This week: Jonathan Spalter, CEO of USTelecom, joins the show to discuss how the telecommunications industry is working toward closing the digital divide, and what it will take to make the BEAD program a success.

Quantum security, energy efficiency and widespread AI use are all on the whiteboard at Juniper Beyond Labs. CTO Raj Yavatkar discusses his 'pathfinder' strategy to turn ideas into networking reality.

Bill Hogg, the CEO of Gigapower, a fiber network company formed by the AT&T-BlackRock joint venture, says multiple ISPs are interested in Gigapower's multi-market open access model.

Marcos Martinez Vazquez, the new president of the Multimedia over Coax Alliance, discusses priorities for the organization and the importance of adding Frontier Communications as a 'contributor' member.

Dr. Richard Green reflects on the origins of CableLabs, the board meeting that led to DOCSIS, and the changes taking hold in an industry that's now focused on convergence and connectivity.

Colin Petrie-Norris, the chief revenue and platform officer at Xumo, talks about what's on the front burner and what's next at the Comcast-Charter national streaming joint venture.

NCTI CEO Stacey Slaughter says traditional cable remains core to the company's training and education programs. But NCTI, mirroring operator trends, continues to expand into fiber and wireless.

Camilla Formica, the chief program officer at The Cable Center and Syndeo Institute, discusses the group's new 'Intrapreneurship & Innovation Report' and its aim to deliver 'diversity of thought.'

Anand Chandrasekher, CEO of Aira Technologies, joined the podcast to discuss how his company is working to add machine learning and improve energy efficiency in the radio access network (RAN).

First Principles Innovations, a small company with a deep telecom background, has unleashed tools that help operators get the most out of their network upgrades and develop plans for greenfield deployments.

AtlasEdge CEO Giuliano Di Vitantonio joins the podcast to discuss the edge data center company's approach to edge computing in Europe, and why augmented reality, IoT and 5G are among the technologies pushing compute processing to the edge of the network.

Edge-out opportunities are broadening Ziply Fiber's scope. Meanwhile, the company will use FWA 'selectively' and for now will take a pass on creating a home broadband and mobile bundle, says CEO Harold Zeitz.

The Cable Center President and CEO Diane Christman discusses the 'Syndeo Institute,' a new operational brand that also serves as a hub for the Center's Intrapreneurship Academy and related programs and events.

DZS CEO Charlie Vogt, fresh off announcing new optical transport gear and a transport module for its network management platform, said there a lot of issues to be worked out as service providers look to take advantage of access network funding programs.

ATX Networks is ramping up production of 1.2GHz and 1.8GHz amps via a new US facility that will be used to help power enhancements to cable's existing DOCSIS 3.1 networks and future upgrades to DOCSIS 4.0.

SES' JP Hemingway explained why SES has partnered with Boeing and SpaceX on the launch of O3b mPower satellites, how the company is utilizing software-defined capabilities in its satellites and why it's focused on the MEO versus LEO space.

Boingo Wireless CEO Mike Finley provides an update on the company's private wireless deployments, such as its partnership with the San Diego Padres last fall.

CEO Ed Meyercord joins the podcast to explain why Extreme is focused on becoming more software-centric, how the company works with customers to better utilize their data and why digital twins can speed up network transformations.

This week: Michael Weening, CEO of Calix, joins the podcast to discuss the disruptive state of the broadband market, the role of federal funding in closing the digital divide, why 'speed is death' and more.

Cisco has all but exited the business of cable taps, amplifiers and nodes, but John Chapman, now CTO of broadband at Cisco, will stay linked to the HFC world as a member of Technetix's strategic advisory board.

Blockgraph CEO Jason Manningham joins the podcast to discuss how the company is keeping data safe and secure amid the rising tide of targeted TV advertising.

Wi-Fi management systems that monitor and optimize individual access points and extenders 'is not enough,' says Airties CEO and CTO Metin Taskin. 'We are going all the way to the application experience.'

Having sold its portal/ad biz and gone private, Synacor could make a move to separate Cloud ID, a unit known for digital authorization and single sign-on systems, and its Zimbra email services division, CEO Marc Zionts says.

Edgewater Wireless, a startup with ties to the cable industry, intends to find a home for its Wi-Fi-enhancing technology through its work with service providers and device makers.

