Connected Nation staff discusses telehealth, IXPs, and the ACP at Connected America conference
Dallas, Texas (March 20, 2024) - Earlier this month, a few Connected Nation (CN) staff members attended the second annual Connected America conference in Dallas, Texas. This two-day event brought together key stakeholders who are delivering next-generation connectivity across the country.
Molly Weiner, CN Director, Local and Regional Planning, Sierra Sees, CN Policy and Engagement Manager, and Brent Legg, CN Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, made the trip to discuss all things broadband, spanning from internet exchange points (IXPs), telehealth, and digital literacy to programs like the Federal Communication Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and Internet for All.
Weiner participated on the “Digital Healthcare Revolution” panel with other diverse panelists, who discussed the importance of telehealth access and the barriers communities face. Some of the key takeaways included: telehealth is about more than just physical connection to the internet, telehealth is an important use case for expanding broadband access, and digital navigators for health care can be an important part of the solution.
“I learned that the Pottsboro Library has one of the first telehealth rooms in the nation in their library,” said Weiner. “They partner with a hospital system to provide a private space for people to have their appointment and provide technical support.”
Legg was part of the panel, “Data-Driven Cities,” which discussed the importance of IXPs among other topics, including: the challenges associated with processing and storing data from sensing and monitoring technology, protecting increasingly digital cities against data security breaches, and avoiding disruption to services due to technological failure.
The ACP was a hot topic among many of the panels. With the program currently winding down, 23 million households will be impacted. But many leaders in the broadband space and related industries, as well as federal and state agencies, have put out the call to action to continue funding.
Learn more about the Connected America conference here AND check out some photos from the event below!
