Broadband Development Conference
Steamboat Springs Re-2, NCB, THOR, CEBC, Director
Tim Miles is the Technology Director for the Steamboat Springs and South Routt School Districts, bringing over 32 years of combined experience across corporate Forbes 100–500 companies and public education. A native of Canada who moved to the U.S. in 1994, he is a co-founder of major regional initiatives including Northwest Colorado Broadband, Regional Broadband THOR, and the Colorado Education Broadband Coalition. A former President of CASE-CALET and recipient of the 2020 CASE Leader in Educational Technology Award, he resides in Colorado with his wife and child.
The FCC is considering significant changes to the Universal Service Fund, including proposals that could end the E-Rate program. For schools and libraries, the stakes are high: E-Rate has connected millions of students, enabled digital learning, and helped community anchor institutions serve as essential hubs for education, workforce development, telehealth, and public access.
This panel consists of technology leaders, broadband providers, and E-Rate advocates to examine what the FCC proceeding could mean for communities and the market. Panelists will discuss how E‑Rate currently creates stable demand and supports network investment, share frontline experiences negotiating service and upgrades, and identify the policy considerations providers and policymakers must weigh before making major changes. Changes to E‑Rate would alter revenue certainty, procurement practices, and investment calculus for providers, affecting pricing, deployment timelines, and willingness to serve low‑margin or hard‑to‑reach communities. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how E-Rate contributes to the broadband ecosystem keeping America’s anchor institutions reliably connected.