After a year marked by 'explosive' growth, Clearfield CEO Cheri Beranek is focused on scaling the company to prepare for federal funding opportunities and increased community broadband builds.

CTO Ruy Pinto met up with Light Reading on site at Boeing Satellite in El Segundo, California, earlier this month with an update on the scheduled O3b mPower satellite launch.

Dan Whalen discusses the origins and goals of a new field tech training and deployment program and how cable network upgrade activity is heating up.

Jim Brickmeier, the new CEO of streaming software company Velocix, joins the podcast to discuss his top priorities, key market trends and finding the right balance between public and private CDNs.

Arrcus CEO Shekar Ayyar talks about the opportunities available to network operators thanks to new technologies and the continued convergence of enterprise and service provider networks.

Luis Martinez-Amago explores the recent separation of Technicolor into two separately traded companies, and what's next for Vantiva, the company that now runs what used to be the Connected Home unit of Technicolor.

Jeff Weber discusses interactivity and free-ad-supported TV following Zone TV's $22.5 million funding round.

Fresh off a mobile services deal with WideOpenWest, Reach Mobile's Harjot Saluja says his company's approach enables partners to develop and launch customizable services, including premium offerings and even 'flanker brands.'

Chris Rabii, a former exec with Cablevision Lightpath and Altice Business, explains how FiberLight aims to blend core connectivity more tightly with services and how the middle-mile could be its path into rural broadband funding projects.

Pivotal Commware CEO Brian Deutsch discusses the company's new as-a-service offering, Pivotal Turnkey Services, which aims to speed up deployments of fixed wireless access (FWA) networks that use mmWave technology.

Boingo's CEO said his company's new Las Vegas tech innovation lab will open later this year.

Paul Davis, the CEO of Adeia, the intellectual property and licensing company spun out of Xperi, says patent portfolio and market expansion are near-term priorities, and litigation is a 'last resort.'

Bob Gold, the PR guy who's been representing cable tech companies since the late 1990s, joins the podcast to play a game of 'Remember When' as his agency reaches its silver anniversary.

Marc DeBevoise, Brightcove's new CEO, joins the podcast to discuss his plans and vision for the company, what's surprised him about the evolution of the streaming market and why 4K is still a drop in the overall streaming bucket.

Ulf Andersson, former Ericsson and MobiledgeX exec, now heads Falcon V Systems, a cable-backed startup focused on 'open' distributed access architecture.

'We just think spaces should come with Internet infrastructure,' said Anil Varanasi, CEO of Meter, a startup with $50 million in funding to change how commercial spaces get connected.

Foxxum CEO Ronny Lutzi says the company's new OS for connected TVs, based on the operator-backed Reference Design Kit, will provide an alternative to Android TV. Foxxum's plan, he says, spans retail and an emerging market for operator-supplied connected TVs.

Infinera CEO David Heard said that the US is doing the right thing by committing billions of dollars to semiconductor research and manufacturing. Since chips are such a big part of the price of the end product and the speed of product innovation, Heard said the recently passed CHIPS and Sciences Act could be a watershed moment in optical networking.

David Zumwalt, CEO of WISPA, joins the podcast to discuss how fixed wireless providers are tackling the digital divide. We also get into WISPA's take on federal funding rules, unlicensed spectrum and why Zumwalt calls the FCC's broadband mapping effort 'an area of great concern.'

John Roese, the global CTO at Dell Technologies, discusses the company's views on edge computing and why the private 5G networking space is just starting to heat up.

Backed by more than 700 US operators, Lou Borrelli and the NCTC are pursuing a wave of new initiatives, including a 'Connectivity Exchange,' MVNO deals, a refreshed focus on video and tighter ties to tech suppliers.

Plume's Bill McFarland on how home network data shows how IoT brands perform and why IoT support and management is a critical to broadband service strategies.

Formica, a 33-year cable industry vet who will retain some ties to cable tech training specialist NCTI, has been appointed chief program officer of The Cable Center.

Matt Larsen, CEO of Vistabeam, joins the podcast to discuss the role of fixed wireless in reaching unserved populations and how more federal funding to close the digital divide could have the opposite impact.

Juniper CTO Raj Yavatkar joins the Light Reading podcast to discuss new business opportunities for 5G and how service providers can more efficiently and cost-effectively run 5G networks.

