The Divide: Doug Maglothin on Diamond State Networks' plans for Arkansas and beyond
3/13/2023This episode features Doug Maglothin, who was recently appointed CEO of Diamond State Networks (DSN), a group of 13 electric co-ops in Arkansas working to unite fiber networks and provide wholesale broadband statewide.
Maglothin previously served as partner and chief strategy officer for Leverage Broadband Strategies, a consulting firm that helped form Diamond State in 2020. In this episode, we discuss Diamond State Networks in detail, including its progress in Arkansas so far, the role state and federal funding are playing in its buildout, how Diamond State is working to expand its model beyond the state of Arkansas and more.
Here are a few topics we covered:
- Background on Diamond State Networks and Maglothin's appointment as CEO (1:25)
- How DSN envisions partnering with co-ops across state lines on connectivity (6:30)
- Why and when Diamond State Networks may open up to additional ISPs (10:00)
- The role of current and future federal funds in DSN's build (15:30)
- Network details and status of buildout (18:17)
- Why supply chain is still the biggest challenge and how DSN is managing (19:20)
- Details on DSN members' fiber deployment methods (22:00)
- The role Maglothin thinks non-fiber technologies may play in Arkansas (25:04)
- Advice for other electric co-ops that want to follow DSN's lead (26:55)
For a lightly edited transcript, click the caption button on the video player above.
Related stories and links:
- Craighead Electric's Jeremiah Sloan on lighting up Arkansas with fiber
- Arkansas electric co-ops band together for bandwidth
- The Divide: Connected Nation's Brent Legg on the need to build more carrier-neutral IXPs
- Playlist: 'The Divide' on the Light Reading Podcast
— Nicole Ferraro, editor, Light Reading, and host of "The Divide" on the Light Reading Podcast.
