Broadband Pulse

In this podcast, we spoke with Amit Thakar, vice president of signal integrity product marketing at Semtech, about the shift from DSP-based to linear optical architectures and other issues. 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/.

Since it was founded in 1998, LightRiver has made a name for itself in its ability to consult, commission, automate, and optimize multi-vendor, multi-generational and software-controlled networks. One of the company’s recent highlights is its Prism software product. Prism simplifies the complexities of multi-vendor, multi-generation networks, empowering stakeholders to streamline operations and make informed decisions for future success. LightRiver won a 2026 Lightwave Innovation Review award for its Prism product, a customizable, user-friendly application for optimizing multi-vendor, multi-generation fiber optic networks. One of Lightwave's Innovation Reviews judges said the platform could be beneficial in fiber-starved scenarios.” In this latest Broadband Pulse podcast, we talked to two industry veterans about how to help service providers be proactive in managing their diverse networks:  · Jim Brinksma, senior vice president of software solutions at white Light River · Marcelo McAndrew, VP of Software Product Management at LightRiver Key moments in this episode 0.00    Opening 0:03    Introduction of the guests 0:57    PacketLight’s multi-layer network approach How PacketLight’s Prism software platform focuses on multi-vendor, multi-generation, and multi-layer networks. 1:42    Collecting network data Prism can make the data it collects actionable, helping businesses save money, drive revenue, and reduce time to market. 2:47    Prism’s spectrum optimization feature LightRiver’s spectrum optimization helps service providers better utilize their resources today and in the future. 4:39    Prism’s spectrum capacity search This feature allows providers to visualize the optical spectrum and optimize it to maximize performance in an existing network. 5:36    Managing M&A How Prism can pull information from different APIs across network platforms and aggregate them into a single platform. 9:19    The quantum computing opportunity LightRiver sees 2026 as the year when the quantum opportunity starts to ramp. 11:18 Final Thoughts/Closing Jim Brinksma and Marcelo McAndrew share final thoughts and expectations for the OFC 2026 trade show with the Broadband Pulse. Meet our guests Jim Brinksma, senior vice president of software solutions at white Light River Jim Brinksma has over 20 years of software experience spanning the Department of Defense (DoD), SaaS start-ups and operators, financial services, and telecommunications. In this role, he is responsible for driving the global expansion of LightRiver’s software automation and productivity solutions portfolio. Jim’s previous roles include Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Megaport, co-founder and CTO of InnovoEdge (acquired by Megaport), VP of Strategy and Business Development at Ciena BluePlanet, VP of Sales Engineering and Customer Operations at Ciena, VP of Network Products and Strategy at Goldman Sachs, and seven years of service in the United States Navy. Jim’s doctorate is from the University of Maryland. He also completed the Strategy and Innovation Program at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, the Non-Profit Board Leadership Program at Harvard Business School, and is a National Association of Corporate Directors’ Board Leadership Fellow. And  Marcelo McAndrew, VP of Software Product Management at LightRiver Marcelo has eight years of leading software teams to develop the next generation of products and services, spanning cybersecurity, blockchain, CDN, mobile & web applications, SaaS platforms, esports, multi-cloud, edge computing and more. Currently the VP of Product Management for Software Solutions at LightRiver, he is responsible for driving innovation, delivering next-generation products & services, developing strategic relationships with vendors, partners, research & development organizations, and achieving financial results. 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/podcasts and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

Lightwave’s 21st Diamond Technology Reviews will again recognize innovation in broadband communications, video transmission, and related technologies, featuring a new wave of technologies to address the drive toward 10G and beyond networks. As a new version of the DTR awards, we will not only likely see a crop of innovations in back office, fiber, software, testing, video distribution, Wi-Fi, and other areas, but we’re also going to refresh our lineup of judges.   The Lightwave DTR program will follow the usual procedures: We will invite vendors serving the standard broadband and cable industry to submit information on products released or upgraded since last year’s SCTE Cable-Tec Expo (October 2025). If you are a vendor interested in being considered for the DTR Innovation Reviews, we encourage you to submit an entry today! 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.lightwaveonline.com/podcasts/broadband-pulse and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

