DiscoverFiber for Breakfast with Gary BoltonFFB Episode 239 - Driving Connections - Local Lessons from the Road to Broadband Expansion
FFB Episode 239 - Driving Connections - Local Lessons from the Road to Broadband Expansion

FFB Episode 239 - Driving Connections - Local Lessons from the Road to Broadband Expansion

Update: 2025-08-06
Share

Description

Broadband is no longer a luxury—it’s essential for economic opportunity, education, and community resilience. The Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) is meeting this need by investing in infrastructure through a deeply local, collaborative approach.

This past June, MCA President Andrew Butcher hit the road in his 1984 Volkswagen van—affectionately known as “Buttercup”—traveling over 800 miles to visit 14 towns, 5 libraries, and 2 connectivity hubs, and connect with more than 150 community members and broadband partners across Maine to understand how we can both be more connected digitally and in real life.

In this episode of Fiber for Breakfast, Andrew joins Gary Bolton, President & CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, to share stories from the road and insights into how strategic partnerships—with Tribal, municipal, nonprofit, and private stakeholders—are helping close the digital divide. With more than 86,000 homes and businesses connected in the past three years—a 26% increase in access—MCA is building more than just infrastructure; it’s shaping the future of equitable, sustainable connectivity.

With Special Guest:

Andrew Butcher, President, MCA
Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

FFB Episode 239 - Driving Connections - Local Lessons from the Road to Broadband Expansion

FFB Episode 239 - Driving Connections - Local Lessons from the Road to Broadband Expansion

Fiber for Breakfast with Gary Bolton