Accompanying PowerPoint presentations have been uploaded onto each session page.
May 23
9:00 am

Mountain Connect Golf Tournament
Annual Golf Tournament at the Keystone Ranch Golf Club.
- 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
10:00 am
Conference Registration
Conference Registration is located at the Main Lobby Registration Desk.
- 10:00 am to 5:30 pm
- Main Lobby Registration Desk
11:00 am
Broadband 101
Broadband 101 Session – The Basics of Broadband This pre-conference session will cover the basic concepts of broadband networking technology, economics, and public policy that all industry managers, public policy … Read more
- 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
- Moderator: David Reed
12:00 pm
Exhibitor Setup
- 12:00 pm to 5:30 pm
3:30 pm
Annual Colorado Broadband Stakeholder Forum/LTPT Meeting
This meeting is an opportunity for the Colorado Broadband Office to have an open discussion with broadband stakeholders across the state in order to discuss current events and concerns and … Read more
- 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
- Moderator: Brandy Reitter
6:30 pm
Conference Welcome Reception
The Adventure Center is lakeside, behind the main hotel.
- 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
May 24
7:00 am
Conference Registration
Conference Registration is located at the Main Lobby Registration Desk.
- 7:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Main Lobby Registration Desk
7:45 am
Conference Welcome Message & Announcements
Welcome to Mountain Connect!
- 7:45 am to 8:00 am
- Moderator: Jeff Gavlinski
8:00 am
Q&A With United States Senator Michael Bennet
Have questions about the unprecedented infrastructure investment and how the BEAD program will change the face of broadband in the United States? Senator Bennet will join from Washington DC to … Read more
- 8:00 am to 8:15 am
- Speakers: Senator Michael Bennet
8:15 am
The State of Broadband in The State of Colorado
- 8:15 am to 8:30 am
- Speakers: Brandy Reitter
8:30 am
Bridging The Digital Divide and Building A Stronger Community
We are in a once in a generation moment for digital inclusion. Untraditional service providers throughout the country are stepping up to close the digital divide in rural communities. As … Read more
- 8:30 am to 8:45 am
- Speakers: Martha Galley
8:45 am
Opening Keynote: The Coming Tsunami
Mountain Connect 2022 takes place near the largest single-day event in the history of the broadband industry. On May 16, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration releases Notices of Funding … Read more
- 8:45 am to 9:40 am
- Moderator: Jase Wilson
- Speakers: Drew Clark, Alan Davidson
9:40 am
Exhibitor Networking/Refreshment Break
- 9:40 am to 10:00 am
10:00 am
Wi-Fi 6: What’s Different, and Why it Matters
You’re investing millions of dollars into your access network. But what’s the point of delivering 1 Gbps services—and beyond—to your subscribers’ homes if their in-home experience is antiquated? Most subscribers … Read more
- 10:00 am to 10:45 am
- Moderator: Greg Owens
- Speakers: Jordan Wehe, Valerie Dodd, Deborah Rand
Using a Fiber Deployment to Aid in Revitalizing a Downtown
Loveland is challenged by the county and city rules regarding historic structures in our historic downtown area, from decorative brick alleys and roadways to historic buildings that are challenged to … Read more
- 10:00 am to 10:45 am
- Moderator: Ryan Smith
- Speakers: Nathan Hoople, Lindsey Johansen, Sarah Rose
Navigating Federal and State Funding Programs
Remember when finding funding was the biggest challenge facing our industry? Well, in 2022 it feels like there is money falling from the sky! Okay, maybe that’s a stretch but … Read more
- 10:00 am to 10:45 am
- Moderator: Lori Adams
- Speakers: Sarah Bleau, Bill Maguire, Sandeep Taxali
Your Network is Built… Now What?
