Fabric Forward 25 Rough Agenda
*Subject to Change*
3:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Event Check-In
Join us in the Olympic Ballroom at the Edgewater Hotel to check-in and grab your event badge.
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Welcome Reception
Join us in the Olympic Ballroom at the Edgewater Hotel for the Fabric Forward Welcome Reception, check-in, and grab your event badge.
8:00 Am – 9:00 am
Breakfast
Join us for breakfast from 8:00 to 9:00 AM.
8:30 Am – 9:00 Am
Office Hours
Come ask us our experts your specific questions.
9:00 Am – 10:15 Am
The Origin, Evolution, and Logic Behind the Location Fabric Data
Get an overview of the intricate and comprehensive development of the Location Fabric Data – The origin and evolution story behind the location data guiding grant programs such as NTIA’s BEAD, FCC Enhanced ACAM, and ISPs with broadband deployment.
Topics we’ll cover:
- CostQuest’s Fabric origin story & innovation-driven purpose
- Deep-dive into Location Fabric – What it is, why it matters, and the methodology behind it
- Driving federal programs & policy with granular data
10:15 Am – 11:00 Am
Keys to Wise Investments: Approaches to Achieve High ROI & Reduce Budget to Actual Cost Delta
Validating project cost, return on investment, and overall viability are keys to the kingdom when it comes to building wise network investments. But when it comes time to implement the project, will the modeled project cost hold true?
Explore proven network cost modeling and business case approaches that enable businesses to know from the get-go, to when the trucks start rolling, what the actual cost and investment return to implement the project will be.
Leading to investments that provide a positive economic outcome, and of course, a happy leadership team.
Topics we’ll cover:
- Why location-level cost modeling leads to smarter investments from the start
- Review trusted and proven National Cost Modeling & Profitability Analysis Methods:
- Approach
- Data inputs
- Steps
- Explore ways to fully leverage investment cost and business case data to reduce the delta between the project budget and actual cost
Speakers:
- Dan Gordon, AVP of Product and Expert Modeling
11:00 Am – 11:15 Am
Break & Office Hours
Come ask our experts your specific questions.
11:15 Am – 12:00 Pm
Data in Action: How Providers Build Workflows That Work Smarter, Not Harder
From insight to impact: Hear how providers use comprehensive location-level datasets to analyze competitor footprints, track growth trends, identify new high-ROI growth markets, qualify address service requests, and sync with internal systems to streamline operations and compliance.
Topics we’ll cover:
- How location-level data helps identify expansion opportunities
- How location-level data helps assess economic viability and narrowing down expansion markets to pursue
- How system to system integration with location-level data worked to streamline operations and integrate data into other departments
Speakers:
- Alex Meyer, Director for Database Systems
- Jack Nettleton, Senior Manager of Sales and Strategic Partnerships
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
Join us for lunch from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm
Break & Office Hours
Come ask our experts your specific questions.
1:00 Pm – 1:30 Pm
From Query to Clarity: Mapping Opportunities & Benchmarking Costs with GIS & SQL
A Technical Workshop: How to use Fabric Location & Cost Data to uncover optimal expansion opportunities, compare cost benchmarks, and visualize the results using QGIS, ArcGIS, and SQL.
Topics we’ll cover:
- Review the following problem and solution statements, and what systems and techniques you can use to solve them:
- How to use service coverage, cost, and demographics data to find high-ROI growth markets
- How to use Fabric Cost Data to compare against internal cost models and visualize the results
Speakers:
- Leslie Stegeman, Senior Manager of R&D, GIS & AI Innovation
- Mark Guttman, VP, Chief Solutions Officer
1:30 Pm – 2:15 Pm
Financial Due Diligence to Know Where to Go, Why You Should Build, & How to Succeed
In this session, we’ll combine deep market insight, financial modeling, and proprietary tools to help you uncover high-value broadband expansion opportunities – pinpointing where to go, why you should build, and how to succeed. Explore approaches that help you turn complex data into clear, strategic decisions that help you uncover market opportunities, and model risk and return scenarios, so you can pursue broadband expansion projects that produce positive ROI.
Topics we’ll cover:
- Competitive & Market Analysis: Evaluating market demand trends, take rates, pricing, and service offerings to assess realistic ARPU and market position.
- Financial Feasibility & Revenue Forecasting: Analyzing capital expenditures, revenue potential, customer behavior, and operating costs to determine high-level financial viability.
- Risk & Scenario Assessment: Including predictive models for adoption, incumbent response, and risks related to subsidized competitors and government funding.
- Advanced Analytical Tools: Utilizing trusted and proven proprietary cost modeling tools to identify optimal markets, run scenarios, and guide strategic decision-making for optimal results.
Speakers:
- Mike Wilson, VP, Chief Revenue Officer
- Cher Henton, AVP of Business Development
- Jon Wilkins, Quadra Partners – Partner
2:15 Pm – 3:00 Pm
Federal Broadband Grant Programs in Review: What You Need to Know
Federal broadband funding programs are evolving, but how does that impact all stakeholders in the broadband landscape? This session will provide a clear overview of what stakeholders need to know regarding the various federal broadband programs, such as the Universal Service Fund, that are currently shaping the broadband landscape. Participants will gain clarity on program statuses, anticipated changes, evolving compliance requirements, and timelines. Walk away with insights to help you prepare for the next phase of federal broadband funding initiatives.
