Mark Hodges

This week's episode of "Watt's New?" is out now! Check out the latest in Energy and Utilities with me and my amazing co-host Melissa Essler! Let me know what your favorite headline is in the comments. https://lnkd.in/gHYs4jq9 #WattsNew #Energy #Utilities CG Infinity

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This one is for the Oklahomans. If you've been skeptical about switching to solar or are just beginning to consider it, now is the perfect time to get acquainted with the current prices for solar panels. Check out our latest article detailing everything from average prices to incentives that can help you save big on your solar investment. #solarenergy #renewableenergy #solarpanels #oklahomasolar #greenenergy #sustainableliving #solarsavings #ecofriendly #energyefficiency #solarinstallation #cleanenergy

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MidSouth Fiber (part of MidSouth Electric Co-op) was essentially a startup when it began building their fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network in 2020 in southeast Texas. They needed something simple to deploy and operate straight out of the box, yet also allowed them to easily evolve as they grew.   With Calix Operations Cloud, MidSouth Fiber can detect network outages and get real-time updates on line disruptions and impacted subscribers the moment they happen. And by adding the Calix Broadband Platform, MidSouth can quickly and easily bring new services to market, such as Calix SmartTown, which provides vital connectivity during hurricane season.   Learn more about how MidSouth is kickstarting innovation: https://lnkd.in/ec-VBVjN   #broadband #community #transformation 

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Echoing David Lamendola: Building rural broadband isn't simple. Getting deployment right requires providers with an experienced workforce who know not just how to build a network efficiently and safely, but who can provide service to residents for years to come. #broadbandeverywhere #BEAD #IamVZ

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The need for rural broadband was brought to the forefront thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, not only are there STILL areas that are either not served, or underserved, the speeds available in some areas no longer cut it. The need for high speed broadband in our agricultural communities is growing and serves a tremendous purpose, not just to their rural areas but to all of us. #DigitalEquity #RuralBroadband #Vetro

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I recently read an article about how the FCC may be considering changes to the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS), which could include raising the power levels. This reminded me of some of the recent advocacy efforts DISH has made to raise those power levels, and that got me thinking: What could be the value of the game they're playing? In case you missed it, the T-Mobile/Sprint merger required T-Mobile to proceed if it spun off Sprint's Boost business to DISH. At the same time, DISH had to build a nationwide wireless network by June 2025 using its extensive spectrum holdings. The big question here is how DISH is going to find the capital to continue operating while it builds that network and figures out how to get customers. In tomorrow's edition of the 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙏𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧, I will explain how DISH has supported its financing through complex and clever arrangements with its spectrum holdings and what would happen to the spectrum if the FCC suddenly allowed higher power levels. Regardless of the outcome, keep an eye on this topic, as it has more implications than simply what happens in a specific set of frequencies! Are you ready to grow your business's value today? Subscribe to the newsletter and be the first to take action. https://lnkd.in/gjQhkuWw Please like 👍🏼 Please comment 💪🏼 Please share 👊🏼 #newsletter #telecom #telco #value #ruralbroadband

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Capacity vs. energy. Both are important terms in understanding the electric grid, the vast network vital to our everyday lives. Energize your understanding of these terms, the wholesale power generation industry, and learn how the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas strive to maintain a Balance of Power at: https://lnkd.in/gj7HuWEs

