Fiber Connect 2025 Breakout Sessions – Call for Speakers

The Fiber Connect 2025 Conference and Expo call for speakers is now open.

The Call for Speakers is designed to help the conference organizers curate the best, non-commercial content as part of the Breakout Session Tracks on Monday, June 2, and Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

Please read the following information in its entirety before submitting.

We are looking for expert speakers for panels already developed, not topic suggestions for panels. Do not submit a topic abstract. Only submit an individual speaker.

No submissions featuring or focused on specific company products or solutions will be considered.

If accepted as a speaker, the invitation to speak is not transferable to another company or individual within that company.

All speaker submissions will be reviewed by the FBA Conference Committee with the following considerations:

Expertise on subject matter

Involvement with FBA

Relevant speaker experience

The Conference Committee seeks to create a balanced conference program that showcases the wide range of member companies, diversity, and expertise that allows our industry to thrive.

Submission does not guarantee acceptance into the Fiber Connect 2025 program. If your speaker is not accepted, and you would like additional personnel from your company to be considered for opportunities that might become available, please contact Conference Committee Chairman, Evann Freeman, and Program Director, Richard Williams.

Fiber Connect 2025 Call for Speakers Submission Guide

Watch Richard Williams, Fiber Connect Conference Program Director, as he takes you through the information you should highlight when submitting to be a speaker.

We are looking for individuals interested in joining the conversations listed below.

Fiber Connect 2025 Breakout Sessions will be held from 1:00 – 3:20 pm on Monday and Tuesday, with each session lasting 40 minutes.

Breakout Sessions are entirely comprised of panel sessions.

There are no stand-alone presentation options as part of the programming.

Deployment Best Practices

These sessions are designed to tackle issues, opportunities, and challenges associated with the deployment of fiber broadband. Ideally focused on how operators will look to take fiber further, especially to new unserved markets, speakers should be able to present best practices and/or lessons learned. We are looking for experts to discuss:

– Case studies of successful deployments in rural areas

– Case studies of successful deployments in suburban areas

– Case studies of successful deployments in urban area

– Case studies of successful deployments with MDUs and campus environments

Submit to Speak on Deployment Best Practices

Networks at Work: The What, When, and How of Expanding Fiber Footprints

This track is intended to address the issues, opportunities, and challenges associated with the operational aspects of managing networks as operators expand the range and reach of fiber broadband networks and services. We are looking for experts to discuss:

– In-home customer experience

– Whole home capacity distribution

– Over the top service support

– OSS and BSS

Submit to Speak on Expanding Fiber Footprints

Fiber Economics: Creating the Connections that Lead to Growth

These sessions are designed to examine the financial considerations and opportunities operators need to consider when deploying fiber broadband services in either greenfield or existing network environments in both rural and urban environments. We are looking for experts to discuss:

– Federal and state grant applications

– Public/private partnerships

– Federal funding mechanisms

– Rural/Suburban/Urban deployment economic models

Submit to Speak on Fiber Economics

Tribal Broadband: Key Considerations and Expectations

This track is designed to discuss sustainable paths forward to connect tribal communities with fiber broadband in accordance with individual nations’ laws and customs. We are looking for experts to discuss:

– Broadband deployment on tribal lands

– Partnership models with one or more other entities, including other Tribes or other commercial providers.

– Permitting experience

– Grant and federal funding

Submit to Speak on Tribal Broadband

Outside Plant: Digging in as BEAD Doles Out

These sessions are designed to discuss the realities of deploying fiber broadband to places it has not been deployed before and examine the technologies and systems available to help operators expand their range and reach. We are looking for experts to discuss:

– Pros and cons of Aerial (ADSS vs. Strand & Overlash) and Underground (Direct Bury vs. Conduit)

– Technology choices and the impact on issues of cost, design, engineering

– Emerging technologies such as microtrenching and other construction techniques.

– Issues and challenges related to permitting and locates

Submit to Speak on Outside Plant

Middle Mile: Keeping It All Connected

This track is designed to discuss the deployment of middle mile networks to support network operator fiber broadband expansion to serve rural communities. We are looking for panelists to discuss:

– Industry trends

– Challenges

– Innovative technology approaches

– Federal funding mechanisms

– Permitting and other local deployment challenges

– Public/private partnerships

Submit to Speak on Middle Mile

Service Provider Ecosystem: Building Teams That Move Business Forward

These sessions are intended to focus on how the fiber broadband industry can improve the service providers’ experience and reduce silos and challenges that service providers are facing. We are looking experts to discuss:

– System integrations/engineering/construction

– Mapping and outage management

– Service provider and vendor relationship best practices

– Project/process/data management

– Implementation best practices

– Digital customer engagement

Submit to Speak on the Service Provider Ecosystem

Digital Equity and Workforce Development

These sessions will focus on the industry’s efforts to create workforce development programs and the impact these programs will have on the industry’s ability to successfully build the networks needed to close the digital divide. We are looking for experts to share insights and perspective on the following topics:

– Economic impact to work force trainees

– Workforce development program developers

– Impact of DEI program as part of workforce development efforts

– Equity as a driver of economic growth

Submit to Speak on Digital Equity and Workforce Development

Ready to Participate in Fiber Connect 25?

Submit a speaking spot today and become part of the voice that’s driving nationwide fiber optic broadband adoption.

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