With all the focus on getting funding and building networks, let’s talk about what happens after that. There’s no guarantee the customers will come. This session will talk about those … Read more
- 10:00 am to 10:45 am
- Speakers: Barak Harlan, Jason Malmquist
Telemedicine: Use, Experience, and Perspectives
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine was often discussed in the future tense. While the state of Colorado has worked for years to increase access, many of the greatest shifts in … Read more
- 10:00 am to 10:45 am
- Speakers: Emily Johnson
11:00 am
RDOF? ARPA? ReConnect? BEAD? Which are Best for You?
How can today’s once-in-a-generation billion-dollar wave of broadband funding help you? Whether you are a current broadband service provider that wants to build out your network, or you are a … Read more
- 11:00 am to 11:45 am
- Moderator: Gregory Bathrick
- Speakers: Steve Coran, Julie Darrington, Ross Lieberman, Valerie Wimer
High or Low? Choosing an Underground or Aerial Fiber Installation
The presentation will generally be a comparison of aerial fiber network construction versus underground network construction. The following points will be covered: Cost comparisons Network reliability considerations Time to build … Read more
- 11:00 am to 11:45 am
- Speakers: Allen Meyer, Tim Riley
Leveraging Geospatial Tools to Supercharge Fiber Deployment
As an industry, we are focused on delivering the technology infrastructure of tomorrow to our communities as we move forward in this digital age. Why then, are we still using … Read more
- 11:00 am to 11:45 am
- Speakers: Walker Hinshaw, Aaron McKay
Facilitating Fiber in Nebraska
Public-private partnerships offer a valuable blueprint for improving rural connectivity. However, direct involvement in broadband expansion is an unprecedented and often daunting responsibility for many county governments. Developing partnerships between … Read more
- 11:00 am to 11:45 am
- Speakers: Bill Baker, Oliver Borchers-Williams
Into Pandora’s Box – Cybersecurity Ramifications for Broadband Providers
Broadband providers are finding that there are 3 different ways cybersecurity impacts them and their business. Providers must contend with the security to their network, on their network, and from … Read more
- 11:00 am to 11:45 am
- Speakers: Todd Cronin, Rafal Los
11:45 am
Exhibitor Networking Break
- 11:45 am to 12:00 pm
12:00 pm
Lunch
- 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
12:30 pm
Boulder County Fires:
If Broadband is a Utility, We Need to Treat it as One
Disasters happen. During the last couple of decades, Colorado alone has experienced severe weather events such as floods, fires and tornados that significantly impacted or took down major communications systems. … Read more
- 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
- Moderator: Lori Adams
- Speakers: Thomas Tyler, Jon Saunders, Bryan Thomas, Wesley K. Wright
1:30 pm
Exhibitor Networking/Refreshment Break
- 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm
2:00 pm
The Future of Network Convergence
The next decade of telecom infrastructure evolution will drive true digital transformation in the connected world. The industry is already undergoing a significant transformation with the enablement of 5G services … Read more
- 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm
- Speakers: Claude Aiken, Glen Scymański
How Detroit is Using Open Access to Solve the Digital Divide
The COVID-19 pandemic represents a watershed moment for digital access policy by furnishing incontrovertible proof that digital access is an imperative for modern societal success. There is public support, empirical evidence, … Read more
- 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm
- Moderator: Christopher Mitchell
- Speakers: Joshua Edmonds, Bruce Patterson
Private Sector Investments in Broadband, Partnerships, Mergers and Acquisitions
In addition to public investment such as ARPA and Infrastructure Bills, the private sector is aggressively investing in the broadband and connectivity industry. Private capital investing, which includes M&A activity, … Read more
- 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm
- Moderator: Diane Kruse
- Speakers: Bill Baker, Christopher Perlitz
Alternate P3: People, Product, Planning
