Hosted by the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), Fiber Connect is an industry-leading conference that hosts thousands of industry leaders each year to dive deep into the state of fiber broadband. This year's event drew an incredible turnout, celebrating remarkable strides in fiber deployment and the visionaries driving them forward. For Ripple Fiber®, team members across multiple departments, including Government Affairs, Construction and Marketing, shared insights from the past year and learned from other thought leaders in the industry. During the four-day event, we participated in four panels and were honored at the 25th Anniversary Awards Gala. Keep reading for highlights from our team’s experience at Fiber Connect 2026!
Founder and CEO Greg Wilson, Chief Government Affairs Officer Bobbie Gilbert, and Director of Government Affairs Patrick Mulhearn each participated in panel discussions covering topics from fiber deployment and emergency response support to network mapping and MDU partnerships.
Coming to Americas: Connecting Communities from Tip to Tip
Founder and CEO Greg Wilson joined a panel on the main stage to share key takeaways from the fiber industry in South Africa. He gave his perspective on the fiber deployment strategies that leaders should take into consideration here in the U.S.
Public Safety: Fighting Fire with Fiber
Chief Government Affairs Officer Bobbie Gilbert led a conversation about how essential fiber networks are during crises to keep communities safe, providing reliable connectivity for real-time emergency mapping, AI-driven fire detection, and instant coordination among first responders.
Identifying Gaps in Existing Network Footprints
Director of Government Affairs Patrick Mulhearn joined a discussion about network mapping, covering how advanced data analytics, GIS tools, and community feedback can pinpoint underserved areas and support accurate planning and expansion.
MDUs & Campus Environments
Director of Government Affairs Patrick Mulhearn also participated in a discussion about how fiber-rich infrastructure, private networks, edge computing, and IoT enable high-density environments to serve as innovation hubs within the broader community.
Beyond the conversations on stage, Fiber Connect gave us another reason to celebrate. Ripple Fiber was named a finalist in three categories at the 25th Anniversary Awards Gala, an honor that reflects our team's ongoing commitment to expanding access, advocating for communities, and advancing the fiber broadband industry as a whole.
Award Finalist: Ripple Fiber
The Star Award recognizes a company or community that goes above and beyond in advancing fiber to the home. In just five years, Ripple Fiber has built an expansive network through bold investment, innovative deployment strategies, and deep community partnership.
Award Finalist: Chief Government Affairs Officer Bobbie Gilbert
The Advocacy Allstar Award honors individuals working to advance the agenda of the fiber broadband industry at the state and federal levels. Bobbie approaches government affairs not as a regulatory obligation but as an opportunity to build partnerships that deliver lasting impact for communities and the industry alike.
Award Finalist: Director of Government Affairs Patrick Mulhearn
The Photon Award honors an individual whose volunteer service demonstrates exceptional dedication to the Association and the industry. Patrick's volunteer leadership, energy, and expertise reflect a commitment to selfless service and tangible impact on the fiber broadband industry.
Attendance at industry events like Fiber Connect reinforces our team’s dedication to fiber broadband access and helps drive forward our values of innovation, reliability and impact. Ripple Fiber is grateful to FBA and all who attended to make this year’s conference memorable and insightful. We’re eager to turn our learnings into actionable steps and continue building the future of connectivity in each community we serve.
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