This week: Connect Humanity's Samantha Schartman and Mission Telecom's Mark Colwell discuss their 'Alt Funding Field Guide,' which explores a new approach to co-investing in digital adoption initiatives focusing on six sectors. Release date: 8/3/2026 Show notes: https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/the-divide-why-digital-inclusion-needs-a-new-funding-model

NCTC's Lou Borrelli and ACA Connects' Grant Spellmeyer hop on the podcast to preview The Independent Show, set for July 26-29 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, which will dig into top policy issues and tech trends for small and midsized operators. Release date: 7/20/2026 Show notes: https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/policy-tech-and-convergence-to-collide-at-the-independent-show

This week: Joey Wender, executive director of the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB), joins to discuss the FCC's 'war on the E-Rate program' and what E-Rate advocates can do to help save it. Release date: 7/6/2026 Show notes: https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/the-divide-shlb-s-joey-wender-on-the-fight-to-save-e-rate

This week: NDIA's Angela Siefer returns to the podcast to discuss what's happened in the digital inclusion space since the Digital Equity Act was 'ended' by President Trump last year as well as ongoing efforts to restore funding. Release date: 6/15/2026 Show notes: https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/the-divide-ndia-s-angela-siefer-on-the-fight-to-restore-the-digital-equity-act

This week: Gigi Sohn discusses how 'dark money' defeated a public broadband plan in Longmeadow, Mass., why anti-muni-broadband efforts work in some towns but not others and why grassroots buy-in is key to public broadband success. Release date: 6/1/2026 Show notes: https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/the-divide-gigi-sohn-on-how-to-defeat-opponents-of-public-broadband

Fixing problems with broadband permitting has long been a goal of the telecom industry. But the need for broad reforms has been highlighted in recent years, particularly with the creation of the $42 billion BEAD program, which will soon inject roughly $21 billion into broadband deployment, giving providers four years to complete their builds. In this episode, we hear from three ISP leaders – Pamela Sherwood, VP of the regulatory, compliance and broadband office at Brightspeed; Jessica Epley, VP of regulatory and external affairs, Ziply Fiber; and Brad Welch, COO, CentraCom, and mayor of Fairview, Utah – about the biggest barriers to obtaining permits for fiber broadband deployment projects and what can be done about it. Release date: 5/7/2026 Show notes: https://www.lightreading.com/fttx/the-divide-how-permitting-problems-delay-broadband-builds

Guest: Patrick Halley, president and CEO, Wireless Infrastructure Association Release date: 4/20/2026 Amid the ongoing deployment of macro cells, small cells and indoor, private networks, the nation's wireless infrastructure continues to expand. That expansion is expected to continue in the US as regulators look to make hundreds of megahertz of spectrum available for wireless, including next year's upper C-Band auction. Among the organizations keeping tabs on today's buildouts and what's around the corner is the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA), an organization that represents a broad mix of companies and operators that build, operate and maintain everything from 200-foot macro towers and rooftop towers to small cells. WIA also runs Connect(X), with the 2026 event set for May 4-6 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Show notes: https://www.lightreading.com/5g/wireless-infrastructure-association-ceo-braces-for-the-ai-and-6g-era

Former FCC official Blair Levin joins the podcast to discuss BEAD program updates and how the federal government can best prepare for the future of connectivity and AI as we mark 30 years of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Release date: 4/14/2026 Show notes: https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/the-divide-blair-levin-on-30-years-of-the-telecom-act-and-what-must-come-next

This week: Former FCC official Carol Mattey joins the podcast to discuss the outcome of states' revised BEAD plans and what's next, as well as why she's not optimistic the Universal Service Fund will be reformed anytime soon. Release date: 3/17/2026 Show notes: https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/the-divide-carol-mattey-on-bead-hope-and-hysteria-and-stalled-usf-reform

New Street Research's Vikash Harlalka joins the podcast to discuss cable's latest round of financial results, including the improvements and the significant challenges the industry will continue to face in 2026. Release date: 3/9/2026 Show notes: https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/cable-shows-signs-of-improvement-but-is-it-out-of-the-woods-