After years of planning, the BEAD program is moving from paper to pavement—but approval is only the start. In this first episode of 2026, Kathryn de Wit, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ broadband access initiative, joins Fiber Broadband Association President & CEO Gary Bolton to examine what comes next as states begin building networks to reach nearly five million locations. Kathryn unpacks NTIA’s evolving guidance, the “curing” process, and the challenges ahead—from permitting and workforce shortages to supply chain pressures and non-deployment funding uncertainty. If you’re asking, “proposals are approved—now what?” this episode offers timely, practical insight into the work ahead and what it will take to turn BEAD’s ambition into lasting broadband impact.
With Special Guests:
Kathryn de Wit, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ broadband access initiative
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After years of planning, the BEAD program is moving from paper to pavement—but approval is only the start. In this first episode of 2026, Kathryn de Wit, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ broadband access initiative, joins Fiber Broadband Association President & CEO Gary Bolton to examine what comes next as states begin building networks to reach nearly five million locations. Kathryn unpacks NTIA’s evolving guidance, the “curing” process, and the challenges ahead—from permitting and workforce shortages to supply chain pressures and non-deployment funding uncertainty. If you’re asking, “proposals are approved—now what?” this episode offers timely, practical insight into the work ahead and what it will take to turn BEAD’s ambition into lasting broadband impact.
With Special Guests:
Kathryn de Wit, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ broadband access initiative
FFB Episode 249 – Dell’Oro Group 5-Year Broadband Access & Home Networking Forecast
Fiber for Breakfast with Gary Bolton
33 minutes 17 seconds
2 months ago
FFB Episode 249 – Dell’Oro Group 5-Year Broadband Access & Home Networking Forecast
The broadband industry is at a turning point. Dell’Oro Group’s newly released 5-Year Forecast projects that the global Broadband Access Equipment market will climb steadily through 2029, with revenues peaking in 2028. Behind the numbers are powerful forces reshaping the industry: fiber expansion, DOCSIS 4.0 upgrades, and the rapid adoption of Wi-Fi 7 and fixed wireless.
This week on Fiber for Breakfast, Jeff Heynen, Vice President of Broadband Access and Home Networking at Dell’Oro Group, joins Gary Bolton, FBA President & CEO, for a must-hear discussion on what’s coming next. They dig into the technologies and strategies including:
The next wave of PON and DOCSIS investment and its competitive implications.
How Fixed Wireless and Wi-Fi 7 are set to transform home connectivity.
Why providers must pivot from “homes passed” to customized services, automation, and AI-driven platforms.
This isn’t just a forecast—it’s a roadmap for where broadband is headed. Whether you’re a network operator, vendor, or investor, this conversation will help you understand how to future-proof your strategy, and what customers will demand next.
With Special Guest:
Jeff Heynen, Vice President of Broadband Access and Home Networking at Dell’Oro Group
Fiber for Breakfast with Gary Bolton
After years of planning, the BEAD program is moving from paper to pavement—but approval is only the start. In this first episode of 2026, Kathryn de Wit, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ broadband access initiative, joins Fiber Broadband Association President & CEO Gary Bolton to examine what comes next as states begin building networks to reach nearly five million locations. Kathryn unpacks NTIA’s evolving guidance, the “curing” process, and the challenges ahead—from permitting and workforce shortages to supply chain pressures and non-deployment funding uncertainty. If you’re asking, “proposals are approved—now what?” this episode offers timely, practical insight into the work ahead and what it will take to turn BEAD’s ambition into lasting broadband impact.
With Special Guests:
Kathryn de Wit, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ broadband access initiative
