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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. The podcast also received an Award of Distinction in 2023 and the same in 2022.
Learn more about the national nonprofit behind this podcast at connectednation.org.
Episodes
151 episodes
From open Wi-Fi to "visionary" broadband laws: How the western US is addressing digital access differently
On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with leadership at Total Telecom about a new event that’s focused on connecting “every community in the Western US with next-generation communications infrastructure.”From cutting-edge techno...
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Season 5
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Episode 42
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25:52
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Where innovators and leaders unite: Previewing the upcoming 2024 Broadband Nation Expo
Today, we’re gearing up for one of the most exciting events in the broadband space – the 2024 Broadband Nation Expo in Washington, D.C. On this episode, we are joined by leadership at Questex to discuss why this expo is where leaders an...
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Season 5
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Episode 41
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19:10
Mountain Connect 2024: How BroadbandOhio is navigating BEAD
On this episode of Connected Nation, we wrap our coverage from Mountain Connect 2024 as we sit down with the State Broadband Director from the Buckeye State to discuss the state's broadband strategic plan and the future if connectivity in Ohio....
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Season 5
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Episode 40
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19:28
Mountain Connect 2024: BEAM's leadership on broadband expansion and accessibility across Mississippi
On this episode of Connected Nation, we sit down with Sally Doty, who serves as the Director of the State Broadband Office for Mississippi, better known as BEAM. Related links:Broadban...
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Season 5
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Episode 39
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19:30
Mountain Connect 2024: Key partnerships, digital equity, and the Illinois Broadband Lab
On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Director of State and Local Government Partnerships at ready.net. Plus, we sit down with a representative from the University of Illinois to discuss the Illinois Broadband Lab and ca...
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Season 5
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Episode 38
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30:32
Mountain Connect 2024: Nokia's Network in a Box and the one thing most people get wrong about the company
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect, which is taking place in Denver, Colorado.We talk with leadership at Nokia and discuss the company's movement into rural America, it's "network in a bo...
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Season 5
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Episode 37
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12:44
Mountain Connect 2024: The high-tech (and dangerous) broadband job that some say needs regulation now
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect, which is taking place in Denver, Colorado. We talk with a leader at the Fiber Optics Network about the need for regulations surrounding a critical broa...
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Season 5
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Episode 36
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32:19
Mountain Connect 2024: The Internet Equity Initiative and connecting the most remote, inhabited island in Michigan
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect, taking place in Denver, Colorado. We speak with an organization that's working in seven of the least connected states in the country. Plus, we talk wit...
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Season 5
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Episode 35
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32:33
On the road: Inside Mountain Connect 2024 (Part 1)
On this episode of Connected Nation, we begin our coverage from Mountain Connect, a broadband conference that is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The theme this year is "Beyond the bandwidth, the power of broadband revolutionizing access."
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Season 5
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Episode 34
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17:04
Service over self: How an ex-submarine captain is tackling America's Digital Divide
On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Tony Grayson – a man who has held leadership roles at such tech giants as Amazon, Facebook, and Oracle – roles that are perhaps eclipsed by his time as a submarine captain.We’ll explore ...
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Season 5
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Episode 33
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48:28
How being "a canoe in a sea of battleships" steers this ISP's mission
On today’s podcast, we talk with the CEO of DigitalC, a company that’s offering lightning fast-internet to anyone in its service area for just 18-dollars a month, for five years! The service is 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload speeds. ...
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Season 5
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Episode 32
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36:31
Special series: Inside NACo - covering what county leaders should know about AI, cybersecurity, and more
On this episode of Connected Nation, we conclude our coverage from the National Association of Counties' (NACo) Conference and Exposition. We sit down with NACo's Legislative Director of Telecommunications and Technology and cover...
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Season 5
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Episode 31
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18:00
Special series: Inside NACo - from the "science of where" to casinos everywhere
On this special episode of Connected Nation, we talk with the head of government solutions for Esri; the national director for the public sector at Big Health; and a leader for Tunica County, Mississippi about the unique needs of his county, wh...
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Season 5
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Episode 30
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26:55
Special series: Inside NACo - how USDA Rural Development supports county leaders
On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk to the IT Director of Kent County, Delaware about what can be done to help transient populations. We also sit down with a representative from USDA Rural Development about what the organization can do...
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Season 5
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Episode 29
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18:21
Special series: Inside NACo - two innovations that can make your life more stress free
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from the NACo conference. And you're going to love this episode. That's because we talked to two companies that are doing pretty innovative things to make your life more relaxed and ...
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Season 5
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Episode 28
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19:48
Special series: Inside NACo - talking collaboration, counties, and...corgis?
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from the National Association of Counties Annual Conference and Exposition. We begin by posing a question to you. Do you know what a "nope rope" is? Well, you're about to find ...
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Season 5
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Episode 27
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16:17
Special series: Inside NACo - what Black leaders say their communities need
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our special coverage from the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference and Exposition. The event brings together county leaders from across the country share ideas, talk about ch...
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Season 5
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Episode 26
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20:20
Special series: Inside the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference
On this episode of Connected Nation, we kick off a special series that takes you inside NACo's annual conference and exposition. NACo stands for the National Association of Counties and there are representatives from all over the nation who att...
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Season 5
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Episode 25
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18:13
From copper to coax to fiber: The future is now for lightning-fast internet
On today’s podcast – we welcome back a great guest from Season 4, the CEO of Fiber Fast Homes, a company that works directly with real estate developers and builders to connect homes and rental buildings to lightning-fast internet.Learn ...
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Season 5
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Episode 24
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27:51
Weathering the storm: How we can better protect our digital infrastructure
On today’s episode of the Connected Nation Podcast, we tackle what can be done to mitigate threats to our nation’s internet networks – during natural disasters including an increase in cyberthreats. We invite on leadership f...
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Season 5
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Episode 23
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38:41
Tackling the Digital Divide in one of America's least digitally connected cities
In 2019, it was estimated that Detroit was the least connected city in the U.S. with greater than 100,000 households.* On this episode of Connected Nation, we take you to a special event held in the heart of Detroit that’s getting the cit...
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Season 5
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Episode 22
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36:06
On the road: 2024 Govtech Digital Government Summit (Part 3)
The Connected Nation Podcast wrapping up from Lexington, Kentucky at the 2024 Govtech Digital Government Summit. In the final installment of our coverage, Jessica Denson speaks with the SLED East Director from Socure, a Kentucky State Senator, ...
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Season 5
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Episode 21
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38:59
On the road: 2024 Govtech Digital Government Summit (Part 2)
The Connected Nation Podcast checking back in from Lexington, Kentucky at the 2024 Govtech Digital Government Summit. In today's second episode, Jessica Denson welcomes on a Editorial Director for Content Spaces for Govtech, a GIS Analyst with ...
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Season 5
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Episode 20
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19:47
On the road: 2024 Govtech Digital Government Summit (Part 1)
The Connected Nation Podcast is back on the road today in Lexington, Kentucky at the 2024 Govtech Digital Government Summit. In this episode, our host, Jessica Denson, speaks with the Executive Director of State Programs at Connected Nation, th...
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Season 5
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Episode 19
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20:20
Discussing project management with the company "future-proofing" their customers
Today, we are joined by Sitetracker’s leadership about the delivery on that promise with what the company has dubbed a “future proof platform.” When it comes to building new telecommunications and internet infrastructure – there ar...
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Season 5
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Episode 18
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23:37