Catching Up & Showing Out

Events Showcase Broadband’s Impact on Tennessee

By Carrie Huckeby

Here we are, already in March of a very busy year. Like early spring winds, Tennessee Broadband Association (TNBA) members are moving quickly.

Lots of TNBA members attended NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association’s RTIME event a few weeks ago. The four-day conference included content on the Universal Service Fund, workforce, building community connections, and service offerings to enhance customer loyalty. The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program was on the agenda with Tennessee well represented. Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development Broadband Grants Manager Emily Hale spoke about mapping and the steps TNECD takes to ensure accuracy. It was great to see her on the big stage representing our state. I received several comments from attendees that we were lucky to have her expertise. We agree! This year’s meeting also highlighted NTCA’s Rural Rumble, an online esports tournament.

RTIME’s vendor expo is a large part of the conference, showcasing new innovations and technologies and giving me the opportunity to catch up with industry friends. The showcase is also a time to talk with TNBA members about what’s happening on the state level. There’s always a mention of the TNBA annual conference in June.

Our own Day on the Hill is coming up in Nashville on March 18. It’s our annual opportunity to network with legislators and their staff members. We highlight the investment, connections, challenges, and successes of TNBA’s new members. The office visits and conversations strengthen relationships and introduce the association to lawmakers and their staff. This year, we have a new map that displays the state’s connectivity and shares TNBA members’ stories. The map highlights Iris Networks’ connectivity, the broadband providers who serve over 275,000 Tennesseans, and most importantly, the residents and business owners who use the connectivity in their daily lives.

This month we are also celebrating Women in Construction and Employee Appreciation Day. Watch our social media for Women in Construction Week highlights. I hope your company does something fun for Employee Appreciation Day. Share your photos or stories for next month’s newsletter.

Last, registration for the June conference is now open. The links for hotel and registration can be found on our TNBA website. I hope to see you in June!