The Broadband Bunch

Five hundred episodes. One incredible journey. In this special milestone episode of The Broadband Bunch, Pete Pizzutillo is joined by Craig Corbin, Brad Hine, and Joe Coldebella to celebrate Episode 500 by looking back at how the podcast began, the moments that shaped it, and the conversations that have defined the past six years. The team shares behind-the-scenes stories from the show's early days, memorable guests and conference experiences, favorite episodes, unexpected challenges, and plenty of laughs along the way. They also reflect on how the broadband industry has evolved—from the early days of fiber expansion and COVID to BEAD, AI, and the technologies shaping what's next. Most importantly, this episode is a thank-you to the listeners, guests, partners, and industry community who made 500 episodes possible. Whether you've been listening since the beginning or just recently discovered the show, we're grateful you've been part of the journey.

What does it take to build a fiber provider that customers genuinely enjoy doing business with? In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, Brad Hine sits down with Ted Schremp, CEO of IQ Fiber, to discuss how the company is challenging the traditional broadband model with transparent pricing, subscription-style billing, whole-home Wi-Fi, and a customer-first philosophy that has fueled rapid growth across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Ted shares how IQ Fiber has grown from a startup to a five-state provider by combining operational simplicity with a strong company culture. The conversation explores network expansion, community engagement, acquisitions, and the future of fiber, while highlighting why lasting success in broadband still comes down to putting people first.

In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Martin Creaner, Director General of the World Broadband Association (WBBA), to discuss the trends shaping broadband. With more than 40 years in telecommunications, Martin explains how fiber, AI, cloud infrastructure, and digital sovereignty are creating new opportunities for service providers—and why the industry is entering one of its most significant periods of transformation. Pete and Martin discuss the WBBA's work on broadband investment, fiber development, cloud readiness, and its global industry indices, while pointing out how AI and agentic technologies are changing the way operators think about networks, business models, and customer engagement. Martin also shares his perspective on the future of AI investment, sovereign infrastructure, and the decisions broadband providers should be making today to remain competitive in the years ahead.

In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo welcomes Jeff Gavlinski, CEO of Mountain Connect, to discuss the changes in the broadband industry and how conferences must evolve to deliver more than information. Jeff reflects on the growth of Mountain Connect from a small gathering of fewer than 100 attendees to one of the industry's premier independent broadband events, while sharing why he believes the next chapter of broadband will be defined by sustainable ISP business models, workforce development, strategic partnerships, and emerging technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and next-generation Wi-Fi. Jeff also previews the 2026 Mountain Connect conference, including new AI-powered attendee matchmaking, hosted buyer programs, interactive roundtable discussions, and a renewed focus on creating measurable outcomes for attendees. They explore industry consolidation, BEAD funding challenges, supply chain pressures, utility partnerships, and the importance of attracting a new generation of talent to broadband.

In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Rob Lawrence, Technology Strategist at Microsoft, to separate the reality of agentic AI from the growing hype surrounding autonomous systems. As organizations race to experiment with AI agents, Rob argues that the biggest challenges aren't the models themselves—they're the operating environments, governance frameworks, data quality, accountability structures, and organizational readiness required to deploy them successfully. Pete and Rob discuss why many AI pilots succeed while production deployments struggle, the return of disciplines like project portfolio management and process engineering, and why data governance may be the most important prerequisite for successful AI adoption. Rob also talks about the role of identity and permissions, the risks of poorly governed agents acting on flawed data, and why organizations need better observability into AI-driven workflows. Along the way, he shares advice for CIOs, CTOs, and broadband operators looking to move beyond experimentation and build a responsible foundation for agentic AI.

