Fierce Technology is hosting a Digital Divide Forum. Here are the daily agendas…

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9
11:00AM-12:30PM ET:
CONNECTIVITY, AFFORDABILITY & INCUMBENT SUPPLIERS – UNDERSTANDING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA AND WHY IT EXISTS
11:00AM-11:15AM: Keynote
11:15AM-11:30AM: Partner Keynote
11:30AM-12:15PM: Panel Discussion
12:15PM-12:30PM: Closing Partner Keynote
The US Digital Divide reflects more than those without broadband access. It lends itself to, and exacerbates, existing social and economic inequalities. This was made apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which it was estimated the Brookings Institute estimated that 52% of low-income families had no broadband access at all. Additionally, the same study reported that 22% of rural college and 13% of K-12 students were without access cutting them off from learning-from-home. Closing the digital divide is essential to ensure equal opportunity for all members of society. However, in order to close the divide, we first must question why it exists in the first place. From an ROI perspective, the infrastructural costs of laying and maintaining extensive fiber & wireless networks to communities with low population density often proves unprofitable without external financial incentives. In addition, rural communities where such networks do exist often have a low uptake due to high end-user costs. How can CSPs use funding from The Infrastructure Act to construct networks in the “last-mile”? How can end users take advantage of schemes such as Affordable Connectivity & E-Rate to make access more affordable?
AGENDA
TUESDAY, AUGUST 9
2:00PM-3:15PM ET:
BRINGING BROADBAND TO RURAL COMMUNITIES: ECONOMICS, PARTNERSHIPS AND BEYOND
2:00PM-2:15PM: Keynote
2:15PM-2:30PM: Partner Keynote
2:30PM-3:15PM: Panel Discussion
Whilst the intention to bridge the digital divide is there within our industry, the cost barrier remains high. For example, fiber is an attractive option given its high speeds, lower latency and high reliability compared to alternatives. However, the laying of fiber networks is a considerable financial burden, and although federal funding will help, building out into communities with low population densities often drives supplier incumbency. With this in mind, how can we explore ways to incentivize incumbent suppliers to invest in rural communities? To apply for federal funding from the State, communities must first ensure they meet the requirements for application, including having a broadband committee, potential suppliers in mind and a fully costed plan. However, federal funds alone may not be sufficient for all remote communities. What else can the community do in demonstrating to incumbent suppliers that their region is worth the investment? Could community ownership of fiber lines offer a solution, taking away the maintenance burden from the supplier? Could public/private partnerships be the answer to convincing suppliers to build out into rural communities? Can property taxes and revenue bonds be used to change the affordability landscape?
AGENDA
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10
11:00AM-12:15PM ET:
PROVIDING ACCESS – 5G & FIXED WIRELESS ACCESS – IS THE SOLUTION RIGHT IN FRONT OF US?
11:00AM-11:15AM: Keynote
11:15AM-11:30AM: Partner Keynote
11:30AM-12:15PM: Panel Discussion
Bridging the digital divide is often considered to be in the realm of emerging technologies, but is the solution already established? Fixed Wireless Access is hardly a new concept, but with ranges covering a 30km radius coupled with their cheap infrastructural costs compared to fiber, could this be the quickest and most cost-effective solution to connect rural communities? FWA promises not only to connect rural homes, but it is a viable option to connect rural businesses. The 5G rollout is only poised to enhance its capabilities, bringing more use cases such as mobile precision agriculture and telehealth more accessible to rural businesses. However, what are the best conditions to deploy a Fixed Wireless Network? What geographical considerations need to be considered before a network can be built. What is the best spectrum for FWA and how do we determine if it is the best solution for a given community?
AGENDA
THURSDAY, AUGUST 11
11:00AM-11:15AM ET:
MIND THE SECURITY GAP – DDoS PROTECTION FOR RURAL BROADBAND
The pandemic has ignited a significant rise in cyberthreats of all types – from robocalls to SMS fraud, phishing attacks, ransomware, DDoS and state-sponsored cyber-attacks, often targeting the most vulnerable residence and the most critical community services.
Communities in rural areas are especially vulnerable to DDoS due to the lack of security investment and expertise, the fragmented ecosystem and the vulnerability of the scarce community resources, such as healthcare, that are favorite targets for attackers.
The “cybersecurity gap” is a growing chasm between cybercriminals capabilities and the limited resources of service providers now charged with extending essential broadband connectivity. DDoS protection of service provider infrastructure including carrier grade networking and IPv4 address pools, is needed for ensure service availability for residents, businesses and critical public services.
This keynote from A10 share insights on the growing bank of DDoS weapons used by cybercriminals and provide concrete recommendations on critical investments in DDoS protection that should be made concurrently with their fiber and fixed wireless buildouts.