In the third and final episode of the OFC 2026 show daily podcast, we're tracking key trends during the show.  During the third day, we looked at various issues, including:  Improving research workflows AI’s role in the optical network Corning’s new fiber, cable and connectivity solutions Legrand’s Chroma Link fiber cabling solution Semtech’s new copper and fiber data center innovations OFC’s plenary sessions Lightwave’s OFC 2026 coverage page Tune in each day during OFC 2026 for more insights on the optical industry's key trade show.  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/podcasts and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

In the second episode of the OFC 2026 show daily podcast, we're tracking key trends during the show.  During the second day, we looked at various issues, including:  Rising data center CapEx Ciena, Cisco and Nokia unveil new multi-rail optical solutions Lightwave’s event: Scaling the AI Data Center: Optical Technologies Redefining Data Center Interconnection Tune in each day during OFC 2026 for more insights on the optical industry's key trade show.  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 the first episode of the OFC 2026 show daily podcast, we're tracking key trends during the show.  During the first day, we looked at various issues, including:  OIF and Ethernet Alliance's interoperability efforts The new Optical Scale-up Consortium Optica's Optica Executive Forum Celebrating the 2026 Lightwave Innovation Reviews Honorees Tune in each day during OFC 2026 for more insights on the optical industry's key trade show.  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/.

Broadcom is taking on the 400-Gig-per-lane optical PAM-for-DSP challenge with its Taurus BCM 83640, optimized for 1.6-T transceiver solutions.  The 400 gigabit-per-lane (400G/lane) optical PAM-4 DSP is the next-generation technology for high-speed data center connectivity, designed to double the throughput per optical lane compared to current 200G/lane solutions. This advancement is critical for AI infrastructure, enabling 1.6T and 3.2T optical transceivers and supporting future 204.8T switching capacities.  In this latest Broadband Pulse podcast, we talked with two key members of Broadcom's optical networking team, leading the company's latest 400G/lane optical DSP efforts, as well as being a co-founder of the new Optical Scale-up Consortium:  Natarajan Ramachandran, director, product marketing at Broadcom And Khushrow Machhi, senior director, product marketing at Broadcom Key moments in this episode 0.00    Opening 0:03    Introducing our guests 0:59    OFC 2026 expectations Ramachandran and Machhi share their expectations for the OFC 2026 show. 6:44    400G/lane optical How 400G per lane technologies are the next evolution of the 200G per lane architectures. 9:34    Broadcom’s new Taurus BCM 83640 How Taurus supports 8 lanes of 200G traffic from a GPU, an XPU, or a switch and converts it into four lanes of 400G traffic. 11:31  Taurus’ support for optical modules from 1.6 T to 3.2T How the platform reflects the next generation of gearboxes and retimers. 13:10  Addressing customer expectations Taurus will address the roadmap to 3.2T pluggables. 14:27  The importance of interoperability In addition to its active roles with the OIF and IEEE, Broadcom is a founding member of the new Optical Scale-up Consortium. 15:57  Final Thoughts/Closing Meet our guests Natarajan Ramachandran, director, product marketing at Broadcom Based in San Jose, Natarajan Ramachandran is a director of product marketing at Broadcom. He brings experience from previous roles at Broadcom, Biomorphic and Philips Semiconductors. He is responsible for Business Development, Product Management & Product Marketing for high-speed networking PHYs within the Semiconductor industry, focused on Datacom (Hyperscale/Cloud and Enterprise Data Centers), Telecom, and high-performance computing (AI/ML) markets. Ramachandran holds an MBA in Finance, Global Economics and Management at UCLA Anderson School of Management. He also holds an MS in electrical engineering, integrated circuits and systems from UCLA. And Khushrow Machhi, senior director, product marketing at Broadcom Macchi oversees product marketing at Broadcom with a particular focus on optical networking technologies, including the datacom (Hyperscale/Cloud and Enterprise Data Centers), Telecom and High-Performance Computing (AI/ML) markets. Macchi has worked at Broadcom for over 24 years. Previously, he held positions at Level One Communications / Intel. He holds an MBA in marketing from San Diego University and a degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. 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/.

