As more homes are connected to fiber broadband, it is important to ensure that the equipment and devices used to connect the home can interoperate with the services and applications that will drive the need for the type of capacity only fiber broadband can deliver. This year’s Proof of Concept (PoC) will focus on the Connected Home and the experience of the broadband subscriber.

For the 2024 PoC program, the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) has partnered with The Broadband Forum (BBF) to center this year’s demonstrations on one of two BBF Connected Home specifications: BBF.247 GPON ONU and BBF.369 User Services Platform (USP) Certifications.

PoC Demonstrations must leverage the interoperability certification as designed by the BBF and should showcase how innovative Connected Home services leverage the capacity, scale, latency and/or security fiber broadband provides. PoCs can demonstrate one or more services and applications that support the conference theme of “Accelerating our Fiber Future” and could include innovative IoT, AI, security and other Smart Home options.

PoC submissions will be reviewed by the FBA’s Technical and Conference Committees and the BBF prior to approval for inclusion in the Fiber Connect 2024 PoC Showcase. FBA reserves the right to ask clarifying questions or ask for adjustments to a PoC submission as needed prior to acceptance.

Please refer to the attachments below for more information on the POC Program and how to submit your proposal to Lucy Green at lgreen@fiberbroadband.org.

Fiber Connect 2024 will accept speaker submissions for breakout sessions only. All breakout sessions are 100% panel sessions intended to focus on the issues driving the fiber broadband industry forward. Individuals interested in participating in a breakout panel session should submit their qualifications via the Speaker Submission Portal before Wednesday, March 20, 2024, on the specific topics listed below:

• Deployment Opportunities and Challenges: permitting and locates, innovative construction and deployment techniques, rights of way/access, outside plant, urban and rural challenges, workforce development and optimization
• Network Operations: The What, When, and How of Expanding Fiber Footprints: in-home experience, homes passed to homes connected best practices, first-time broadband customer acquisition, technology options for 1G+ fiber services
• Middle Mile: Keeping It All Connected: industry trends, challenges, innovative technology approaches, federal funding mechanisms, permitting and other local deployment challenges, public/private partnerships
• Service Provider Ecosystem: Delivering Excellence at Every Point: system integrator/engineering firm/construction, BSS/OSS, mapping and outage management, service provider and vendor relationship best practices, project/process/data management, implementation best practices, digital customer engagement
• Fiber Financials: The Economics of Fiber Broadband: federal and state grant applications, public/private partnerships, federal funding mechanisms, compliance

All Fiber Connect 2024 speaking submissions will be reviewed by the FBA Conference Committee with the following considerations: expertise on subject matter, involvement with FBA, and relevant speaker experience. No submissions featuring or focused on specific company products or solutions will be considered. To learn more about product presentations, contact Lucy Green at lgreen@fiberbroadband.org about sponsorship opportunities at Fiber Connect 2024.

Photos from Fiber Connect 2023

• Network Operators: Municipal, Co-op, Mobile, Fixed, & Telco
• 5G Carriers
• Investors & Investment Professionals
• Local Government & Public Sector
• Neutral Host Network Operators
• Infrastructure Providers: Towers, Small Cells, Fiber Networks
• Data Management & Network Design Software
• Edge Computing & Cloud Services
• Data Center Operators & Developers
• Commercial Real Estate Developers
• University / Education Campus Networks

Did you know that FBA members get a discount to attend Fiber Connect? If you are not a member, click the link below to explore membership options.