The exhibit booth no one wanted to miss at the 2025 Broadband Communities Summit

 In this special bonus episode of Connected Nation, we take you straight to the heart of the action on the exhibit floor at the Broadband Communities Summit. 

Join us as we explore the buzz around Interduct.com — the booth everyone was talking about. Discover why it captured so much attention. 

Recommended Links: 

Innerduct Website

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:00 Innerduct background
• 2:00 Major uptick in business
• 3:05 Unique challenges
• 4:15 All about Innerduct's booth & products
• 9:00 Working with ISPs of all sizes
• 12:00 Conclusion

Transcript

Jessica Denson (00:07):

On this episode of Connected Nation, we go into the exhibit hall at Broadband Community Summit, and I stop@uc.com, which is the most popular booth that we've come across. Find out why, as we explore some of the very cool things that are inside of it. I'm Jessica Sen, and this is Connected Nation. I am at day two of the Broadband Community Summit. The official day two. There was like a pre-day before this <laugh> <laugh> on Monday David Margason (00:37):

Pre party. Jessica Denson (00:38):

And yeah. And I've been walking around the exhibit hall. I did a little time lapse earlier, and I've noticed every time I walk by this group called inner duck.com, that people are standing around looking at these really cool stuff that's at this booth, including a bicycle and some equipment I could never name. But I'm gonna ask David Marson, who's with me now, to, to tell us a little bit about what's going on here. Welcome, David. David Margason (01:01):

Hi. Yeah, my name is David. Um, so inter direct.com. We are a family owned company that is a, uh, we're a stocking distributor. We've been in the industry for about 30 years now. Jessica Denson (01:12):

Wow. David Margason (01:12):

Uh, we've been with our company, um, we start, we were founded in 1908 as an electrical distributor, Jessica Denson (01:20):

Uhhuh. David Margason (01:20):

Um, but yeah, we we're pretty much a stocking distributor for fiber optic, uh, products, handholds, uct, um, and installation equipment. Jessica Denson (01:31):

It's interesting that you say that it started out as an electric based company because, uh, a lot of people are comparing what's happening with, um, broadband Jessica Denson (01:40):

Mm-hmm Jessica Denson (01:40):

<affirmative>. And connectivity right now to what happened with Electric electrifying the country. David Margason (01:44):

Yes. Jessica Denson (01:44):

Um, so are you seeing a major uptick in the last few years? Yes. In business? David Margason (01:49):

Yep. So talk about that and Yeah. So we, uh, we've been in the, in the OC telecom industry since the late nineties. That's sort of how we got the name oc.com mm-hmm Jessica Denson (01:59):

<affirmative>. David Margason (01:59):

Um, yeah. We've seen a giant uptick just over the past, even over the past few years of, you know, people needing to be connected to the internet, you know, getting online, you know, there's more and more work from home jobs, more and more data streaming, all that stuff. So we're here, here helping the internet service providers get, you know, get those people connected. Jessica Denson (02:21):

<laugh>. Now, when I walked up, there was about six people here, but some of them scattered. They're like, no, we don't wanna talk. Uh, who, who's all here with you? David Margason (02:28):

Yeah. So I've got Dustin Kurtz singer. He's my, uh, sales man from South Texas. I have Brooke, uh, tingle Edington. She handles, uh, all of our Texas accounts, and then also our West Coast. She lives out in California. Jessica Denson (02:40):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. David Margason (02:41):

Uh, and I have Shelby McKay. She handles our North Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas accounts. Jessica Denson (02:45):

Awesome. So are you mostly in the middle of the country, or where do you serve? What are the David Margason (02:50):

Yes. So we have six locations. Uh, we have two in Texas, one in Houston, Dallas. Jessica Denson (02:54):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. David Margason (02:55):

Uh, we have a location in Kansas City, Missouri, Fort Collins, Colorado, Lincoln, Nebraska, and our headquarters, it's out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jessica Denson (03:03):

Um, I grew up in Texas and Oklahoma, so I appreciate that <laugh>. Awesome. Um, you know, uh, the, what are some unique challenges when it comes to, uh, laying this kind of stuff? Or actually, do you guys lay or you just, you just provide the materials? David Margason (03:17):

So luckily for us, we just provide the materials. Jessica Denson (03:20):

Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah. I realized I should have asked that. <laugh> <laugh>. David Margason (03:22):

Yes, ma'am. Yes. We we're just a distributor, but we're a stocking distributor. So Jessica Denson (03:26):

Uhhuh, David Margason (03:27):

You know, one of the areas where we shine, we have the material in stock, whereas, you know, some of the manufacturers or lead times are out. Yeah. We have it in stock and we're centrally located across, like, in the middle of the Jessica Denson (03:39):

Us so easy to David Margason (03:41):

Go either way. So we could get anywhere either side. Yes, Jessica Denson (03:42):

Ma'am. Uhhuh <affirmative>. And that is a thing right now is the need for equipment and, um mm-hmm <affirmative>. Materials. Correct? Yes, ma'am. Especially if with bead finally goes through <laugh> everything. Yes. Fingers crossed, crossed, moves forward. Yes. Fingers crossed for all of David Margason (03:53):

Us. Yes. Jessica Denson (03:54):

Um, you are ready and you're stocked if there Yes. If there's a huge rush on this stuff. David Margason (03:59):

Yes. I'm, Jessica Denson (04:00):

Yeah. We have David Margason (04:00):

Millions of feet of fiber in stock. Millions of feet of duct, thousands of hand holes. Um, and, you know, one thing about us is we like to be prepared. Jessica Denson (04:09):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. David Margason (04:09):

You know, we're, we don't like to be last minute, um, you know, last minute trying to find material that's, you know, when customers come to us, we're the solution for those last minute issues. We have it in stock, we take care of them. Jessica Denson (04:22):

That's awesome. Well, let's talk about some of the stuff that you have here. Yeah. I'm gonna try my best to describe it. Yes, absolutely. First off, it's a bicycle <laugh>. Yes. Yes ma'am. Two wheels and a handlebars. Well, what's up with the bicycle at David Margason (04:32):

Your thing? Yeah, so the bicycle is one of our giveaways. Um, Jessica Denson (04:35):

Oh, okay. David Margason (04:36):

Whenever we do name in, we always have big giveaways. We do either kayaks, bicycles, Ooh. Uh, we do cooler speakers. We go all out. Jessica Denson (04:44):

No wonder people were standing here <laugh>. I was watching from my little booth back there, and I was like, wow. Why are all those people around there all the time yesterday too. David Margason (04:51):

Yes, ma'am. It's Jessica Denson (04:51):

For the, the bicycle's. Nice. They bring 'em in and then you have, what, what are some different things here? Yeah. We've got these concrete things, or this made out of concrete. David Margason (04:59):

Yeah, so these are called handholds Uhhuh. Jessica Denson (05:01):

Uh, David Margason (05:02):

So whenever you have your fiber coming up through the conduit uhhuh, uh, they'll use these to make the splice or the connection inside the box, Jessica Denson (05:09):

Uhhuh, <affirmative>. David Margason (05:09):

And then, uh, they'll just keep going or they'll take it to your house. So it's sort of like a junction box. Jessica Denson (05:16):

Gotcha. And, and it looks like a, just a little basic, uh, it almost looks like it's made outta styrofoam, but it's not. It's Right. It's a Yes ma'am. Those are just samples. I take it and it's like little boxes is what it looks like just for our audience. And then next to it is a spool of like blue, um, wire of some kind. David Margason (05:33):

Yep. So this is called a, uh, it's a duct Rotter Uhhuh. So this is what they put into the conduit to um, either make sure, you know, there's no blockages or they'll put it into the conduit and then pull back a rope to be able to pull into the fiber or the electrical Jessica Denson (05:48):

Gotcha. Materials. And there's like a bunch of different, um, uh, I guess connecting devices. I take it, this connects different, like around turning around corners or connecting one spool to another. David Margason (06:00):

Yep. So yeah, this is, uh, this is UCT here, Uhhuh, and then this is a coupling just for connecting it. Um, there's a lot of different types of air uct. Uh, this is rated for direct Berry underground. Um, they have stuff called Microduct Uhhuh that's made by Duraline. Jessica Denson (06:16):

Oh, I talked to Dur Line earlier. Yeah. David Margason (06:18):

Yep. Yeah, we're great partners. We've been partners for over 20 Jessica Denson (06:21):

Years. Oh, fantastic. David Margason (06:23):