Upstream traffic on DOCSIS and fiber-based broadband networks continues to rise. The OpenVault Broadband Insights (OVBI) fourth quarter report revealed that investments in higher-speed upstream network plant can pay dividends for fiber and DOCSIS broadband providers. One of the key findings in OVBI’s fourth quarter report was that fiber broadband users consumed more upstream bandwidth than those on a DOCSIS network. As a first-ever point-in-time comparison of fiber vs. DOCSIS subscribers in a selected broadband system, OVBI reports that subscribers on a fiber network with symmetrical 677 Mbps speeds consumed 93.0 GB of upstream bandwidth. Fiber usage was 66% higher than the 56.0 GB used by subscribers on the same system’s DOCSIS networks, which were provisioned at an average upstream speed of 17.3 Mbps. The report noted that the “fiber comparison suggests that latent upstream demand already exists on DOCSIS networks and is likely to be activated as performance barriers are removed – resulting in rapid scaling of upstream consumption that further shifts.” Overall, OVBI found that upstream usage continued to outpace all other metrics in 2025. The year-end average of 55.86 across fiber and DOCSIS platforms represented a 21.7% year-over-year increase over the 45.9 record in 2024 and a 16.4% increase over 3Q25’s 47.98 GB. In this podcast, The Broadband Pulse caught up with OpenVault CEO and founder Mark Trudeau about how broadband providers are seeing new upstream traffic growth. Key moments in this episode 0.00    Opening 0:03    Introduction of the guest 0:30    State of the broadband market Trudeau notes how it emphasizes solutions that help broadband providers operate networks optimally. 1:32    OVBI’s Q4 report findings How upstream bandwidth is outpacing downstream growth. 3:10    Upstream usage drivers A host of factors, including content creation, gaming, teleworking, and AI, are driving a rise in upstream traffic. 4:15    Fiber and DOCSIS   While fiber can offer symmetrical services immediately, cable needs to upgrade the upstream DOCSIS path to overcome capacity constraints. 6:0      DOCSIS upstream weapons Cable operators are leveraging split architectures, expanding spectrum and profile management to enhance upstream on their DOCSIS networks. 9:00    Cable’s fiber drive Cable operators, particularly large ones, are deploying last-mile fiber on a case-by-case basis. 10:20 Network stress OVBI examines how steady percentage growth figures can mask progressively larger traffic volumes that place increased stress on provider networks. 11:34 Broadband usage patterns How OVBI measures monthly average usage, average downstream usage, and medium usage. 14:23 Final Thoughts/Closing Mark Trudeau provides the Broadband Pulse with his final thoughts about OVBI’s latest broadband report. Meet our guest Mark Trudeau, founder and CEO of OpenVault As a self-proclaimed data geek, Mark is passionate about leveraging data to develop technologies that improve the world. Specifically, he has been instrumental in providing broadband operators with market data to anticipate residential and business broadband trends as well as tools that help service providers optimize network performance, increase revenue, and improve subscriber satisfaction. Growth has been a part of OpenVault’s story. In just the last two years, Trudeau has grown the company through the pandemic, including launching OVBI, an industry-renowned quarterly data report; securing strategic investment from key customers; acquiring a world-class research and development team; and being named twice among the industry’s Top 100 Power Players by Cablefax.  Before founding OpenVault, Trudeau led numerous technology companies through tremendous growth, achieving success for customers and investors. Trudeau served as CEO of Ventraq, a private-equity-backed provider of software-based analytics solutions to the global telecom industry. He also helped to launch and build the wireless business at Omnipoint, the first GSM wireless provider in the New York metropolitan area. He grew up in upstate New York and attended Union College, where he was a multi-sport collegiate athlete, who supports the Red Sox and Dallas Cowboys. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his wife, Lauren. Together, they raised two children. 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/podcasts or broadbandpulse.podbean.com/ to stay on top of the latest episodes.

