Editor’s Choice Track

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Wednesday May 02

7:30 am – 8:00 am
Breakfast and Program: Connecting the Unconnected

Free Wi-Fi coming to the Mt. Everest and Annapurna region of Nepal? Hear how it’s being implemented from the developer of the “Okamura Model,” a low-cost “do-it-yourself” optical cable solution for remote areas.

Presenter:
Haruo Okamura – Visiting Professor, Waseda University

2:30 pm -3:30 pm
SDN/SD-WAN: Promises and Challenges

“Don't build to your customer, just reach out and touch them with SDN/SD-WAN services!!” Legacy network architectures are expensive and complex to control and maintain. But the network of the future needs to continue to support them as well as a rising flood of new IoT devices – all in a much more efficient and effective process. The network of the future also needs to offer flexible and non-geographic service from the communications providers. This session looks at the current/future state of SDN/SD-WAN technology -- plus the pros/cons (“Show Me the Money”) for the provider and the enterprise client.

Moderator:
Gordon Caverly – Regional VP, Mid-State Consultants

Presenters:
Jody Craft - Managing Partner, Ronin Technology Advisors
Kurt Raaflaub - Head of Strategic Solutions Marketing, ADTRAN
Scott Wilkinson – Product Management & Technical Marketing Executive, ECI Telecom

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Healthcare and Broadband Deployment: Powerful Partners

Healthcare pumps billions into the economy, and it’s frequently the major source of jobs in communities. But seismic shifts in reimbursement are putting this industry at risk. The solution? New, efficient ways to deliver care – from robotic surgery to electronic health records – made possible by robust broadband deployment. This means healthcare can be a strong partner in getting your broadband deployed – and this session shows you how to take advantage of the synergy.

Moderator:
Bob Knight – Executive Vice President & COO, Harrison Edwards Strategic, Inc.

Presenters:
Jordana Barton, MPA – Senior Adviser, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Craig Settles – President, Gigabit Nation
Ted Lehr, Ph.D. – IT Data Architect, City of Austin, TX
Seth Feder – Director of Information Management and Technology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin
Nick Beachler – Managing Partner, Public Sector West, Verizon Smart Communities

Thursday May 03

9:10 am – 10:00 am
Making an Open and Shut Case for Open Access

The message from the open-access aficionados on this panel: For all those places where the rural incumbents just aren’t cutting it, it’s time for communities to take their digital future into their own hands by building the critical infrastructure themselves! And if you don’t want to operate the network, partner with a neutral operations company. Still another approach? Third party ownership/financing of your community network. Whichever method you chose – and you’ll hear the choices – allowing multiple service providers ensures that both businesses and residents get the speed and reliability they need at a reasonable price.

Moderator:
Ben Lewis-Ramirez – Business Development Leader, Foresite Group

Presenters:
Isak Finer – Chief Marketing Officer, COS
Kim McKinley – Chief Marketing Officer, UTOPIA
Angela Bennink – Telecommunications Business Manager, Kitsap Public Utility District
Kelly Ryan – CEO, President & Founder iFiber Communications Corp.
Anthony Bednarczyk – Broadband Engagement Leader, Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc.

10:10 am – 11:00 am
Vendor Panel

Our popular potpourri of novel but tested broadband solutions brings together consultants, software vendors and equipment vendors for an interactive panel. Expect short presentations, no blatant sales pitches and a lot of time for audience questions.

Moderator:
Diane Kruse – CEO and Lead Consultant, NEO Connect

Presenters:
Kyle Strang – Principal, SpryPoint
Kevin Wynne – Manager, Americas, Comsof
Joel Tyus – Senior Product Manager, Evolution Digital
Tommy Siniard – CTO, 3-GIS

2:20 pm – 3:30 pm
Broadband Access and Economic Growth: What Does the Data Say?

It’s not enough to cite a report. You also have to understand data weaknesses and strengths. Three data geeks discuss the data behind their research on how broadband access drives economic growth – and how lack of broadband access can bring stagnation. But not always. They’ll set the stage with brief presentations, and then the fun begins!

Presenters:
Steve Ross – Editor-at-Large, Broadband Communities
Rollie Cole – Senior Fellow, Sagamore Institute for Policy Research
Bill Coleman – Community Technology Advisors