Yes, ma'am. Jessica Denson (06:23):

Yeah, those guys were pretty cool too. David Margason (06:24):

Yeah. Yeah. <laugh>, they're always fun. Um, but yeah, there's, there's just a lot of uhhuh different solutions for a lot of Jessica Denson (06:30):

Applications. So they talk dur line, talked about that white. There's like a, so what we're looking at folks is there's orange cabling, it's about, what, two inches across, and then there's several smaller cables inside of that. And in some of the orange cabling, there's some white, uh, base. And that helps with friction, right? Yes. The white base. David Margason (06:50):

Yes, ma'am. Jessica Denson (06:50):

See, I can learn. I can learn. Yes, David Margason (06:52):

Ma'am. Uh, Darline calls that silicon core Uhhuh. Jessica Denson (06:55):

Yeah. Yes, ma'am. Yeah, they, so they were, they said they were here 'cause some of their best customers were here. I think they're talking about David Margason (06:59):

You. That's 'cause we're here. Yes, ma'am. <laugh>. Jessica Denson (07:02):

Oh, is this another giveaway? These things over here? David Margason (07:04):

Yeah. Yes ma'am. We have a grill. We have another speaker and then the rest of them, we've already give one away. Jessica Denson (07:09):

Oh man. I should have gotten over here earlier. <laugh>. David Margason (07:12):

Yes, ma'am. Jessica Denson (07:12):

Okay. So I'm gonna take some pictures. I'll come back over and take pictures before the end of the day. David Margason (07:16):

Yeah. Jessica Denson (07:17):

So our, uh, listeners can see some of this stuff, but there's this really cool looking machine that looks like it might be fun to play with <laugh>. It's blue, it's got, it's got Gibbs and Bobs. They're all over it. Things you could turn, it almost looks like a little robot, kind of, if you really put like two little eyes on it or something. Yep. Um, what is this? Yeah, David Margason (07:38):

So this is a fiber blower. Um, so the introduction that I showed you over there, Uhhuh goes into this side and then the fiber is blown. There's air to blow the fiber and the tracks to push to push it as well. Jessica Denson (07:50):

Oh, uses air to do it? David Margason (07:52):

Yes. Jessica Denson (07:52):

That's cool. David Margason (07:53):

Use its air to float the fiber and then the tracks will push it. Uhhuh, Jessica Denson (07:56):

<affirmative>. David Margason (07:56):

And this is what they use to actually install the fiber. Jessica Denson (07:59):

Oh, very cool. It's kind of David Margason (08:01):

Small. Yeah. Jessica Denson (08:02):

I would think it would be huge that it could push what, like hundreds of feet of fiber or thousands of feet. David Margason (08:08):

So it can bush, I want to say about 3000 feet. Wow. Or 4,000 feet. Jessica Denson (08:12):

That's incredible. And what is this? The little extra part to it? David Margason (08:15):

So this is a miniature version of it. Jessica Denson (08:17):

Oh, David Margason (08:17):

Uh, it's Jessica Denson (08:18):

Even smaller. <laugh>. Yes David Margason (08:19):

Ma'am. Uh, this one, you don't have to have a base on it. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. So if you're inside of one of the hand holes, like a larger one, Jessica Denson (08:26):

Uhhuh, <affirmative>, David Margason (08:26):

You can put this stone inside of it to be able to push in, uh, to be able to push in the fiber or you can, uh, hook up air to it. Blow Jessica Denson (08:35):

It. Is this are, is this technology kind of new? Did they used to be a lot bigger or? David Margason (08:40):

So it's, it did used to be bigger mm-hmm <affirmative>. Um, but you know, with, with everything changing and with everything getting more and more compact mm-hmm <affirmative>. You know, we have to stay Jessica Denson (08:51):

Agile and flexible, so Yes. Yes ma'am. I would say the bigger machine, just for the sake of our, uh, listeners, is about the size of a small German Shepherd <laugh>. Yeah. And the other one's the size of a, the, the actual machine portion, not the legs, is the size of a David Margason (09:05):

Chihuahua. Yes. I just about to say that. Yes ma'am. <laugh>, Jessica Denson (09:08):

That's the, the best thing I could do. And I take it this big box here is how you carry that around. David Margason (09:12):