Blue Stream Fiber, which traces its roots as a traditional cable operator once known as Advanced Cable Communications, has in recent years established itself as a key broadband player in Florida’s market, serving 385,000 residents and 500 communities. In 2025, the service provider began expanding into the Houston market, marketing its broadband services to HOAs, condominium associations (COAs), developers, and builders. The company says Houston’s quick growth was a main catalyst for Blue Stream Fiber’s investments in the Houston area, which has one of the fastest-growing multi-family markets.   As the company continues to scale operations and expand its presence across Florida and Texas, it recently announced a series of executive leadership promotions, which it said reflect Blue Stream Fiber’s focus on operational excellence, customer experience, and disciplined growth, reinforcing a strong leadership bench as the company enters its next phase of expansion. In this episode, we talked with Josh Turiano at Blue Stream Fiber. Turiano was recently promoted to Chief Innovation and AI Officer, recognizing his role in driving Blue Stream Fiber's AI strategy and innovation roadmap. Key Moments in This Episode 0.00 Opening 0:03 Introduction of the guest 0:32 Update on Blue Stream Fiber Turiano discusses Blue Stream Fiber’s transition from a cable operator to a fiber provider. 2:05 Blue Stream Fiber’s fiber expansion strategy How the service provider works with communities to install fiber or upgrade existing HFC plant. 2:59 AI strategy Turiano talks about his new role and Blue Stream Fiber’s AI roadmap. 6:13 Customer responsiveness How AI is enabling service providers to address customer issues proactively. 7:16 AI’s influence on business customers The provider can leverage similar metrics to stay ahead of business issues. 7:35 Network expansion Blue Stream Fiber is leveraging AI as part of its network expansion processes. 9:59 A local focus How the service provider places value on its veteran employees’ knowledge. 11:58 Workforce development How the fiber installation trade is becoming more accessible, and how AI will create new career options. 14:05 Final thoughts/closing Meet our guest: Josh Turiano is the Chief Innovation and AI Officer at Blue Stream Fiber, where he drives Blue Stream Fiber’s AI strategy and innovation roadmap. His work on the company’s award-winning Metis AI platform has earned multiple industry honors, including Cablefax’s AI Team of the Year. Turiano has also played a central role in shaping the company’s network and technology foundation and previously held leadership roles at Atlantic Broadband. 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/podcasts or broadbandpulse.podbean.com/ to stay on top of the latest episodes.

ATIS is addressing the challenge of open-access fiber networks with its recent debut of the Open Access Network Forum (OANF), a group focused on leveraging real-world deployments and helping the market scale through common APIs and implementation guidance. Led by industry experts from AT&T and COS Systems, the forum promotes scalable, practical solutions for open-access fiber deployment. OANF serves as a collaborative forum for ISPs, open-access infrastructure providers, and technology partners to align on the principles, architectures, and operating models needed to scale open-access fiber in North America. In this latest Broadband Pulse podcast, we talked to three members of ATIS about the OANF initiative: Susan Miller, CEO of ATIS Scott Baker, the chair of ATIS' OANF and Corporate ServiceNow Platform Architecture at AT&T Technology Services Sajan Parikh, Vice Chair of ATIS' OANF and the CTO of COS Systems 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/podcasts or broadbandpulse.podbean.com/ to stay on top of the latest episodes.

