2025 NEWS
Fiber-First Doesn’t Mean Fiber-Only: A Smarter Approach to BEAD & Universal
https://www.linkedin.com/events/fiber-firstdoesn-tmeanfiber-onl7341572665066864642/theater/
The broadband mission is clear: universal access for all Americans. But the path to get there? It’s complicated—and full of trade-offs.
That’s why Bonfire Infrastructure Group is bringing you a special Ask Me Anything (AMA) with David Malfara, CEO of Big Bang Broadband and author of several of the most-read, most-debated LinkedIn think pieces in broadband today:
"Unlicensed Fixed Wireless Still Falls Short for BEAD"
"Coloring Outside the NOFO Lines: A Hybrid Twist for Universal Coverage"
"Data Shows Starlink Fails BEAD Eligibility"
Join us as we dig into the hard questions:
Why fiber must remain the backbone of broadband infrastructure
Where Starlink and unlicensed fixed wireless fall short of BEAD expectations
How a hybrid model—fiber to the PoP, wireless or LEO to the end—might be the smartest path to 100% coverage
What state broadband offices can do to stay compliant and creative
David isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo—and this AMA will cover the data, the policy nuances, and the engineering realities that every state and provider needs to understand right now.
2022 NEWS
telecompetitor Webinar Series - Sponsored by Corning | May 11th
Our CEO, David J. Malfara, Sr. has been invited to participate in this telecompetitor webinar on fiber network design, sponsored by Corning.
FIBER NETWORK DESIGN: THINKING BEYOND THE UNSERVED HOUSEHOLD TO DESIGN YOUR SCALABLE, SUSTAINABLE FIBER NETWORK | REGISTER
Providing broadband services to unserved rural areas is critical—that’s why it’s become a primary requisite for most of the major rural broadband funding programs. However, your task as an internet service provider is much greater than just filling that need. As you set about designing your fiber broadband network, you need to think about all the people and businesses it will serve. And you need to make sure it won’t be a solution just for today, but that it will be flexible enough to grow and serve customers well into 2030 and beyond.
In this webinar we’ll outline key strategies for making the best future-oriented design decisions about your fiber broadband network, allowing you to optimize current funding opportunities.
Moderator:
Kara Mullaley – Market Development Manager, Emerging Accounts - Corning Optical Communications
Speakers:
David J. Malfara, Sr. – CEO, Big Bang Broadband LLC
Paul Sulisz – CEO, Biarri Networks
2021 NEWS
National Regulatory Research Institute | December 7/8 and December 14/15
Our CEO, David J. Malfara, Sr. has been invited to serve as an instructor for an 8-hour course on current topics in telecommunications presented by the National Regulatory Research Institute of NARUC. | NARUC Member Registration
NEW COURSE: NRRI announces Telecom 101, an 8-hour course on current topics in telecommunications. It reviews the history of telecommunications regulation and universal service and the changes in state and federal oversight as competition has replaced direct regulation. Topics covered include Universal Service, Cooperative Federalism, the 1934 and 1996 Telecommunications Acts, key technical innovations (VoIP, wireless, 5G, satellite broadband), Lifeline, broadband deployment and adoption, and consumer protection.
Telecom 101 will be delivered in four two-hour classes, from 2 to 4 PM (ET) on Tuesday & Wednesday, December 7 and 8 and Tuesday & Wednesday, December 14 and 15. After course completion, a certificate of attendance will be provided.
Instructors:
David J. Malfara, Sr. – CEO, Big Bang Broadband LLC
Sherry Lichtenberg, Ph.D. – Deputy Director, NRRI
RDOF Obligations and Standards | July 26th
Our CEO, David J. Malfara, Sr. and our General Counsel, James M. Smith will be speaking at the Fiber Connect 2021 Conference in Nashville, TN on Monday, July 26th. | LEARN MORE
Phase 1 (Auction 904) of the FCC’s $20.4 Billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund has provisionally awarded $9.2 Billion to successful bidders for the deployment of broadband in eligible areas. To a staggering 85% of locations in those eligible areas, RDOF Phase 1 winners are obligated to offer gigabit-level performance (1Gb/s download – 500Mb/s upload with less than 100ms latency). The program’s focus on technical neutrality and its inclusive result has caused many to question whether or not the qualifying process in the short form application was sufficient to differentiate between the performance characteristics of those technologies as they pertain to obligation thresholds and network quality standards. This panel will discuss the shortcomings of the performance obligations required in RDOF Phase 1 and explore ways in which future federal and state funding programs can remain technically neutral while still evaluating applicants with a grading system that acknowledges these critical differences in performance and sets holistic, “future proof” quality standards for the networks they fund.
Panelists:
David J. Malfara, Sr. – CEO, Big Bang Broadband LLC
Chris Crowe – CEO, t3 Broadband
James M. Smith – General Counsel, Big Bang Broadband LLC
Broadband Speeds and Needs | July 19th
Our CEO, David J. Malfara, Sr. will be speaking at the NARUC Policy Summit in Denver, CO on Monday, July 19th. | LEARN MORE
In Top Gun Tom Cruise famously says, “I feel the need for speed!” Are broadband consumers saying the same thing? How much broadband speed do consumers really need? These questions are crucial in getting broadband policy right. Our panel helps us understand broadband speed, why advertised speed sometimes differs from actual speed experienced by the customer, what speed do residential customers really need, is symmetrical speed needed for today and tomorrow’s residential uses, and why broadband buildout standards typically differ from the speed threshold for determination of who is unserved. This session will cut through the jargon to make sense of current standards, new proposals, and what consumers really need. The panel will also touch on post buildout speed tests of new networks and how they can be used most appropriately and effectively.
Moderator: Chairman Chris Nelson – South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
Panelists:
David J. Malfara, Sr. – CEO, Big Bang Broadband LLC
Joseph Gillan – President, Gillan & Associates; Chairman, Universal Service Administrative Company
Bryan Darr – EVP, Smart Communities – Ookla, LLC
With billions on the table and a nation to connect, can a "tech-neutral" approach deliver on the promise of high-speed broadband for all?
On this episode of "Connecting the Lines," industry experts David Malfara and Dan Levac join us to discuss the BEAD program's dramatic shift from a "fiber-first" approach to a newly announced "tech-neutral" free-for-all. We'll explore what this pivot and other program changes means for service providers, states, consumers, and the future of nationwide connectivity. Plus, Dan drops his new Reagan-inspired tagline...
Episode: https://ow.ly/Ttmz50WtgHO
Available on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.