrical interfaces. 11:35 200G per lane technology How LPO can save power at higher speeds like 200G per lane. 14:10 Final Thoughts/Closing Mark Kimber offers his final thoughts on LPO. About our guest Mark Kimber is the Principal Product Definition Specialist at Semtech Corporation. Mark received the BE (Elect) degree from the University of Queensland in 1984.  Since then, he has worked on research and product development at GEC Hirst Research Centre, STC Laboratories, Bell Northern Research, Nortel, Bookham, Gennum and Semtech. Mark currently works on product definition for Semtech products and is a contributor to various standards groups. About the Podcast  In the Lightwave+BTR 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 our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com.  

Vistabeam is another example of a company finding a way to serve the often-overlooked rural market. Matt and Monique Larsen, who co-founded Vistabeam in 2004, believed rural communities deserved better internet and better opportunities. Like other entrepreneurs who rose during the early days of the internet, the Larsens were working at another ISP, but saw an opportunity to leverage new wireless technology with a local hands on focus that a national provider can’t offer.  Vistabeam has continued to grow. Today, its network covers 50,000 square miles and serves more than 100 towns across western Nebraska, northeastern Colorado, and southeastern Wyoming — the region it calls Wyobraskarado. The company maintains that its differentiator is not technology, but rather “its heart.” The company is family-owned, locally operated, and committed to creating good jobs in the communities it serves.  Key Moments in This Episode Opening 0:05 Introduction of our guest 0:28 Vistabeam’s broadband journey Matt Larsen talks about how Vistabeam has evolved since its founding in 2004. 2:36 Fixed wireless and fiber How Vistabeam is leveraging fixed wireless and fiber to bring broadband to rural areas of Nebraska, northeastern Colorado, and southeastern Wyoming.  4:27 Weighing fiber and wireless options Vistabeam sees fiber and wireless as being a tool that fits specific situations.  5:52 The competitive landscape While Vistabeam faces a mix of traditional rural telcos and competitors, the company says its value lies in its local and responsive approach.   7:19 Middle Mile Vistabeam has built its own middle mile networks with microwave and available fiber to backhaul traffic.  9:19 Fiber broadband expansions The service provider has been leveraging state grants to build fiber in Kimball, Mitchell and Oshkosh, Nebraska.  12:18 Business service options Vistabeam is being opportunistic with business services, which are resonating with tractor dealerships and others.  14:27 Final Thoughts/closing About our guest Matt Larsen is the CEO and founder of Vistabeam. Since co-founding the company in 2004, Vistabeam has grown to cover over 50,000 square miles and serve more than 100 towns across western Nebraska, northeastern Colorado, and southeastern Wyoming — the region it calls Wyobraskarado. Vistabeam is a hybrid broadband provider that offers both fixed wireless and fiber-based services. Besides his role at Vistabem, he serves as the chairman of WISPA. 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 listen here.

In this special episode of the Broadband Pulse podcast, we're tracking key trends taking place at SCTE's TechExpo25 show.  As the final installment in this series, we’re tipping our hat to the vendors who showcased new wares that are designed to assist cable MSOs with their ongoing migration to DOCSIS 4.0, fiber broadband, and enhance the reach of their metro and long-haul optical networks. Lightwave is conducting a roundup of the key product releases during the recent SCTE TechExpo25 event in Washington, DC. This roundup highlights innovations from ATX, Go! Foton, Nokia/InCoax, ProLabs, Render, Vecima and VIAVI.   For more on cable innovations, check out our SCTE TechExpo25 coverage page: SCTE TechExpo25 special report. 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 listen here.

In this special episode of the Broadband Pulse podcast, we're tracking key trends taking place at SCTE's TechExpo25 show.  This episode has highlights from the second day of the show, including: DOCSIS 4.0 Evolution: Comcast and Mediacom revealed their progress during the show through their vendor partnerships with CommScope and Harmonic. MDU broadband: As they did with cable TV, cable operators and competitive carriers are capitalizing on the multi-dwelling unit (MDU) broadband opportunity. Parks Associates, in partnership with Cox, released a study that found that nearly one in five multifamily residents with home internet reported receiving gigabit or faster download speeds. Meanwhile, CommScope's Ruckus unit continues to deepen its MDU presence across various verticals, including large apartment complexes, college campuses, retirement communities and federal prisons.  Rural Markets: Bringing broadband to rural areas is becoming a big opportunity for large and smaller cable operators. Comcast  announced that it is deploying Ciena’s 5131 Coherent Access Platform (CAP) to extend the reach of its current fiber deployments more than 100 km and deliver 100 Gbps—capacity to serve residential, small to medium-sized business (SMB), enterprise, and community anchor institutions—to new and existing communities with unserved or underserved connectivity needs. Service convergence and the customer experience: A Lightwave panel called Maintaining a Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Converged Service Offerings leveraged research results to uncover service providers’ plans for building networks that are robust enough to fulfill their business aspirations. The panel included two key fiber and cable industry experts: Barry Walton, Senior Broadband Solutions Advisor for Corning And Lamar Horton, VP, Network Engineering and Operations for Astound Broadband/Astound Business Solutions Among the many themes discussed during the panel was how to create a good customer experience regardless of if a broadband provider is using HFC or fiber. 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 listen here.