Potential Programs Covered:
- USF/CAF High-Cost Programs
- Enhanced ACAM (E-ACAM)
- Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF)
- Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM)
- Revised A-CAM I
- A-CAM II
- Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund (PR Fund)
- Connect USVI Fund
- NTIA’s BEAD
- 5G Fund
Speakers:
- Rachelle Medalia, Chief of Staff
- Brian Delidow, AVP of Custom Solutions
- Heather Mills, Tilson – Principal Consultant
- Nick Alexander, Quadra Partners – Senior Policy Advisor
- Derrick Owens, WTA – Senior VP of Government & Industry Affairs
3:00 Pm – 3:15 PM
Break & Office Hours
Come ask our experts your specific questions.
3:15 Pm – 3:45Pm
Data Access & Innovations on the Horizon
This session will explore new ways to access the fabric and innovative approaches to streamlining data analysis and improving data synchronization through a newly developed custom API library. Get live demos showcasing how these APIs come into action in various use cases throughout the broadband industry. Also get an overview of TrueVerra, our online marketplace for the Fabric, and a preview of our new mapping tool within TrueVerra, embedded with point-of-interest data at the structure-level— to visualize and pull market insights easily, with little to no GIS background or technical expertise required.
Speakers:
- Cher Henton, AVP of Business Development
- Jesse Amundsen, Principal R&D Developer
- Nick Meiszer, Director of Product Development
3:45 Pm – 4:30 Pm
State Broadband Panel: Lessons Learned & What Comes Next in the BEAD World
Join a panel of state broadband leaders as they share lessons learned from their BEAD journeys so far, and what to consider as the BEAD program continues moving forward.
Learn directly from the decision-makers shaping state-level broadband deployment strategies, gain perspective on what’s working (and what isn’t), and where the BEAD program will go from here.
Speakers:
- Moderator: Thomas Tyler, Louisiana Broadband Office, ConnectLA – Deputy Director
- Brian Allenby, Maine Broadband Office, Maine Connectivity Authority – Chief Operating Officer
- Peter Voderberg, Ohio Broadband Office, BroadbandOhio – Chief
- Brian Mitchell, Nevada State Broadband Office – Director
- Other panelists have been invited
4:30 – 6:30 Pm
Data on the Rocks Reception
Join us for drinks and appetizers at the Six Seven Restaurant in the Edgewater Hotel.
8:00 Am – 9:00 am
Breakfast
Join us for breakfast from 8:00 to 9:00 AM.
8:30 Am – 9:00 Am
Office Hours
Come ask us our experts your specific questions.
9:00 am – 10:00 am
Filing Location Fabric Challenges: Best Practices and Lessons Learned
We’ve heard your questions about the Fabric data—especially around the Challenge Process—and we’re here to help however we can within our role on the Fabric project.
In this session, get a clear, in-depth look at the FCC’s Location Fabric Challenge Process, including best practices for submitting challenges, key timelines, and real-world examples of challenge submissions.
Topics we’ll cover:
- Review the FCC BDC Location Fabric Challenge Process, and how it differs from the NTIA BEAD State Challenge Process
- Why the Challenge Process exists, and why it goes through the FCC
- Who adjudicates challenges
- Types of Fabric Challenges
- Challenge Timeline – when you will see accepted challenges in the next version of the Fabric
- Best practices and helpful tips when submitting challenges
- Examples of successful Fabric Challenge Submissions and why
- Where to go for questions on Location Fabric Challenges
Speakers:
- Mark Guttman, VP, Chief Solutions Officer
- Alex Meyer, Director for Database Systems
- Zach Taylor, Senior Data Scientist
10:00 Am – 11:00 Am
The Effect of New Infrastructure Investments on Network Value – From M&A to Financing
Post-BEAD are investors coming to buy your ISP, finance it, or compete in your footprint? Will the dollars keep flowing into broadband on the corporate and government side, and where will they go? What about non-deployment funds or future grants?
No one can predict the future, so we’re focused on outlining some of the potential scenarios and what to consider. We’ll help you understand the value of your network in these scenarios, and what you can do to help increase it.
Topics we’ll cover:
- To M&A or not to M&A?
- How investors are approaching M&A in Telecom
- Balancing expansion ROI vs Acquisition
- As BEAD fills out the map there are less attractive areas for expansion so more funds flow to acquisitions
- Will funds be left over on non-deployment that could supplement fees (make some areas better penetration)
- Less underserved means more money will go into the 2nd or 3rd fiber provider areas
- How will you respond to an entrant? Are there ways to keep them out?
- How will your economics change if someone does enter?
- Consider your debt and capital under different profitability scenarios
- What money has been received
- What is the total future value of the company
- Preparing for M&A involves
- Balancing expansion ROI vs Acquisition
- How investors are approaching M&A in Telecom
- What will lending and interest rates look like?
- Network appraisals – Validate/Ensure a fair value assessment of new and existing infrastructure for property taxes – what does fair value mean?
Walk away, understanding potential scenarios of government and corporate investment landscapes and how that will affect the value of your network. Along with approaches to consider when preparing and monitoring the situation.
Speaker:
- Thomas Coffey, AVP of Valuation Systems
11:00 Am – 11:15 Am
Break & Office Hours
Come ask our experts your specific questions.
11:15 Am – 12:00 pm
Keynote: Government Program Fireside Chat
With Adam Cassady, NTIA’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Administrator & David Redl, Founder & CEO of Salt Point Strategies and former NTIA Administrator.
12:00 PM – 2:00 Pm
Office Hours
Dedicated time for you to come ask us your specific questions.
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Invitation Only
State Broadband Leader Forum
Join fellow state broadband leaders for an exclusive, in-depth session focused on navigating the evolving broadband landscape in a post-BEAD award environment. This collaborative session will feature a keynote from industry leaders, expert panel discussions, and open dialogue designed to tackle your most pressing challenges. Gain insights from CostQuest experts and partners, connect with peers, and share strategies shaping the future of broadband deployment and oversight.
For questions or to register, contact [email protected].