No matter where you get you funding, private equity, public private partnership, ARPA or other means, there are three other P’s to consider. The panelists will share the current state … Read more
- 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm
- Moderator: Barry Walton
- Speakers: Gary Bolton, John George, Jeremy Harris, Ryan Matthews
A Hardening Cyber Insurance Market
Historically, businesses have chosen to invest in insurance policies to help contain and reduce financial losses and mitigate the risks associated with a cyber breach. While cyber insurance policies will … Read more
- 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm
- Moderator: April Yearby
3:00 pm
Your Network’s Success Relies on Messaging Your Vision
Every business needs a vision, including the business of municipal broadband. In this session, we’ll have leaders from Fairlawn, Ohio and Fort Collins, Colorado talk about the origin of their … Read more
- 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm
- Moderator: Jeff Gavlinski
- Speakers: Chad Crager, Ernie Staten
Managing Expectations for the Subscriber Installation Experience
Millions of dollars go into an FTTx deployment. Regardless the costs of such infrastructures, ROI banks on subscriber buy-in. That’s not only about robust marketing, but also creating a subscriber … Read more
- 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm
- Moderator: Rick McDowell
- Speakers: Eric Crenwelge, Lindsey Johansen, Justin Manon
Impacts and Opportunities of 5G for Network Operators
5G is fundamentally different from its predecessors because its impacts extend far beyond handheld devices. In fact, much of the new specification targets the evolution of core wireline and access … Read more
- 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm
- Speakers: Daniel Kibler
How States Will Decide and Disburse BEAD Money
This session will focus on how states are dealing with the multiple buckets of funding for broadband infrastructure and digital equity. A conversation-based discussion will focus on how they are … Read more
- 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm
- Moderator: Christopher Mitchell
- Speakers: Thomas Tyler, Eric Forsch, Sandeep Taxali
Designing a Full Blown Fiber System for Widespread Broadband in Rural Colorado
COVID exposed our country’s lack of broadband connectivity, especially in underserved rural areas. The Southern Ute Indian Tribe (SUIT) is taking action to deploy high-speed broadband within the exterior boundaries … Read more
- 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm
- Moderator: Brian Hollister
- Speakers: Jeff Engman, Justin Roller, Mark Turner
3:45 pm
Exhibitor Networking/Refreshment Break
- 3:45 pm to 4:15 pm
4:15 pm
The Terragraph Multi-Gigabit Solution
The quintessential wireless technology: how Terragraph delivers reliable multi-gigabit broadband connectivity in dense urban areas and in rural communities. Session Slides
- 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm
- Speakers: Alex Doorduyn, David Botha
Real World Examples: Colorado Communities and Broadband Program Implementation
Thanks to numerous state and federal programs, counties and cities have the opportunity to leverage billions for broadband, transforming our infrastructure. With those billions, local governments and, potentially, their partners, … Read more
- 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm
- Moderator: Ed Barrett
- Speakers: Ben Lewis-Ramirez, Scott Lingle
How We Capitalize on Investment to Make a Dent in the Digital Divide
The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on glaring inequalities in the American social safety net in a variety of sectors, such as healthcare and housing, and also critically in … Read more
- 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm
- Moderator: Paolo Balboa
- Speakers: Chad Crager, DeAnne Cuellar, Katherine Keegan
How to Partner with Construction Professionals
Often the actual process of construction (and the employees who oversee it) of our networks is an afterthought. But with challenging workforce issues, never has it been more important to … Read more
- 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm
- Moderator: Duke Horan
- Speakers: Sandra Parker-Murray, Danny Reed
5:00 pm
May 25
7:00 am
Conference Registration
Conference Registration is located at the Main Lobby Registration Desk.
