Broadband Communities Summit 2016 saw an array of industry leaders gather in Austin for this year’s annual conference.

Panels discussed Private Public Partnership models, the economic development Fiber can bring to a community, funding models and successful case studies.

SiFi Networks’ CEO, Ben Bawtree-Jobson, was invited by CLIC to participate on a panel alongside Google Fiber and other companies to examine the Private Sector’s view on Public Private Partnerships.

“The industry is changing quickly. Communities want all the benefits that come with fiber but don’t necessarily have the expertise to make it happen on their own” Commented Ben Bawtree-Jobson.

“We are seeing numerous RFPs come to the market looking for PPPs, a vital component to the success of these projects happens well before the RFP stage, ensuring the elected officials understand and support this scale of project is a necessity” added Bawtree-Jobson.

Key messages throughout the conference focused on the economic development Fiber can bring to a City.

President of the FTTH Council, Heather Burnett Gold, stated that home values can increase by 6% and GDP by 1.4%.

Panellists such as Lev Gonick, CEO of One Community focused on how Fiber is changing healthcare, mentioning Surgical Theatre a company that provides cutting edge Virtual Reality tools, services and products to advance neurosurgery.

SiFi Networks provides a turnkey solution, funding, building, and operating Fiber optic networks to Communities throughout the USA.