Yes ma'am. Move it around just the storage case. Jessica Denson (09:13):

That could, I mean, you really, honestly, you could just take a truck and move that anywhere, right? Yeah, absolutely. So that's made for really just even one person teams kind of thing. Yes, ma'am. That's incredible. Um, I, the little one you could even carry on the bike <laugh>. Yes. If anybody wins that David Margason (09:27):

Ma the little basket on there. Yes Jessica Denson (09:28):

Ma'am. So if, if a com you, I take you mostly work with companies, you don't work with the person to person, obviously you work with, um, what, uh, small, large ISPs or, so David Margason (09:38):

We work with all the way from Comcast all the way down to, you know, people just starting out Jessica Denson (09:43):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. David Margason (09:44):

Installing the material. Um, so for us, we're very, we're not a corporate company, we're family owned. Jessica Denson (09:51):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. David Margason (09:51):

We like the personal connection and uh, you know, just building that relationship, whether it's a big, you know, tier one at and t, Comcast, Jessica Denson (10:00):

Uhhuh David Margason (10:00):

Or if it's a smaller family owned or locally owned co-op, like telephone company. Jessica Denson (10:05):

So all across the board. Yes. Yeah. Yes ma'am. And are you, are you getting a lot of new business because of the bead stuff or a lot of people Ha are you finding a lot of questions or conversations during this? David Margason (10:14):

It, so all the bead stuff started a couple years ago. Yeah. <laugh>. Yeah. We, there's been a lot of questions over the time Uhhuh or over the past few years. Uh, we have had a lot of questions about it, but I know we are still Jessica Denson (10:28):

Waiting and seeing, David Margason (10:29):

We're still waiting, but while we're waiting, we're still taking care of all of our customers. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Um, you know, even this, whether they're smaller companies or larger companies, we're still taking care of them and we're just hoping B takes off and that'll be just an addition Jessica Denson (10:43):

Even bigger thing. David Margason (10:43):

Correct. Jessica Denson (10:44):

So, uh, anything big that you guys are looking forward to that you could share? David Margason (10:48):

Uh, we are looking forward to, let me see, I'm trying to think. We're looking forward to another, just another great year. Uhhuh Jessica Denson (10:57):

<affirmative>, David Margason (10:58):

You know, this summer, summer are just kicking off and things are just starting to get crazy here in Texas. Uh, so we're looking forward to get to getting even more crazy. Jessica Denson (11:06):

Well, before I let you go, I think I warned you that I always ask something about my guest, especially people know who we're talking to. Yeah, absolutely. So David, um, you've got on a UCT hat at that first, I thought, I thought it was a Harley Davidson hat, but it's an UCT hat, David Margason (11:19):

Something like that. Yes, ma'am. Jessica Denson (11:21):

<laugh>. Um, tell, tell us how you got into this and why you do it. David Margason (11:24):

Yeah, so growing up, uh, around the house, I always loved working on electrical work. Jessica Denson (11:30):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. David Margason (11:30):

So, you know, in my dad's house, wiring new outlets or light switches, stuff like that. Um, and then eventually that transitioned over to meat, starting with our company on the electrical side. Jessica Denson (11:42):

Mm-hmm David Margason (11:43):

<affirmative>. As, you know, inside counter sales for the electrical side. And then, uh, our owner, Peter Duran, which a lot of people in the industry know him, um, he sort of took me under his wing and taught me a lot about the Uck side and Uhhuh. I fall in, fall in love with it, and then now, now I'm running the Houston branch. Jessica Denson (12:00):

That's awesome. Duck com. Awesome. That's fantastic. Congratulations. Yes, ma'am. David Margason (12:03):

Thank you. Jessica Denson (12:04):

And I'll tell Duraline that you said good things about them. Yeah, absolutely. We're great partners. Yes, ma'am. All right. Well thank you so much. David Marson with it. David Margason (12:10):

Marson. Yes, Jessica Denson (12:11):

Ma'am. Markson with inner duck.com. I really appreciate your time. David Margason (12:14):

Awesome. Thank you Jessica. Jessica Denson (12:20):

We'll continue our coverage from the Broadband Community Summit on our next episode of Connected Nation. I'm Jessica Sen. Thanks for listening. If you wanna know more about us, head to connect to nation.org or find our latest episodes on your favorite podcast platforms.