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Special thanks to Kim Casey, executive director of Gulf Coast Power Association and her team for their efforts to bring members together here in Houston. These gatherings are very important for continued cross-sector collaboration of energy leaders. And thank you to the panelists Ali Amirali (Lotus Infrastructure Partners), Kip Fox (Electric Transmission Texas, LLC), Brian Hudson, MBA, PMP (Priority Power), and Kris Zadlo (Grid United), as well as Vignesh Gulasingam (AFRY) who introduced the panel. Unprecedented load growth, generation supply shortage, supply chain issues, increasing material costs, O&M costs, permitting and long lead time to build transmission were all discussed. The panel focused on the new “GW loads” such as data centers, cryptocurrency, and hydrogen loads which are causing major challenges. While HVDC is being built in Europe, we still see slow acceptance and adoption from our industry in the U.S. Collaboration between stakeholders and regulatory in particular is necessary to facilitate innovation in the cost recovery mechanism of GETS and SATA, and in building private networks to meet large load demands. Other speakers and sessions at #GCPASpring today lined up nicely. Charles Blanchard, Head of Gas & Power Research at Mercuria Energy Americas put into perspective the volatility of natural gas pricing and supply if not fully coordinated with industry needs. Pat Wood, III, CEO, Hunt Energy Network & Former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, emphasized leveraging the low hanging fruit of grid edge resources and flexibility behind the meter. Bryan Fisher, Managing Director of Climate Aligned Industries at RMI, provided a mind-blowing presentation on hydrogen load forecast. Finally the last session addressed Retail and the Virtual Power Plant, with companies focused on working on realizing that significant game changing model with the end consumers (Aaron Berndt of Renew Home, Caleb Bicknell of Generac, Predrag "P.J." Popovic of Rhythm Energy, Gregory Thurnher of Tesla). As I head home to #ATX I’m feeling energized that so many of us are considering long-term impacts of short-term needs like large load interconnection and reassessing our next steps while considering grid-enhancing technologies. We must utilize all resources available to consider multiple future scenarios and solutions to address current challenges and plan for the challenges of tomorrow. The road ahead will have setbacks, no question, but we must remain steadfast pushing change to ensure a reliable and resilient power grid. #GETS #Interconnection #ClimateChange #ClimateGoals #ArtificialIntelligence #WomenInEnergy

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You might ask yourself, why would marketing use or care about Connectbase? I would say, why are YOU not using it? The marketing team at Segra is closely aligned to our sales organization, and a true partner in their quest to #win. Take your targeted multi-platform digital campaigns to a new level with Connectbase. #bebetter #marketing #fiber

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Call to action : all Louisiana Internet Service Providers Louisiana continues to be the first state to achieve various BEAD programmatic benchmarks. We have seen this first place finish many times, from NTIA acceptance of the state’s Volume 1 proposal, to volume 2, to the beginning/end of the challenge process, and finally NTIA’s certification of said challenge process. The State of Louisiana is set to receive $1.355B from the NTIA BEAD program to close the digital divide in Louisiana.  There are still a few days left to Pre-Qualify for the Connect LA Gumbo 2.0 sub grantee process. If you have not already begun the process of pre-qualifying, the time is now! You cannot afford to remain on the sidelines during this period of unprecedented funding, so put your cleats on and get in the game! You owe it to yourself and your subscribers. Protect your territory or risk competitors using grant $’s to build next to you. The Connect LA team desires to make the BEAD sub grantee application process as seamless as possible. I think of the pre-qualification process as an exercise in document collection and submission.  Assembling documents highlighting ISP administrative, financial, organizational, and technical capabilities now will save valuable time later as ISPs begin to submit applications for Gumbo 2.0 funding to build to project areas.  The pre-qualification window began July 1, 2024 and will conclude July 14, 2024 at 11:59 PM CST. Following the close of the pre-qualification period, the Connect LA team will begin the review process, and reach out to interested parties if further clarification is needed. The review process will last up to 30 days and conclude by August 14, 2024, after which interested parties will be notified if they have met the required criteria to participate in the program. It is imperative that all interested providers complete the pre-qualification process to participate in the GUMBO 2.0 program. Without pre-qualification status, interested providers will be unable to apply for GUMBO 2.0 grant funds. Read about Gumbo 2.0 pre-qualification here: https://lnkd.in/gKZB49PN View the Pre-qualification webinar here: https://lnkd.in/gxQzG-zK

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You are reading this correctly...Alpine is expanding (again, again...). This is not a pin on a map, this is an additional investment in a growing market that will benefit our Customers, Associates, OEM and Vendor Partners. How is your current provider supporting your needs? #criticalpower #telecom #motivepower #texas #sanantonio #austin #batteries #chargers

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Where does your electricity come from, and why is it important to have a Balance of Power? Find out what the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas are doing to maintain a Balance of Power with reliable, affordable and responsible energy. https://lnkd.in/g6eqfRJS

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Where does your electricity come from, and why is it important to have a Balance of Power? Find out what the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas are doing to maintain a Balance of Power with reliable, affordable and responsible energy. https://lnkd.in/g6eqfRJS

