What Fiber Connect 2025 Really Showed Us

Conference halls talk about innovation. Conference bars talk about what’s actually working.

Two weeks out from Nashville, the LinkedIn posts are fading but the real takeaways are just starting to surface.

The operators making moves weren’t talking AI and convergence. They were talking execution gaps, capital discipline, and the systems that actually keep projects on schedule.

In this issue: 3 real takeaways from the show floor, 2 shifts operators can’t ignore, and one fiber f*ck up that sums it all up.

1. Private money is moving. BEAD isn’t.

California BEAD delays. Eligibility cuts. Trepidation from state officials. Meanwhile, private fiber builds and FBA membership are growing fast, up 178% over five years, with 20% growth just in 2025.

The smart move? Build models that work without federal cash.

2. Backbone planning is broken.

Many last-mile builds are happening without scaled middle-mile behind them. Traffic assumptions are off by 5x. We’re promising gigabit to homes and running it through bottlenecks that can’t handle it.

The result? Great installs that don’t deliver great experience.

3. You can’t out-AI bad ops.

The disconnect is real: flashy demos of predictive network planning on one screen, weekly spreadsheet check-ins on another.

Reality check: The operators who’ve digitized field ops, not just design, are the ones actually staying on schedule.

1. Investors care more about execution than addressable market

Capital hasn’t dried up but it has gotten smarter. The pitch used to be: “Big TAM, big upside.” Now it’s: “Show me you can deliver.” Investors are digging deeper into operational systems, field data workflows, and track records before writing checks.

What it means: You’re not raising on potential anymore. You’re raising on proof.

2. The easy markets are gone.

If it was obvious, it’s already built. What’s left are the tough ones; rural edge cases, dense urban challenges, high-rock zones, and high-permit corridors. These projects don’t get done with clipboards and part-time PMs.

What it means: The next wave of wins will go to the operators who can handle complexity at speed.

When your directional drilling crew thinks "close enough" is good enough.

What's New With Us?

We’ve got several great chances to connect this summer, two where you’ll find us on the floor, and one you won’t want to miss:

• Broadband Communities Summit
  Houston, TX – June 23–25

• ISE Expo
  New Orleans, LA – July 29–31

• Broadband Mystery Tour
  We’re back on the road with Bonfire! Reply to this email to save a seat for our Denver event on August 3.

And if you’re thinking it might be time to ditch the spreadsheets, streamline your field ops, or get a handle on your reporting chaos, let’s talk.

Book a quick walkthrough with my team directly →

Stay sharp,
Tim