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Connected Nation
This is Connected Nation – an award-winning podcast focused on all things broadband. From closing the Digital Divide to simply improving your internet speeds, we talk technology topics that impact all of us, our families, and our communities.
The podcast was honored in 2024 with an Award of Excellence for Podcast Series - Technology. This is the highest honor given by the Communicator Awards. More recently, the podcast received an Award of Distinction in 2025. It received the same honor in 2023 and 2022.
Learn more about the national nonprofit behind this podcast at connectednation.org.
Episodes
196 episodes
The national Digital Divide Award goes to...
On this episode of Connected Nation, we wrap up our coverage from the 2025 Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, Texas. Telecommunications legal expert Philip Macres breaks down the new BEAD rules—what’s good, what’s bad, and wha...
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Season 6
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Episode 33
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23:47
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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 —...
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Season 6
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Episode 32
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12:42
Assessing telehealth attitudes and usage in Northwest Colorado
On this episode, we’re reporting from the Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, Texas, where we sit down with Molly Weiner, Director of Local and Regional Planning for Connected Nation. Molly shares insights from a new telehealth...
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Season 6
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Episode 31
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11:57
BONUS EPISODE: Building open networks for others to own across the country
On this episode of Connected Nation, we've got some bonus coverage from the Broadband Community Summit. We talk with Drew Pappas from Bonfire Infrastructure Group on how they help communities, coops, Tribes, and others build open networks acros...
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Season 6
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Episode 30
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12:22
This company is the Internet Service Provider of Internet Service Providers
On this episode of Connected Nation, we sit down with two representatives from Cogent Communications. We discuss the evolution of data centers, talk about Cogent's work globally, and find out what it's like being the Internet Service Prov...
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Season 6
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Episode 29
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24:16
DirecTV's big changes and the company that's creating what connects us
In this episode of Connected Nation, host Jessica Denson continues coverage from the 2025 Broadband Communities Summit in Houston. First, she sits down with Dawn Intili of DirecTV, who breaks down how the company is reshaping...
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Season 6
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Episode 28
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23:22
Where civil rights and digital access meet
In this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from the Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, Texas. Jessica Denson speaks with Tyler Dempsey and Shelby Smith of Sonar Software about what sets their OSS/BSS platfor...
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Season 6
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Episode 27
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28:43
You never know who you'll meet at the Broadband Communities Summit
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage live from the Broadband Community Summit in Houston, Texas. We talk with Heather Gate, Executive Vice President of Digital Transformation for Connected Nation about the s...
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Season 6
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Episode 26
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14:21
From Middle Mile to high stakes in the High Court: MCNC's leadership tackles connectivity in a unique way
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from the Broadband Community Summit, and we talk with the president and CEO of MCNC, about its role connecting schools and healthcare facilities across North Carolina.We also ...
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Season 6
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Episode 25
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21:37
Why the SHLB Coalition's defense of the USF impacts us all
Today we begin our in-depth coverage of the Broadband Communities Summit taking place in Houston, Texas. On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Joseph Wender, Executive Director of the SHLB Coalition about what's happenin...
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Season 6
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Episode 24
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14:19
Meet “The Energy Expert” who says she can help revitalize your remote workforce
Why does workplace energy matter — and how can we build it? Dana Spencer, known as “The Energy Expert,” joins us to share how she’s helping organizations revitalize employee productivity, morale, and team dynamics using her Five S f...
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Season 6
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Episode 23
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37:25
Broadband leaders gather in Houston just weeks after BEAD's new rules are released
On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with a representative from the Broadband Communities Summit about the topics and speakers attendees can expect in Houston, Texas — and why now is a critical time to come together.Find out what...
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Season 6
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Episode 22
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31:11
From 10 employees to 1,000: Nextlink Internet's story of radical, organic growth
On this episode of Connected Nation, we sit down with Bill Baker, CEO of Nextlink Internet, to explore how this Texas-based provider is leading the charge in expanding broadband across 12 states—serving some of the country’s most rural and unde...
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Season 6
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Episode 21
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1:02:24
How proposed changes to E-rate could impact America's kids
On this episode of Connected Nation, we’re diving into proposed changes to the federal E-rate program — and what those changes could mean for schools, libraries, and the millions of students who rely on internet access to learn.Our guest...
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Season 6
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Episode 20
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34:06
Before the storm: What ISPs can do as we enter hurricane season
Hurricane season is here — and it’s expected to be one of the most active on record. In this episode of Connected Nation, we sit down with three industry leaders who know exactly what it takes to keep people online before, during, and after a d...
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Season 6
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Episode 19
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1:03:06
History in the making: Connected Nation breaks ground on Kansas’s first Internet Exchange Point
On this episode of Connected Nation, we take you to Wichita, Kansas for an historic event – the groundbreaking of the first Internet Exchange Point in the state. We talk with those who have been working toward this moment for years ...
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Season 6
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Episode 18
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43:21
The simple step small ISPs should be taking to grow their business
In this episode of Connected Nation, Jessica Denson revisits with Ben Elkins, CEO of Utah Broadband and AireBeam, to discuss the outsized impact that small and medium-sized internet service providers (ISPs) can have on closing the Digital Divid...
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Season 6
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Episode 17
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34:49
A digitally inclusive journey: Meet the 2025 Student Broadband Hero Award winner
What do YOU think motivates some people to put their own needs aside to help others? We talked with one extraordinary teenager who is taking action to the close the Digital Divide – by helping both senior citizens and those dealing with homeles...
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Season 6
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Episode 16
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21:37
AT&T’s commitment to digital learning at all ages
On this episode of Connected Nation, we wrap up our coverage of the Connected America conference with a powerful conversation about bridging the Digital Divide. Host Jessica Denson is joined by Viviana Cohuo, Lead Project Manager for AT&T’s...
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Season 6
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Episode 15
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11:52
The Copper Countdown: What landline retirement means for you
The retirement of copper landlines is accelerating — and many businesses aren’t ready. On this episode of Connected Nation, guest host Grant Ahlbrand speaks with Max Silber, Vice President of Mobility and IoT at MetTel, to explore w...
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Season 6
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Episode 14
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38:19
Investing in our future: Sustaining K-12 digital access
On this episode of Connected Nation, we tackle a topic impacting millions of students across the country — how to sustain digital access in K-12 education. As federal programs end, only 27% of states are ready to keep kids connected...
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Season 6
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Episode 13
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46:40
Empowering and connecting: Closing the digital skills and connectivity gap
In this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from the Connected America conference in Irving, Texas. Our host, Jessica Denson sits down with the Editor-in-Chief at Working Nation, to discuss the importance of digita...
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Season 6
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Episode 12
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13:53
Why ISPs should evolve into experience providers—and who can help
On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with leadership from Calix – a company that “helps broadband service providers simplify, innovate, and grow.” Learn how the company is shifting the focus from being a service provider to ...
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Season 6
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Episode 11
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31:31
Celebrating five years: Exploring our best interviews and topics since 2020
On this episode of Connected Nation, we’re doing things a little bit differently. That’s because March 24, 2025 marks our five year anniversary since launching.We’ll take you through the very distinct moment in time we got started, ...
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Season 6
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Episode 10
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27:49
Tackling transitions: From being bought by another company to handling BEAD under a new administration
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from the Connected America conference, where we dive into the latest in broadband innovation and policy. First, we hear from Belden Precision Optical Technologies, a comp...
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Season 6
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Episode 9
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20:36