It’s clear that the campus Wi-Fi environment is evolving toward AI-driven operations, mandatory Wi-Fi 6E/7 upgrades, and high-density coverage to support the growth of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) and IoT-enabled environments. Industry watchers note that the rapid adoption of Wi-Fi 6E and 7 is crucial to handle increased capacity, lower latency, and higher speeds required by video conferencing and high-density environments. Looking ahead, Dell’Oro noted that Wi-Fi 7 adoption and the introduction of Wi-Fi 8 APs will continue to fuel demand for multi-gig ports. In response to these trends, Broadcom recently released its Wi-Fi 8 access point (AP) and switch solution, purpose-built with a unified architecture for AI-ready enterprise networks. Building on its Wi-Fi 8 radios launched in October 2025, the new enterprise-grade Wi-Fi 8 AP platform is powered by a new accelerated processing unit (APU) chip, the BCM49438, designed to optimize wireless networking and AI acceleration at the enterprise edge. Also, Broadcom unveiled an enterprise-grade switch platform powered by a new Ethernet switch, the Trident X3+ BCM56390, with Broadcom’s multigigabit PHY and PoE power sourcing equipment (PSE) chips. The company says these platforms form a unified architecture that maximizes the performance, efficiency and security for the Wi-Fi 8 wireless network in the enterprise. In this latest Broadband Pulse podcast, we talked to two key members of Broadcom’s Wi-Fi team making efforts to advance enterprise Wi-Fi: Mike Powell, director of product Management, wireless broadband communications at Broadcom And Ashok Raman, principal product line manager for Broadcom's core switching group Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Opening | 0:00 Host introduction of guests | 0:03 Wi-Fi campus evolution | 0:49 Powell and Rahman discuss how hybrid work environments and new security threats are changing the enterprise Wi-Fi landscape. Wi-Fi 8’s emergence | 3:34 The Wi-Fi 8 standard includes built-in capabilities to track, react to, and monitor latency. Broadcom's new enterprise-grade Wi-Fi AP platform | 5:27 The new platform integrates enterprise AI and AI core processors. Self-driving enterprise Wi-Fi networks | 6:45 Powell explores how Broadcom’s platform can help enterprise Wi-Fi platforms self-diagnose problems. A unified architecture | 8:47 Rahman discusses why it was important to deploy the access point (AP) and the switch platforms together.   Vertical segment targets |12:15 Broadcom’s platforms could be a strong fit for data-intensive environments, including the public sector, manufacturing, and healthcare. Campus Wi-Fi telemetry capabilities | 14:58 How the platform could provide visibility across large enterprise campus environments. IEEE 1588 precision time protocol’s role | 15:34 How the 1588 protocol for time stamping, latency and jitter requirements has been adapted for Wi-Fi environments.    Final thoughts/closing | 19:46 Powell and Rahman provide the Broadband Pulse with their final thoughts about the state of the campus Wi-Fi market. About our guests Mike Powell, director of product Management, wireless broadband communications at Broadcom As Director of Marketing and Product Management within Broadcom’s wireless broadband communications unit, he sets the strategic goals, organizational vision, and roadmap for software and silicon platforms with a solid focus on customer relationships and business growth. Powell has contributed to the development of Wi-Fi 8, which is positioned as a foundation for secure, intelligent enterprise AI edge networks. He has been involved in developing Broadcom’s NitroQAM modulation technology and has worked closely with industry standards regarding Wi-Fi Wave 2 certification. Powell joined Broadcom through Broadcom’s acquisition of LVL7 Systems in early 2006. Earlier, Powell served as Large Enterprise Direct Account Manager at IBM. And Ashok Raman, principal product line manager for Broadcom's core switching group Ashok Raman has over 25 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, spanning roles from chip design to product management. In his current role, he has product management responsibility for multiple generations of industry-leading switches for the enterprise campus and datacenter. Previously, he held engineering roles at Intel and a variety of startups. He holds a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, an MSEE from Virginia Tech, and an Exec MBA from UC Berkeley.   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 broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

