FTTH Council's Gigabit Highway runs through Minneapolis

Aug. 11, 2014
The FTTH Council America’s will hold the latest in its Gigabit Highway series of regional meetings in Minneapolis, MN, September 2-4, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. The event will feature a series of speakers and panel discussions covering various aspects of fiber to the home (FTTH) and the trend toward gigabit services delivery to residences and businesses via fiber-optic broadband access networks.

The FTTH Council America's will hold the latest in its Gigabit Highway series of regional meetings in Minneapolis, MN, September 2-4, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. The event will feature a series of speakers and panel discussions covering various aspects of fiber to the home (FTTH) and the trend toward gigabit services delivery to residences and businesses via fiber-optic broadband access networks.

The council recently announced Jonathan Chambers, chief of the Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis at the FCC, as a featured speaker. Chambers will discuss the FCC's Rural Broadband Experiments grant process.

Two panels should prove of particular interest. The first, "Lighting up the North: Why FTTH," will feature local FTTH operators who will explain why they chose to deploy all-fiber networks and their experiences with these infrastructures. They’ll describe both the challenges and successes they’ve had and review best practices that attendees can apply to their own FTTH roll outs. Moderated by Tom Cohen, partner, Kelley Drye & Warren, LLP, the panel will include:

  • Kevin Beyer, general manager and CEO, Farmers Mutual and Federated Telephone
  • Jim Hickle, president, Velocity Telephone, Inc., and Gigabit Minnesota
  • Dan Pecarina, president and CEO, Hiawatha Broadband Communications.

The second panel, "How All-Fiber is Transforming Rural Life: The Killer Apps," will highlight the benefits of all-fiber networks for users, particularly businesses. Moderator Mark Erickson, EDA director and city administrator, City of Winthrop, MN, will lead the discussion among:

  • Dr. Milda Hedblom, lawyer, consultant, and professor
  • Mark Lewellen, manager, spectrum advocacy, Intelligent Solutions Group, John Deere & Co.
  • Rachelle Schultz, president and CEO, Winona Health.

Those interested in attending may register via the FTTH Council’s website.

Minnesota is home to a large number of FTTH deployments; the FTTH Council estimates that there are more than 200 "within a day’s drive" from the meeting location. Other operators may be considering FTTH as they participate in the state’s $20 million Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program.

For more information on FTTX systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.

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