Broadband Development Conference
Ripple Fiber, SVP of Engineering
Harrison Golson serves as Senior Vice President of Engineering at Ripple Fiber, where he leads engineering and construction initiatives supporting the company’s expanding fiber broadband network. With more than 15 years of experience in telecommunications construction, engineering design, and OSP deployment, he specializes in project execution, permitting strategy, and large-scale infrastructure management.
Prior to Ripple Fiber, Golson held leadership roles with AT&T and UC Synergetics, managing complex construction projects across multiple states. Known for his collaborative leadership style and operational expertise, he has built a reputation for delivering high- quality network deployments efficiently and to scale.
As private and BEAD-funded fiber deployments mature and the most accessible passings are exhausted, operators are entering a more complex phase of growth marked by higher costs, lower density, increased competition, and constrained municipal review capacity. In this environment, local government engagement is no longer a transactional permitting step but rather a critical driver of project alignment, deployment speed, and cost efficiency. Early, proactive collaboration with municipal stakeholders can streamline approval processes, reduce rework, and materially lower cost per passing. Leading operators are shifting toward integrated engagement models that align early on design standards, construction expectations, and community priorities thus accelerating timelines and unlocking more efficient deployment pathways. This panel will examine how fiber builders and municipalities can further enable growth by identifying anchor institution demand, supporting targeted infill strategies, and advancing public-private partnerships that extend network reach while improving overall economics. By connecting government affairs, network planning, and go-to-market strategy, the discussion will highlight how strong municipal alignment reduces regulatory friction, improves asset utilization, and lowers customer acquisition costs — particularly in overbuilt and harder-to-serve markets. Attendees will gain a practical framework for transforming local government relationships into a durable strategic advantage driving faster approvals, lowering deployment costs, and extending network value well beyond the initial build.