Marvell has put itself squarely in the AI race by refocusing its efforts on developing data center products and solutions. One of those key areas is co-packaged optics (CPO). Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) integrates optical components (lasers, photodetectors) directly with electrical processing chips (ASICs) in the same package, overcoming limitations of traditional pluggable modules by drastically shortening signal paths. Having divested other assets, including its automotive business, Marvell is positioning itself in the data center industry. The company made two key acquisitions in 2025 to bolster its data center capabilities: Celestial AI and XConn Technologies. Celestial AI’s Photonic Fabric technology platform enables optical I/O for package-, system-, and rack-level connectivity in data center infrastructure. Marvell’s acquisition of XConn broadens its data center switching portfolio with PCIe and CXL products, supporting next-generation AI and cloud infrastructure. Earlier in the year, it debuted a custom AI accelerator (XPU) architecture with integrated co-packaged optics (CPO) technology.  In this new podcast, we talked to Rishi Chugh, Vice President and General Manager, Data Center Switch Business Unit, with Marvell. Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Opening | 0:00 Host introduction of guests | 0:03 Marvell's push into the data center market | 0:35 Chugh addresses how Marvell has deep roots in the switching and connectivity side of the industry. The co-packaged optics CPO opportunity | 2:22 How CPO has become a natural progression for Marvell. CPO’s influence on power | 5:24 Addressing how CPO can achieve greater efficiency. Data center scale-up | 6:47 The role of scale-up systems in the development of CPO and other technologies. CPO skill sets | 8:33 CPO’s success will require a range of skill sets, power delivery, cooling, cable management, connectors, and optics working in concert. Complementing CPO | 10:40 How scale-up technologies and CPO will work in tandem with switching technologies and Network Interface Cards (NICs) in scale-up scenarios.   Final thoughts/closing | 13:04 Rishi Chugh shares his final thoughts about how Marvell is collaborating with equipment manufacturers, interconnect companies and fiber manufacturers to ensure that there’s an infrastructure for delivering a successful CPO-based system. About our guest Rishi Chugh currently serves as Vice President and General Manager of the Data Center Switch Business Unit at Marvell. Before joining Marvell, he served as Vice President of Product Marketing at Cadence Design Systems and Senior Director of Product Marketing at Cavium, Inc., with a focus on ARM Server CPUs. His career also includes significant roles at Broadcom, Altera, and LSI Logic Corporation, where Rishi contributed to product strategy, market analysis, and product lifecycle management in the networking and semiconductor industries. He holds an MBA in Marketing from Santa Clara University, an MS in Electrical Engineering with a focus on VLSI Design from San Jose State University, and an undergraduate degree in Electronics from Thadomal Shahani Engineering College. In this new podcast, we talked to Rishi Chugh, VP and General Manager of Data Sense Data Center Switch Business Unit with Marvell.  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 broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

Ripple Fiber sees an opportunity to address America’s underinvestment in fiber broadband infrastructure. The company, founded by broadband entrepreneur Greg Wilson, views itself as a disruptor in the U.S. fiber broadband market. In this latest episode, we talked with Greg Wilson, founder and CEO of Ripple Fiber, a Charlotte-based independent fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) provider founded in 2021. Greg leads the company's expansion, which aims to build 1.5 million new passings across 15 states over the next five years, following a 2025 merger with fellow fiber broadband provider Hyperfiber. Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Opening | 0:00 Host introduction of guests | 0:03 Ripple Fiber's emergence | 0:39 Wilson notes that underinvestment in the nation’s fiber networks has left the door open for disruptors like Ripple to deploy new broadband infrastructure. The Ripple Fiber brand | 2:15 With a focus on optimism, the Ripple Fiber brand centers on how communities can create opportunities through fiber. A local feel | 3:42 Unlike traditional cable operators and telcos, Ripple focuses on establishing a strong local presence in each market it serves.  Working with communities | 5:14 How Ripple Fiber will engage with community leaders to understand their priorities. Broadband competition | 6:59 Ripple Fiber is looking to be honest with its customers with straightforward pricing, no hidden costs and no bandwidth restrictions. Cable’s response | 8:52 In the markets Ripple enters, the provider sees local cable operators upgrading their DOCSIS platforms and implementing enhanced retention strategies but not building out fiber-based broadband. Ripple Fiber’s expansion strategy | 9:54 The company has created an advanced data set and algorithm to identify underserved and unserved broadband markets. Broadband provider consolidation |12:04 Wilson predicts that 2026 will be a busy year for mergers and acquisitions in the fiber broadband market. Fiber broadband speeds |12:51 Wilson notes that its fiber network supports 10 Gbps and that it will release a new 5 Gbps product soon. Business services |14:22 While Ripple Fiber has focused on residential customers, the service provider plans to launch a business-grade service soon. Wholesale services | 16:06 Today, Ripple Fiber’s focus is on providing fiber broadband to homes and businesses, but Wilson said it has the network capability to address data centers, enterprises and wireless backhaul opportunities as they arise. Convergence | 17:15 Ripple plans to keep its product set simple with a continual focus on providing high-speed fiber-based broadband services. Fiber shortages |17:38 While there have been reports of fiber shortages, Ripple Fiber maintains that, because it has already planned with its supplier, it does not foresee any issues. Final thoughts | 18:44 Greg Wilson shares his final thoughts about Ripple Fiber’s disruptive approach to the fiber broadband 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/.

