After 12 years as editor of Broadband Communities, I have stepped down and turned over the reins of the magazine to my younger, more energetic and very talented editorial colleagues – Sean Buckley, formerly executive editor and now editor-in-chief, and Eli Penberthy, the copy chief. Founding editor Steve Ross (aka the Bandwidth Hawk) remains in his current role as editor-at-large; his deep experience and acute insights will continue to inspire and inform the editorial team.
When I wrote my first article for Broadband Communities (then Broadband Properties) as a freelancer in 2005, fiber to the home was largely unknown. Companies deploying it – mostly on a very small scale – were excited about it. Other people, if they had heard of it at all, dismissed it as unconventional, unproven or, at best, unneeded.
This magazine was the only publication in the United States that championed fiber as the future of broadband. And that wasn’t an esoteric technical opinion. We weren’t interested in technology for its own sake – or, at any rate, not interested enough to devote a whole magazine to it. Rather, we thought fiber would change the world. And we were right.
Yes, other good broadband options exist today. But it’s important to remember that they were developed only in response to the challenge that fiber to the home posed. And increasingly, these other technologies are viewed as steps in the inevitable transition to fiber.
I feel lucky to have spent these years reporting on and advocating for this transition. Playing even a minor role
in such a major transformation was a great privilege.
There’s still a long way to go, of course. Too many people in the United States and around the world lack adequate broadband – and the bar for what constitutes adequate broadband keeps being raised. But new technologies, new business models and new financing options will make fiber feasible for more communities in years to come.
In other words, there’s still plenty for my former colleagues and our authors to write about, and I look forward to reading what they have to say.
A Heartfelt Thanks
What a pleasure it has been to have Masha Zager steering the editorial ship at Broadband Communities. Her depth of knowledge of the industry and her ability to explain it are truly remarkable. She has been generous and kind with her advice, and she leaves the magazine in good hands. So cheers, Masha, and thank you. And welcome, Sean and Eli, as you pick up her reins. Masha trained us well for this latest transition.
– Barbara DeGarmo, CEO, Broadband Communities
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