- 7:00 am to 12:00 pm
- Main Lobby Registration Desk
7:45 am
Q&A With United States Senator John Hickenlooper
Have questions about the unprecedented infrastructure investment and how the BEAD program will change the face of broadband in the United States? Senator Hickenlooper will join from Washington DC to … Read more
- 7:45 am to 8:00 am
- Speakers: Senator John Hickenlooper
- Ballrooms
8:00 am
Broadband, The Law, and Digital Rights
Once a niche area of interest, technology policy increasingly dominates headlines and political debates. The new infrastructure bill allocates $65 billion to broadband improvements, including measures to address the digital … Read more
- 8:00 am to 9:00 am
- Speakers: Phil Weiser, Jessica Dheere
9:00 am
Exhibitor Networking/Refreshment Break
- 9:00 am to 9:30 am
9:30 am
Wi-Fi Best Practices for Better Deployments & Satisfied Subscribers
Subscribers take Wi-Fi for granted and often think of “Wi-Fi is the Internet.” A great Wi-Fi experience starts with a great foundation of Wi-Fi hardware and an easy-to-use management platform. … Read more
- 9:30 am to 10:15 am
- Speakers: Patrick Moreno, Marcus Aponte
The Right Tool for the Right Job: The Fit for Fiber and Wireless in Community Broadband
Fiber and Fixed Wireless have different and offsetting advantages and disadvantages. Fiber has capacity and scalability advantages but suffers from dependencies on ROW, long timelines for deployment and higher economic … Read more
- 9:30 am to 10:15 am
- Moderator: Jeff Gavlinski
- Speakers: Gary Bolton, Matt Larsen
Making 10G a Reality for Colorado Springs
Bandwidth demands from households and enterprise business applications continue to grow rapidly to the point where we’ve reached a tipping point that often exceeds one gigabit network capacity. Network traffic … Read more
- 9:30 am to 10:15 am
- Moderator: Zach Boeckman
- Speakers: Ben Kley, Sean Robertson
Building Better Broadband Maps: A Guide for Communities
As communities across the US tackle the digital divide, the current state of broadband mapping presents a problem – developing plans and securing funding depends on reliable data. With the lack … Read more
- 9:30 am to 10:15 am
- Speakers: Dustin Loup, Lai Yi Ohlsen
PPP’s and You: What You Need to Know and Consider Before Picking a Partner
Ever wonder what your community would need to do to take advantage of a public-private partnership to deliver broadband to your citizens? In this panel Allo will bring some of … Read more
- 9:30 am to 10:15 am
- Moderator: Robert Beiersdorf
- Speakers: Josh Moenning, Tom Rolfes
10:30 am
Do Network Headaches Keep You Up at Night?
Building a fiber network is only the first step in providing best-in-class broadband services. Once the network is built, after hours callouts and truck rolls can be some of the … Read more
- 10:30 am to 11:15 am
- Speakers: Doug Kuntz
How Utilities Can Leverage Fiber Networks
According to the Grid Modernization Initiative at the United States Department of Energy, the nationwide electric grid does not have the attributes necessary to meet the demands of the 21st … Read more
- 10:30 am to 11:15 am
- Moderator: Jeff Reiman
- Speakers: Matt Haile, Ryan Trujillo
Broadband Actually Needs (Good) Marketing!
Utilities Don’t Need Marketing… but Broadband is a Technology While we believe “broadband is a utility,” taking this approach with your marketing can be deadly. To make matters worse, when … Read more
- 10:30 am to 11:15 am
- Speakers: Doug Adams, Steve Riat
The Emerging Public-Private Broadband Partnerships
Federal broadband funding has increasingly become localized vs centralized. However, 18 states have legislation making municipal broadband prohibitive. A wide variety of public-private partnerships are emerging. Operators including Windstream, ATT, … Read more
- 10:30 am to 11:15 am
- Moderator: Jeff Brown
- Speakers: Monica Webb, Valerie Wimer
The NOFO is a political document, not a broadband plan
How local communities can protect themselves from Washington politics. Led by Conexon Partner and former FCC Chief of Strategic Planning Jonathan Chambers, this session will focus on how local communities … Read more
- 10:30 am to 11:15 am
- Speakers: Jonathan Chambers
11:15 am
Exhibitor Networking/Refreshment Break
- 11:15 am to 11:45 am
11:45 am
12:15 pm
Innovations in Digital Inclusion
Broadband is magic for those who have it. Too many don’t. Soon, historic broadband grant investment will empower Mountain Connect attendees to solve America’s digital divide, once and for all. … Read more
- 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm
- Moderator: Lai Yi Ohlsen
- Speakers: Scott D. Woods, Esq., Paolo Balboa, Joshua Edmonds
1:15 pm
Exhibitor Tear Down
- 1:15 pm to 2:30 pm