When the FCC cut E-Rate funding for mobile hotspots & school bus Wi-Fi in September 2025, it threatened internet access for millions of students – hitting low-income and rural students hardest and worsening the digital divide. Nearly 20K schools & libraries were counting on more than $27.5 million to ensure children and families stay connected, but now they’ve been left out to dry.  But Mission Telecom is serving up a solution to protect affordable Wi-Fi access with a new offer to cover the loss of the revoked E-rate subsidies. The service provider is offering unlimited 4G/5G service at any applicant’s post-discount share of cost on their 471 through June 30, 2026. The new offer builds on Mission Telecom’s Mission-Connect, launched in July, which helped schools and libraries stay connected amidst E-rate uncertainty. Mission-Connect plan delivers affordable, unlimited wireless broadband to schools and libraries with pricing up to 65% below market rates and no contracts. In this new Broadband Pulse podcast, we talked with Mark Colwell, director of broadband operations at Mission Telecom, about how its new offer will make schools and library budgets whole after the E-Rate cuts. Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Opening | 0:00 Host introduction of guests |0:03 Mission Telecom’s background | 0:20 How Mission Telecom began its life providing educational TV using MMDS spectrum, and later leased spectrum to the broadband wireless operator Clearwire, now T-Mobile. FCC’s E-Rate eligibility| 2:04 Mission Telecom is providing an alternative service to schools and libraries for Wi-Fi on buses and wireless hotspots, which was cut from the E-Rate program. Mission’s Wi-Fi program | 3:56 Mission’s broadband program now has over 120 partners (schools and libraries). Schools and libraries benefiting from Mission’s program| 5:15 Littleton Public Schools (Colorado), Baltimore Public Library, York County Library (Charlotte, NC) and Boston Public Library are all trialing or using Mission’s wireless services. Mission Telecom’s Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB) partnership | 6:20 Advocating for libraries as a key piece in solving the digital divide. Rural communities | 8:02 Mission is helping rural communities through its partnership with T-Mobile, whose low-band spectrum and 5G coverage is a good fit for smaller communities.   Computers 4 People partnership | 9:33 How Mission Telecom works with various non-profit organizations that refurbish devices. Looking towards 2026 and final thoughts | 10:49 Colwell shares how Mission Telecom is gaining traction in the school and library space and how communities are seeking affordability and a way to support their communities. 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/.

In this new Broadband Pulse podcast, we talked to Jared Sonne, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Astound West Region. During the session, Sonne addressed how Astound Broadband is approaching new opportunities with the government's BEAD program, community and commercial broadband partnerships and its ongoing penetration into the multi-dwelling unit (MDU) 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 various providers. Today, we’re breaking the summary into two parts—highlighting builds for the weeks ending January 16 and January 9. For the week of January 16, we’re tracking deployments from Comcast, Dobson Fiber, Glo Fiber, Spectrum, STELLAR Broadband and Ziply Fiber. Then, for the week of January 8, we tracked deployments from Burlington Telecom, Comcast, Fybe, GoNetspeed, Ripple Fiber and Spectrum. 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/.  

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/.