In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, sponsored by ETI Software and VETRO FiberMap, Pete Pizzutillo catches up with Chris McKenzie, VP of Network Operations at Rapid Fiber, while at Calix ConneXions 2025. Chris shares his unconventional journey from the music industry to corporate IT to rural broadband, and how that experience shaped Rapid Fiber’s fast-moving deployment strategy. In just two years, the team has grown from zero to 7,000 subscribers while building out their entire network—staying a full quarter ahead of schedule. He explains why they rejected traditional demand aggregation and instead marketed fiber availability feeder-by-feeder, dramatically improving customer satisfaction and community engagement.
Chris also breaks down how AI is quickly becoming essential for small, efficient broadband teams. Rapid Fiber is using automation to reduce truck rolls, stay ahead of network issues, and keep subscriber experiences strong. He also highlights the value of Calix ConneXions, where operators gain direct access to industry leaders and emerging technologies. Tune in to learn how Rapid Fiber is scaling rural broadband with precision, creativity, and AI-driven operations.
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In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, sponsored by ETI Software and VETRO FiberMap, Pete Pizzutillo catches up with Chris McKenzie, VP of Network Operations at Rapid Fiber, while at Calix ConneXions 2025. Chris shares his unconventional journey from the music industry to corporate IT to rural broadband, and how that experience shaped Rapid Fiber’s fast-moving deployment strategy. In just two years, the team has grown from zero to 7,000 subscribers while building out their entire network—staying a full quarter ahead of schedule. He explains why they rejected traditional demand aggregation and instead marketed fiber availability feeder-by-feeder, dramatically improving customer satisfaction and community engagement.
Chris also breaks down how AI is quickly becoming essential for small, efficient broadband teams. Rapid Fiber is using automation to reduce truck rolls, stay ahead of network issues, and keep subscriber experiences strong. He also highlights the value of Calix ConneXions, where operators gain direct access to industry leaders and emerging technologies. Tune in to learn how Rapid Fiber is scaling rural broadband with precision, creativity, and AI-driven operations.
Episode 467: Felix Virto and Stephen Rose on Digital Transformation in Fiber Deployment
The Broadband Bunch
44 minutes 29 seconds
1 month ago
Episode 467: Felix Virto and Stephen Rose on Digital Transformation in Fiber Deployment
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, host Pete Pizzutillo sits down with Felix Virto, Director of Operations at Blue Streak, and Stephen Rose, CEO of Render Networks, to explore how funding realities, digital transformation, and AI are reshaping large-scale fiber builds. Felix shares his 29-year journey from climbing poles in southwest Virginia to leading complex deployments—and why Blue Streak’s recent acquisition by a global parent sharpened its focus on customer outcomes, transparency, and choosing the right partners. Stephen traces a path from construction drafting through Nokia/Bell Labs and IBM to Render, explaining how cloud, data, and AI-driven workflows are changing “pre-live” delivery.
Together, they unpack the industry’s scale problem—billions in construction spend, countless handoffs—and make the case for field-first tools, real-time visibility, and stronger collaboration across operators, designers, and builders. Their playbook for operators: sponsor change from the top, start with a focused use case, co-innovate with partners, and make the field the hero so quality data flows up and better decisions flow down.
The Broadband Bunch
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, sponsored by ETI Software and VETRO FiberMap, Pete Pizzutillo catches up with Chris McKenzie, VP of Network Operations at Rapid Fiber, while at Calix ConneXions 2025. Chris shares his unconventional journey from the music industry to corporate IT to rural broadband, and how that experience shaped Rapid Fiber’s fast-moving deployment strategy. In just two years, the team has grown from zero to 7,000 subscribers while building out their entire network—staying a full quarter ahead of schedule. He explains why they rejected traditional demand aggregation and instead marketed fiber availability feeder-by-feeder, dramatically improving customer satisfaction and community engagement.
Chris also breaks down how AI is quickly becoming essential for small, efficient broadband teams. Rapid Fiber is using automation to reduce truck rolls, stay ahead of network issues, and keep subscriber experiences strong. He also highlights the value of Calix ConneXions, where operators gain direct access to industry leaders and emerging technologies. Tune in to learn how Rapid Fiber is scaling rural broadband with precision, creativity, and AI-driven operations.