In this podcast, Rob Shema, CEO of Com Net Inc. and Hoosier Net, discusses a plan to interconnect telcos and electric cooperatives to beef up broadband quality and reliability amid the pursuit of federal funding for rural broadband.

James Stegeman, CEO of CostQuest, discusses his company's work with the FCC on a forthcoming federal broadband map that will determine how billions in broadband grant funding gets divided amongst US states and territories.

In this podcast, Claude Aiken, the new chief strategy officer and chief legal officer of Nextlink Internet, discusses the company trial of gigabit-class fixed wireless speeds over the 6GHz band. Aiken also offers an important update on how the regulatory landscape is shaping up in the band.

Joe Kochan, a telecom veteran and former CEO of US Ignite, talks to Light Reading about his new role as the executive director at the National Spectrum Consortium (NSC), where he aims to promote stronger tech partnerships between government, academia and industry.

In this podcast, new IQ Fiber CTO Aamer Abbasi digs into the greenfield opportunities the startup is pursuing in northeast Florida, thoughts about future multi-gig services and how government stimulus funding might fit into IQ Fiber's future game plan.

Meanwhile, the supplier is seeing 'high-split' trials and deployments perk up as cable operators seek ways to expand upstream capacity on DOCSIS 3.1 networks.

Jon Kirchner believes there's room for another player in the crowded connected TV OS market, as Xperi – which merged with TiVo last year – looks to enter the fray in late 2023/early 2024.

Tarana Wireless CEO Basil Alwan shares how his company, now worth more than $1 billion, has moved beyond small cell backhaul to helping service providers provide real broadband, all over the globe.

Juniper's M&A strategy is helping it build a managed services arsenal that adds more value to service provider connectivity in the enterprise market.

Robert Blumofe, EVP and CTO at Akamai, discusses his company's recent acquisition of Linode and how his company stays flexible enough to deal with the changes in enterprise computing.

Hot off a deal with WideOpenWest, Reach Mobile CEO Harjot Saluja says his company's platform enables partners to offer a range of flexible offerings, including family plans, underpinned by the networks of top US carriers.

Speeds and feeds are heading the hype in US broadband's multi-gig era, but Starry CEO Chet Kanojia believes a focus on 'consistent' latency and speeds more tailored to how specific customers use the Internet will help the company differentiate.

Bruno Fromont, CTO of Intelsat, is helping one of the world's storied satellite providers evolve to be more interoperable with carrier 5G networks and more software-defined as a technology company

'Most of the applications on devices really can be served by 30, 50, 60 Mbit/s, no problem,' UScellular's Mike Irizarry said, noting that those are the speeds supported today by UScellular's 4G LTE network.

Preciseley Microtechnology Corporation (PMC) President and CEO David Somo took a moment to talk about his company's optical components and which end markets are hot right now.

Charles Miller, co-founder and CEO of Lynk, discusses his company's technology and its ambition to help existing mobile network operators connect rural, remote and underserved communities all over the world.

Marc Allera, CEO of BT's Consumer Division, said there's a lot yet to prove with 5G but the early experiments and network performance has been really encouraging. 5G standalone is the next big incremental step forward in the network's evolution.

Edward Parkinson is celebrating a full decade of work on what is today FirstNet. Now he's leading the agency into the final year of the first phase of its agreement with AT&T.

The amount of data and applications consumed by 'power users' and tech company giants is skyrocketing, according to a Sandvine report on Internet data usage.

Phil McKinney, president and CEO of CableLabs, joins the Light Reading podcast to discuss where the cable industry is on the path to 10G and how CableLabs is stoking interest and innovation with its 10G Challenge.

CEO Jim Long says the startup is using digital 'beachheads' to gain initial footholds in various US markets, with plans to follow with deployments of antenna sites that can stream out larger channel lineups.

Kevin Hart, Cox's former CTO, said fiber-focused Segra will pursue growth by expanding into adjacent areas, broadening its product slate and seeking opportunities in unserved and underserved markets.

Christman, who joined The Cable Center in 2006, said her top priority in the new role is spearheading the next phase of the organization's five-year strategic transformation plan.

Noopur Davis on Comcast's journey into the Secure Development Lifecycle, ensuring security is prioritized at an early stage rather than tacked on at the end.

With $9 million in seed funding in hand, Adam Fish's startup uses peer-to-peer and advanced, distributed database systems to connect and sync mobile and IoT devices with limited or no Internet connectivity.

