Annual Convention Sessions & Speakers |
General Session
Wednesday, May 24
8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Broadband Funding & Policy – 2022 & Beyond
Mike Romano, NTCA
While significant decisions and substantial funds are coming from the federal level, there has never been such opportunity for interaction – and potential confusion – between federal and state policymakers when it comes to promoting broadband availability and affordability. We’ll discuss how various federal agencies are tackling certain issues, the state’s role in making decisions on key broadband questions, and what’s likely to transpire in the second half of 2022 and coming years.
Financial Market Update
Jeff Johnston, CoBank
Hunter Hook, CoBank
Financial Markets are always evolving. This session will cover current trends in interest rates, company valuations, and how they will impact rural telcos.
Keynote: Amplify Employee Engagement | Capitalize on Passion, Focus and Commitment
Mike Evans, realmikeevans.com
In these tremendously ultra-competitive and turbulent times, how do you cultivate an environment where employees at all levels are engaged, energized and flourish? How do you effectively tap into the enormous wealth of creativity, innovation, passion, energy and commitment of employees that is often left idle? Much different than "job satisfaction" (there are a lot of highly paid miserable people who are satisfied with their job) – engagement is about passionate, focused and committed employees contributing daily to help achieve what matters most.
Breakout Sessions
Wednesday, May 24
1:30 PM - 2:20 PM
Beat the Competition With a Subscriber Acquisition StrategyTara Young, Calix
Subscriber acquisition is key strategic initiative for most broadband service providers (BSPs). But how can they reach and acquire new subscribers before their competition? Armed with more than $100 billion in funding, new competitors and incumbent providers are looking to expand their networks and grow their business. They’re targeting the same pool of potential subscribers as most BSPs. And for BSPs that compete on speed and price alone, they are more vulnerable to competitive threats. To win BSPs need new strategies to fuel growth, acquire new subscribers, and deliver differentiated subscriber experiences.
Onboarding for Employee Retention
Brian Blahnik, B Squared Consulting
One way to retain employees is by developing a strategic onboarding process. The sooner new hires feel welcome and prepared, the sooner they will be able to contribute to the mission.
Empowering Broadband Consumers through Transparency Order
Teri Kessler, NECA
An overview of the Empowering Broadband Consumers Through Transparency Report and Order released on November 17, 2022, also known as the Broadband Label Order. Requirements for broadband providers to display easy-to-understand labels to allow customers to comparison shop for broadband services. FNPRM to discuss the display of more comprehensive information and the availability of the information in other languages and other modalities.
Enable Support for Wi-Fi 6 & 6E Technology to Deliver an Exceptional Subscriber Experience
Dennis Budke, Calix
Matt Gloss, Calix
Consumer adoption of internet services and smart home products spiked with the pandemic and is going strong as the expectation for always-on, high quality connected experiences evolves. This demand has driven a wave of CPE upgrades among consumers, triggering BSPs to begin their replacement cycles now looking at Wi-Fi 6E on the heels of Wi-Fi 6. In fact, the Wi-Fi Alliance predicted that 338 million “Wi-Fi 6E”-compatible devices would enter the market in 2021, designed to take advantage of this new spectrum and not be clogged with legacy devices. Support for Wi-Fi 6 and 6E technologies is now top of mind for BSPs as they look to get ahead of the curve.
2:20 PM - 3:20 PM
Work Smarter Not Harder: Ways to Leverage AI in MarketingAutumn Ricke, Pinnacle Marketing Group
Artificial Intelligence enables organizations to improve their overall marketing efforts. AI can automate your everyday marketing tasks like scheduling and sending emails or predicting campaign performance and let you get back to work on other important things, like satisfying clients. Want to know how? Here are four ways you can begin using AI for your organization's marketing today.
Cyber Security Preparedness
Facilitator: Jordan Roberts, Telcom Insurance Group
Panelist: Wendy Danielson, Norvado
Panelist: Shawn Walmer, 3RT
Our panel of cyber security experts will provide an interactive session on steps you can implement to prevent a cyber event, lessons we have learned from other attacks, and the best practices your company should be striving to complete to keep it safe.
What's Hot on the State and Federal Regulatory Front for 2023
Eric Pulvermacher, Forvis
In our every changing regulatory environment we will discuss some of the most active topics in regulatory today. These topics will impact us all so stay up to date on what is happening. Attendees can expect update on the PSC grant process, broadband nutrition labels and the constitutionality of USF.
Mobile Apps for Today’s Telecom Operations
Lindsay Randazzo, Innovative Systems
Connectivity on the go is essential for supporting the demands of your customers, mobile applications increase productivity for technicians and transmits field activity back to your OSS system in seconds. This session will present real world data showing how thousands of service technicians are using mobile apps today and what they are using them for.
2:20 PM - 3:20 PM
Marketing Roundtable
Facilitator: Melissa Lease
The Importance of Staying Sharp
Steve Meltzer, JSI
Things seem rosy for rural broadband providers. Broadband funding programs are beyond plentiful. Consumer appreciation and demand for broadband service has never been higher. What a great business to be in! But practicing good business fundamentals is still key to future success. This presentation will take a sober look at the most important issues facing broadband providers and talk about the challenges of managing businesses as the good times roll.
Technology Roundtable
Facilitator: Shane McCann
General Session
Thursday, May 25
9:00 AM - 11:45AM
2023 Broadband and Video Report on Rural America and Executive Peer Panel
Facilitator: Scott Meyer
Panelists: TBA
This presentation will include 2023 data that identifies key demographic, social, and preferential tendencies of your broadband and video customers. The study was conducted in rural marketplaces across the US with over 800 respondents and includes a benchmark report that covers 2021-2023. A free copy of the full report will be made available to conference attendees.
Join our panel of leading Telecom executives as they share their thoughts and ideas on driving innovation, new revenue opportunities and creative cost management in the face of fluctuating support dollars. Hear these leaders discuss the challenges and opportunities they are facing.
Team Esports
David Lockstein, Watertown School District
Mike Dahle, Wisconsin High School Esports Alliance
Panelist: Michael Culp
Panelist: Jaylyn Palenshus
Panelist: Logan Zipp
David Lockstein and Mike Dahle from the Wisconsin High School Esports Alliance will be bringing in an Esports team from Elkhorn School District to talk about what Esports means to them.
Schedule subject to change.