In this special episode of the Broadband Pulse podcast, we're tracking key trends taking place at SCTE's TechExpo25 show.  This episode has highlights from the first day of the show.  In this SCTE TechExpo25 podcast, we’re tracking several key news items: · FCC commissioners’ perspective: Anna Gomez and Olivia Trusty, gave their views on broadband, the BEAD program, affordability and efforts to streamline permitting processes to expand broadband. · State broadband office perspectives: Leaders of the broadband offices of Georgia, Kentucky, and Minnesota shared key insights into how they are adapting to NTIA’s changes to the BEAD program. · Cable industry trends: NCTA, in a new study conducted in partnership with Chumra and S&P Global, found that cable’s broadband and video drives are creating new economic opportunities in terms of job growth across multiple segments. In 2024, the cable industry delivered 59% of all fixed internet connections, serving 80 million broadband subscribers nationwide. · Case Studies: Wyandotte, Michigan’s Wyandotte Municipal Services (WMS), a community-owned provider in Wyandotte, Michigan, finds orchestration balance across legacy and next-generation devices through its partnership with Synamedia. Finally, if you want to get a bigger picture of how Lightwave is covering the TechExpo25 show, you can check out our coverage page: SCTE TechExpo25 special report. 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 listen here.

As the cable industry considers new methods to address competition with fiber and converged wireless/wireline service sets, it’s clear the industry is looking towards its next elements of growth. Nowhere will this be highlighted than at the SCTE TechExpo25. During this year’s TechExpo25 show, attendees will be able to view new technologies like AI, automation, and advanced planning, while tackling challenges in security, operations, and construction. Broadband Pulse recently caught up with Maria Popo, President and CEO, SCTE, and Janelle Morse, VP of engagement and strategy, SCTE, to discuss their expectations for this year’s show in Washington, DC. Key Moments in This Episode Opening 0:04 Introduction of our guests 0:31 Guests provide background Maria Popo and Janelle Morse talk about their roles at SCTE. 1:37 SCTE CableTech25 expectations Janelle Morse shares highlights about the TechExpo25 show 4:43 Workforce readiness and policy Maria Popo addresses how the show will highlight workforce issues shaped by AI and communications regulations. 5:58 Cable’s convergence story Maria Popo looks at how cable operators are looking to create seamless experiences across their assets--HFC, fiber, mobile and Wi-Fi. 8:58 Differentiated services Janelle Morse highlights the cable industry’s move to offer more than just speeds. 9:26 Cable’s last mile evolution How cable operators are expanding fiber strategically while squeezing value out of the existing HFC network. 13:25 Regional cable operators Janelle Morse discusses how small cable operators can learn and gain inspiration from Tier 1 providers. 14:41 BEAD Evolution How the cable industry is grappling with the new administration’s changes to the BEAD program. 16:38 Building the next-gen workforce How the cable industry can use AI to train and apply it in the field. 20:52 Final Thoughts/closing Maria Popo and Janelle Morse give their final closing thoughts. About our guests Maria Popo, President and CEO, SCTE As president and CEO of SCTE, a CableLabs subsidiary, Popo is dedicated to enhancing the broadband industry by aligning corporate goals with transformative learning solutions, fostering workforce technology skills and innovation, while leveraging its global network of over 60 chapters for industry engagement and insights. Popo’s journey from trade school to academia and boardrooms has been shaped by tenacity, adaptability, and lifelong learning. During her tenure in the networking and cable industries, she held senior roles at various companies, including Global Fortune 50 Foxconn, CEO/president of Ubee Interactive Americas, and 3Com(HP)/Ambit Microsystems/3M. Janelle Morse, VP of engagement and strategy, SCTE As SCTE’s Vice President of Engagement and Strategy, Janelle Morse leads strategy and engagement initiatives across the SCTE membership community and drives global participation for TechExpo, North America’s premier broadband technology event. Before joining SCTE in 2023, she served as VP of Research, Events & Media at TM Forum, where she led initiatives to showcase the Forum and industry achievements across multiple platforms, fostering opportunities for learning, collaboration, exploration, and connection. In 2020, she successfully led her team through the rapid transformation of TM Forum’s flagship event, Digital Transformation World, into a completely virtual 6-week magazine-style event. 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 listen here.