Light Reading recently caught up with Jeff Gray, CEO of Gluware, to discuss updates to the company's automation platform for enterprise customers and to hear more about how Gluware plans to put its new funding to use.

Robert Cruickshank claims his Optimum Load Shaping system can help cable operators cut power costs and put power utilities into position to modernize the grid and speed a transition to renewable energy.

Tareq Amin, CEO of Rakuten Symphony and CTO of Rakuten Mobile, talks about his company's success in open RAN and how it plans to change the economics of building 5G networks for other operators.

Starting in Europe with a partnership with Vestel, Vewd intends to take its 'Operator TV' program to other regions around the globe, CEO Aneesh Rajaram says.

Howard Watson explains how BT plans to phase out Huawei equipment, and why it's banking on the benefits of a 5G converged core.

Customers are looking to combine telco and tech elements into solutions, coupled AI, edge computing and IoT, Shuter said.

Armed with a $300 million from an 'F' round led by Japan's SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Plume intends to target companies that can broaden the smart home software specialist's cloud, data and AI capabilities, Plume CEO Fahri Diner says.

Last week's IPO paired with recent combination with Cerberus Telecom Acquisition Corp. puts Kore Wireless in position to accelerate organic and inorganic growth, says Romil Bahl, Kore's president and CEO.

BT's Chet Patel explains how telcos and hyperscalers can collaborate to provide a better cloud experience for enterprise customers.

Extreme's CTO Nabil Bukhari discusses the company's decision to acquire Ipanema and its plans for entering the SD-WAN market.

Ted Schremp, an exec late of Charter and TiVo, now heads up IQ Fiber, a service provider that has secured funding for a phase I buildout of an XGS-PON network that will serve 60,000 homes in the Florida city.

Concerns around cost and ease of use stalled SD-WAN deployments for remote workers, but the tide is turning as remote access tools improve and enterprises budget for a long-term distributed workforce.

Marc Price, CTO of Matrixx, talks about the possibilities that exist for network operators when they can more creatively charge for services and what new infrastructure unlocks those opportunities.

Eric Stonestrom has been the CEO of Airspan since 1998 and in just a few days he hopes to take the company public on the back of opportunities around open RAN and 5G.

This week: Prashanth Vijay, CEO of Flume, discusses leveraging dark fiber in partnership with cities, and Flume's commitment to deliver broadband to New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings.

Ziply Fiber has identified the 14 markets next in line for 1-Gig upgrades, the latest step in a broader plan to upgrade up to 85% of its footprint to FTTP over the next three years, CEO Harold Zeitz says.

Clearfield CEO Cheri Beranek joins the podcast to talk about how she's helped build a company that keeps growing as more and more community broadband providers deploy fiber.

Components makers are in the design phase, but ATX plans to reveal its 1.8GHz product roadmap this fall with a mix of line extenders, multi-port amplifiers and, possibly, a booster-type amp, CTO Jay Lee says.

Following its merger with Zoom Telephonics, a rebranding and an uplisting to the Nasdaq, Minim has set its sights on adding customers worldwide and pursuing new markets, President and CMO Nicole Zheng says.

Hot off its deal for three WOW markets, Astound is on the cusp of closing a deal with Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners that will provide the 'dry powder' needed to pursue even more strategic moves, CEO Jim Holanda says.

McLaughlin, an exec late of CommScope and Arris, is sizing up a plan for USTC to be a one-stop shop for telecom distribution and supply chain, replicating what USTC's parent, ETC Group, has already set up in Europe.

This week: Roger Timmerman, CEO, UTOPIA Fiber, on running an open access, municipal fiber network in Utah, why the model works and what other communities should know as they embark on building broadband.

There are potential cost savings to service providers by improving 5G network capacity, but the revenue from supporting enterprise applications could be operators' real golden ticket.

Rami Rahim, CEO of Juniper Networks, explains why future 5G services will be virtualized, and how the company plans to further automate data center operations.

Telia Carrier CEO Staffan Gojeryd said his company is poised to keep growing and will likely become more focused and more competitive now that it is standing on its own. Meanwhile, the need to balance technology investments and market expansion looms larger than ever.

This week: Ben Edmond, founder and CEO of Connected2Fiber, and Mel Wagner, CEO of INDATEL, on the economic challenges of rural broadband and how Connected2Fiber is helping operators plan and monetize their networks.