Breaking Broadband Access Boundaries: Harnessing Utility Owned Fiber to Bridge the Digital Divide

Thursday, May 23, 2024

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT

Location: Mobile Convention Center - Room 201B

Sponsored By

Vendor Member(s)

Calvin Tong

Senior Manager
West Monroe

PDF Slides
Daniel C. Zimmerman (he/him/his)

Senior Manager
West Monroe
Dallas, Texas, United States

Utility member(s)

Jimi Conway (he/him/his)

Senior Manager, REACTS Engineering
Commonwealth Edison
Oak Brook Terrace, Illinois, United States
Eze Phil-Ebosie

Director, REACTS Engineering & Strategy
Commonwealth Edison (ComEd)

Vendor Member(s)

Leah Liebovitz

Experienced Consultant
West Monroe

Moderator(s)

Brett Kilbourne

Senior Vice President of Policy & General Counsel
Utilities Technology Council
Arlington, Virginia, United States

In June 2023, ComEd was notified of a $14.5 million grant award through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Middle Mile Grant. The federal funds will supplement ComEd’s operational fiber deployment to support the expansion of equitable, affordable broadband access in partnership with last-mile broadband service providers for ComEd’s for most vulnerable communities. This presentation will explore the genesis of ComEd’s Digital Divide Program, the key considerations made in structuring its offering, the broad spectrum of partnerships sought and organizations with which ComEd engaged, and the various benefits that are expected to arise for unserved and underserved households within ComEd’s footprint.