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This is Connected Nation – an award-winning podcast focused on all things broadband. From closing the Digital Divide to simply improving your internet speeds, we talk technology topics that impact all of us, our families, and our communities.
The podcast was honored in 2024 with an Award of Excellence for Podcast Series - Technology. This is the highest honor given by the Communicator Awards. More recently, the podcast received an Award of Distinction in 2025. It received the same honor in 2023 and 2022.
Learn more about the national nonprofit behind this podcast at connectednation.org.
223 Episodes
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Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk to two technicians about building broadband in some of the most rural areas in America - Wyoming, and Montana. We also put them on the spot by asking to build a STEAM packet for local kids. This is what happened. Recommended links: Range.net Goodera Nadia Ho Linkedin
Send us a text On today's episode of Connected Nation, we ask what it takes to win the partner award for innovation given by Calix every year. The answer: be a disruptor. We'll talk with the CEO and Co-founder of Camvio about winning the award and find out how the company has been and is approaching innovation including leveraging AI years before AI was "cool." Recommended links: Jennifer Logsdon, CEO & Co-founder, Camvio LinkedIn Camvio website
Send us a text On this episode on Connected Nation, we chat with Chris Homan, Telecom Vertical Leader for Paymentus, about the company's multi-vertical payment platform, their partnership with Calix, and their show-stopping conference booth! Recommended links: Calix ConneXions 2025 Paymentus website Chris Homan LinkedIn
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we sit down with Google's Head of Global Quality and Commissioning to discuss how industry leaders are coming together to set standards for data center infrastructure. Find out how your company can get involved and why setting a standard now is important for AI in the future. Related links: Google Gino Tozzi's Linkedin Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) details data center quality management
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we examine digital skills training and what it takes to evolve from the basics - like learning to use email and the internet - to really mastering emerging trends like AI. Related links: AI Literacy Resource Hub Digital Literacy and Learning Program Teens Teach Tech, powered by AT&T Digital Works
Send us a text On this special episode of Connected Nation, we talk to leadership from the broadband program office at Cisco Systems. Learn about the new blueprint they're taking for building the networks that power your connectivity. Plus, we talk about AI, AI pods, and the company's broadband innovation centers. Recommended links: Robin Olds' LinkedIn Cisco webpage
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we have a special guest - Chairman and CEO of our national nonprofit, Tom Ferree. We'll discuss what it means to map joy in the workplace AND find out how Connected Nation can help broadband leaders do everything from tackle AI to more easily tracking BEAD compliance. Recommended links: Tom Ferree Linkedin Canopy Good Business Summit Connected Nation website
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we're taking you to Big Sky Country for a conversation with the Montana State Broadband Director. We ask her how she and her team are implementing the ConnectMT Broadband Program in a place that attracts people because it's wild and rural. Recommended links: Montana Broadband Office website Misty Ann Giles Linkedin BEAD Program (NTIA webpage)
Send us a text On this episode on Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Calix ConneXions 2025, taking place in Las Vegas Nevada. We talk with one man who just struck out on his own in the telecom and broadband industry. Find out how he's planning to leverage his 25 years in the business to help others and why he believes it was "now or never." Editor's note: The host, Jessica Denson, misspoke and said Mr. Rene had 35 years in the business. It is actually 25. Recommended ...
Send us a text On this episode on Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from rom Calix ConneXions 2025, which took place in Las Vegas in mid-October. We sat down with the Corporate VP of Marketing for Calix to discuss innovating customer success, implementing a smarter AI, and using a little showmanship to drive the messages home. Recommended links: Calix ConneXions 2025 Scott Neuman Calix Corporate Vice President of Marketing LinkedIn
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with leadership from Mac Mountain. A recently launched company that's taking a unique approach to expanding broadband by helping other businesses grow. Listen and find out how the model works and what led to this non-traditional approach to expanding access to more homes and businesses. Recommended links: Mac Mountain Website Alex Rozek LinkedIn Scott Sampson LinkedIn
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Bree Maki, Executive Director, Office of Broadband Development, Minnesota. She explains why the state was already well on its way to connecting everyone *before* BEAD. Plus, we find out what state broadband leaders across the country are sharing with one another AND learn about the unique challenges of building out broadband in the land of 10,000 lakes. Recommended links: Minnesota Broadband Office Website
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we begin our coverage from Calix ConneXions 2025, taking place in Las Vegas Nevada. We talk with Jacob Smithee, the Director of IT from a Co-op in Alabama, about the challenges of bringing high speed internet to extremely rural areas. Plus we find out what he hopes for connectivity in his state and how his company recently helped the Navajo Nation with a completely different problem. Recommended links: Calix ConneXions 2025 Flash...
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we're joined by a special guest who has spent nearly a decade researching the Digital Divide and meeting many of those who are directly impacted by it. Find out what Dr. Christopher Ali is working on now AND the claim he says many broadband leaders need to stop making now or risk creating more harm. Recommended links: Get "Farm Fresh Broadband: The Politics of Rural Connectivity" Dr. Christopher Ali Penn State Universit...
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk to a father and son team who rep a host of manufacturers in the broadband space. Find out how their model fills the needs of a wide range of companies, programs, and projects. Recommended links: Communications Marketing Systems - https://superrep.com/ Ken Lazear (dad) and Jake Lazear (son) https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-lazear-586a20149/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacoblazear/
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we ask what the Danish can do to help build out broadband in America? I talk to a rep with Lynddahl Telecom about the product they're now manufacturing in the US to do just that. Recommended links: Lynddahl Telecom website Pete Spehr, SVP of Sales, Lynddahl Telecom America - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-spehr-0437042/
Send us a text On this special edition of Connected Nation, we head back to Wichita, Kansas one last time for the AI Interconnection Summit, which took place on Thursday, September 11th. This time we talk with leadership from Stevens Fiber Group and Moonshot Energy about what they do, why Kansas is on their radar, and the reason this summit was their can't miss event. Recommended links: AI Interconnection Summit website Stevens Fiber Group's website Allen Meyer's Linkedin profile ...
Send us a text On this special edition of Connected Nation, we head BACK to Wichita, Kansas for an AI Interconnection Summit. This time, we talk with the woman many credit with greenlighting the FIRST EVER Internet Exchange Point in Kansas and with one CEO who is going to help make it a reality. Recommended links: AI Interconnection Summit website Socket Fiber website Jade Piros de Carvalho Linkedin profile iM Data Centers website Mike Roark Linkedin profile
Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect 2025 as we sit down with broadband entrepreneur Scott Sampson, CEO of Blueprint Broadband and founder of Light Craft and Mac Mountain to talk about the fast-changing tech landscape. Hear how his ventures are supporting ISPs with financing, operations, and shared services and why collaboration is the key to closing the Digital Divide. Recommended links: Scott Sampson LinkedIn Blueprint Broa...
Send us a text On this special edition of Connected Nation, we head to Wichita, Kansas for a first-of-its-kind event – an AI Interconnection Summit. We begin our coverage with Ivo Ivanov - the CEO of DE-CIX - one of the world’s biggest names when it comes to internet infrastructure. Find out why he felt it was critical to travel to America’s heartland for the summit, what his company is doing there in the long term, and why what’s happening there will ultimately impact us all. Re...
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