FFB Week 29 – Federal Funding and the Economic Impacts on the Fiber Broadband Industry

The U.S. does not rank near the top 10 countries in broadband speeds or availability, so $100B in new U.S. Federal subsidies is set to close the Digital Divide and make broadband ubiquitous to the 20% of homes that need access. A decade-long investment cycle will likely transform the fiber access industry as it competes for capital with new cable, wireless, and satellite technologies. Further, new broadband operators, such as municipalities and electric power co-ops, are joining the frenzy with traditional telco and cable providers. But somehow, 2023 started with a “thud” for some suppliers. What happened? How do investors think about the opportunity for operators and suppliers now?

Webinar Presenter:

Ryan Koontz, Managing Director, Needham & Co

Ryan Koontz joined Needham & Company as Managing Director and Senior Analyst in 2021, covering the broadband networking and cloud communications equity sectors. Before joining Needham, Ryan covered the cloud communications and networking sectors at Rosenblatt Securities for three years and previously founded two independent research businesses at Woodside Capital and Inflection Point Research. Before equity research, Ryan held key management positions at Advanced Fibre Communications, Ericsson, and AT&T, developing fiber access products. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and an M.B.A. and M.S. in Engineering Management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.