Connected Nation captures key broadband insights during 2026 BEAD Implementation Summit
Washington, D.C. (March 31, 2026) – On March 18, Broadband Breakfast hosted its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Implementation Summit in the nation’s capital. The event brought together industry experts across four panel discussions to tackle the key questions shaping broadband expansion today. Connected Nation was on the ground to capture insights and takeaways.
Distinguished guests filled the National Press Club’s grand ballroom. Conversations buzzed as attendees fostered meaningful connections with each other during dedicated networking breaks.
The event featured 24 panelists and moderators who spoke on four topics related to BEAD, as well as a fireside chat with Arielle Roth, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and Broadband Breakfast publisher Drew Clark.
The central question surrounding BEAD is how the program’s non-deployment funds will be used. Roth said that during recent public hearings, participants presented many ideas on how to spend the money.
“Some participants are really interested in using the money for reducing permitting obstacles,” Roth said. “There’s a lot of concern about having the workforce necessary to build these projects, so workforce training came up.”
Other ideas that Roth mentioned included addressing locations that are subject to defaults and improving public safety communications.
“This is a lot of funding, and we need to be responsible with it,” Roth said.
Following the fireside chat, the first panel kicked off with a state broadband roundtable, which brought together executive directors and chief program officers of state broadband offices.
The second panel focused on technology choices in BEAD deployment, which examined the trade-offs between cost, performance, and long-term network value. Panelist Carl Guardino, Vice President of Government Affairs and Policy at Tarana Wireless, urged attendees and those listening virtually to “use fiber whenever you can.”
The next panel examined how states are supporting planning, workforce, technical assistance, and other potential priorities for the $20 billion in remaining BEAD funds.
“We’ve finally arrived at the phase where we get to have fun, where policy meets practice,” said panelist Lyndsay Moyer, Vice President of State Government Affairs at Comcast.
Another panelist, Founder and CEO of CanCode Communities Annmarie Lanesey, shared that laptop distribution and digital skills training are essential parts of BEAD.
“We can’t forget that actually there’s a connection that needs to happen at home,” said Lanesey. “There needs to be a hardwired connection or a wireless connection with an actual computer, or none of this matters. And if people don’t actually have skills to learn that computer, absolutely none of this matters.”
The concluding panel examined capital constraints on BEAD financing and other aspects of infrastructure deployment. Panelist Claude Aiken, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Legal Officer at Nextlink Internet, said that capital-related defaults will occur at two distinct points.
“Some providers will be unable to secure financing before signing grant agreements,” Aiken said. “Others will outrun their cash flow during construction.”
Many questions were answered in Washington, D.C., at this event. For the latest on broadband progress across the country, check out Connected Nation’s BEAD Tracker for a breakdown of each state's Final Proposal submission.