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As someone who is invested in the broadband and internet industry, it's disheartening to read about the challenges rural children are facing due to the receding broadband access post-pandemic. This recent article by Investigate Midwest highlights a crucial issue that deserves our attention and action: https://lnkd.in/gfQWMv7b The pandemic underscored the importance of reliable internet access, especially for remote learning. However, as we move forward, it's clear that many rural communities are still struggling to maintain this critical infrastructure. Access to broadband is not just about connectivity; it's about providing equal opportunities for education and growth. We need to continue advocating for policies and investments that ensure all children, regardless of their location, have access to the digital tools they need to succeed. #BroadbandAccess #DigitalDivide #EducationEquality #RuralBroadband #InternetForAll

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Fiber Broadband Association's Fiber Connect 2024 in Nashville, TN is on the horizon. Please be sure to check out the "Just a Cloud Away: Moving Telecom Functions and Services to the Cloud" panel. July 30 (Tuesday): 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM CT Location: Gaylord Opryland Canal E, Level M https://rb.gy/3jhw4l We will examine why moving telecom functions and services to the cloud needs to answer the key question of how cloud adoption can benefit telecommunication providers in key ways. Our panel explores the benefits and challenges of telco adoption of cloud technology and services. To improve business outcomes and customer experiences, telcos must administer complex architectures that provide greater capacity and fulfill evolving customer needs. Cloud adoption can enable telcos to streamline operations, optimize costs, and improve time-to-value. We see telcos expanding their use of clouds to support critical technologies such as virtual network functions (VNFs) and software-defined networking (SDN). Plus, telcos are using cloud platforms to strengthen their investments in AI, including generative AI, and machine learning to meet major goals such as operations automation, improving customer support alongside workforce experience, enhancing bill explanation, boosting field tech and coding efficiencies, as well as augment data processing and analytics. The primary objective of using cloud-native architectures is to enable the delivery of experience-first network services and attain organization-wide agility throughout operations and business processes. We will focus on the following key capabilities: - Flexibility, scalability, and resilience: How cloud technologies enable more flexible, scalable, and resilient networks. - Cost reduction: Are cloud architectures simplifying operations and optimizing costs. - New use cases: The role of cloud-native telco networks in supporting new service offerings. - Financial benefits: Why cloud computing can help telcos better predict and provision. Moderator: Ron Westfall – The Futurum Group Panelist: Jeff Wabik – DC BLOX Panelist: Andrew Eubank (he/him/his) – VETRO, Inc. Panelist: Sireesha Kora – Nokia Panelist: Josh Moormann – Alianza, Inc. Panelist: Ned Brody – Actifai Richard Williams Ashley Baster Schulte Autumn Minnich Mark Provost Kimmie Greene Owen Lindsley Anthony Carrini Bill Ruff Haley Ibrahim Robert Sutor John Lusher

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It is great to see a growing number of success stories like Macon County, that outline the benefits and impact of community broadband networks, and the partners that make it possible! "Where networks remain in private hands, such agreements help protect community interests, providing accountability to, for example, ensure rates stay affordable and the ISPs build in the neighborhoods they say they will. The new fiber network in Macon County is already proving to be a game-changing investment for the community. Last month, auto parts maker Samkee opened a new factory in Tuskegee, part of a $128 million investment that was contingent on high-speed internet being available. Improved connectivity has also enabled a new telehealth facility at Tuskegee University. Macon County is just one of hundreds of communities across the country showing how broadband can be built differently, finding creative solutions to expand internet access while delivering benefits for residents — whether that’s by reinvesting revenues to help more people get online, providing free service for families of school aged children, or, like Macon County, strategically leveraging networks for economic development. What’s more, these community-focused ISPs frequently provide better, cheaper, faster service than traditional providers." The team at ECC Technologies, Inc. are working diligently to bring quality connectivity to more communities through locally owned networks. There are still far to many communities that are in need of good internet options, that are not going to be solved through the upcoming BEAD funding efforts. If this is your community, reach out so we can talk about your options! Keep up the great work!! Connect Humanity, Jochai Ben-Avie, Brian Snider Rural LISC, Christa Wagner Vinson https://lnkd.in/etdZHEjJ

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More than 1 in 5 homes on tribal lands across the U.S. lack access to adequate #broadband. If broadband expansion is to succeed on these lands, people will need to understand the nuts-and-bolts of connectivity and how to make the most of it in their communities. For that, training is essential.     To address this need, Matthew Rantanen and Christopher Mitchell created the Tribal Broadband Bootcamp, a hands-on way to help people understand the technology. It’s a big step forward for making broadband successful on tribal lands.     https://lnkd.in/eVVxCqRb    #remoteaccess #TribalBroadbandBootcamp 

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