In this episode of the Broadband Bunch, recorded live at Fiber Connect 2026, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Anis Khemakhem, Chief Commercial Officer at Clearfield, to discuss the state of fiber broadband deployment, workforce development, and infrastructure innovation. Anis shares his journey from engineer to industry leader and explains how Clearfield has built its reputation by solving practical challenges for broadband operators while maintaining a strong commitment to underserved communities and workforce training initiatives. Anis tells about several of Clearfield’s latest product announcements, including the new Nova platform designed for data center and next-generation network environments, as well as a newly launched fiber-focused pedestal portfolio. He also discusses how operators can balance long-term network planning with rising material and labor costs, navigate BABA compliance requirements, and prepare for increasing demand driven by AI, edge computing, and hyperscale data centers. Anis highlights the importance of industry partnerships, supply chain collaboration, and resilient network design as broadband providers work to meet growing connectivity demands. The episode ends with a discussion on attracting the next generation of broadband professionals and how innovative training tools can help bridge the industry's workforce gap.

In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo welcomes Rhyan Neble for a conversation about the evolution of artificial intelligence, agentic frameworks, and what these technologies mean for broadband operators. Drawing on decades of experience building telecom networks, OSS/BSS platforms, and software solutions, Rhyan explains how AI has progressed from a simple assistant to a true workforce multiplier capable of accelerating software development, automating complex workflows, and helping organizations solve problems that once required large teams and months of effort. Rhyan also shares practical advice for broadband providers looking to prepare for the next wave of AI adoption. Topics include open APIs, operational runbooks, AI agents as employee assistants, governance frameworks, security considerations, and the growing importance of data accessibility. They discuss both the opportunities and risks of AI, offering a balanced look at how operators can use these tools to improve efficiency, streamline reporting, surface operational insights, and empower employees while maintaining human oversight.

This episode of The Broadband Bunch, sponsored by ETI Software and VETRO FiberMap, features a live conversation from Fiber Connect 2026 with Josh Turiano, Chief Innovation and AI Officer at Blue Stream Fiber. Josh joins host Pete Pizzutillo to share how Blue Stream Fiber is approaching AI adoption inside a broadband operator environment, from improving troubleshooting workflows and technician productivity to building internal GPT tools that help teams scale without dramatically increasing headcount. The discussion explores the importance of clean data, organizational readiness, and why successful AI adoption starts long before deploying a chatbot. Josh also dives into the broader future of AI infrastructure in telecom, including edge inference, network automation, resiliency concerns tied to hyperscalers, and the growing need for broadband providers to rethink how AI workloads are distributed. He explains how Blue Stream Fiber rolled out AI across departments, the lessons learned from early experimentation, and why operators that invest in data organization and practical AI workflows today may be better positioned to compete tomorrow. The conversation offers a look at how AI is already reshaping broadband operations while highlighting the cultural and operational changes still ahead for the industry.

In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo speaks with Katie Espeseth, Vice President of New Products at EPB, about how Chattanooga became one of the most recognized community broadband success stories in the United States. Katie shares how EPB’s original mission was never just about broadband speeds. The focus centered on economic development, grid modernization, and improving quality of life across Chattanooga through long-term infrastructure investment. Katie and Pete talk about how EPB accelerated its fiber deployment, paid off debt ahead of schedule, and evolved from early GPON deployments to offering symmetrical 25 gig services across its footprint. Katie also explains how EPB approaches affordability, customer experience, and future technologies like quantum networking while continuing to support economic growth and innovation in the region. The episode highlights lessons for utilities, municipalities, and broadband providers preparing for the next generation of infrastructure investment and AI driven connectivity demands.

In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with John Hill from GVTC to talk about how broadband providers can move beyond AI hype and start applying it in practical, meaningful ways. John tells about his path into telecom and how GVTC has evolved from a rural provider into a fast-growing fiber network. The conversation highlights how AI is already reshaping marketing, customer analytics, and forecasting, with real examples of how John uses AI tools to dramatically reduce analysis time and uncover new business insights. They also discuss the cultural and operational shifts required for successful AI adoption. John emphasizes that progress starts with curiosity, experimentation, and strong collaboration between business and IT teams. Rather than forcing top-down mandates, GVTC encourages employees to explore AI in their own workflows and share results across the organization. The episode underscores a clear message for broadband operators: companies that embrace AI now—through better data practices, agile thinking, and a willingness to adapt—will be better positioned to compete, grow, and negotiate from strength in an increasingly competitive fiber market.