Broadband Pulse

About Broadband Pulse

In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we will address the key issues affecting the optical and broadband industry segments. Join us every week for insights on these topics from industry leaders.

Publisher

Endeavor Business Media

Category

technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 May 2024

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

125 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Harmonic helps broadband providers prioritize customers’ quality of experience

   With an array of broadband competitors in the marketplace, it’s clear the shift is going towards providing customers with a solid quality of experience (QoE). Service providers are also shifting their build-out focus. While gaining subscriber density by passing more homes with fiber and coax has always been a key focus for broadband providers, there’s a growing emphasis on homes served. One company taking on these challenges is Harmonic. In recent years, Harmonic has pivoted to becoming a broadband-focused company. Harmonic recently released a few key products to help broadband providers deliver broadband more efficiently: the Jetty hardened outdoor switch, the compact Oyster+ PON platform, SeaStar Optical Node, and its cOS SensAI vendor-agnostic software platform. At the recent TechExpo26 trade show in Atlanta, Ga, we caught up with Hy Huynh, vice president of fiber products at Harmonic, to discuss the evolving fiber broadband landscape. Key Moments in This Episode Opening/Intro | 0:05 Near-term network and competitive concerns | 0:54Successful broadband providers need to differentiate by providing a solid quality of experience. Building smarter, more capable infrastructure | 3:52How broadband providers are leveraging various technologies that shift their focus from homes passed to homes served. Balancing between expansion and financial discipline | 8:23How to accommodate various fiber network build-out strategies—edge-outs, rural areas, and high-density markets. Harmonic’s Jetty | 13:08How this product, which is a hardened outdoor remote switch that’s designed to expand fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), is resonating with its customer base. Underappreciated fiber expansion opportunities | 14:58Harmonic has answered the call with its Oyster+, a compact, cabinet-free, backup-powered PON fiber node designed to scale broadband edge deployments in rural and low-density areas. Multi-dwelling unit (MDU) broadband opportunities | 19:43Harmonic is taking on the Brownfield MDU market challenge with its SeaStar Optical Node, which allows service providers to leverage existing in-building coax wiring to deliver high-speed broadband services. AI’s role in broadband | 23:41With its cOS SensAI, Harmonic is offering a vendor-agnostic, software-driven intelligence fabric designed to unify data across broadband networks. Final thoughts/closing | 28:35Hy Huynh shares his final thoughts and closes out the podcast. Meet Our GuestHy Huynh is the Vice President, Fiber Products at Harmonic. He has 15 years of customer-facing experience spanning sales, product management, program management, product support/operations, and some development. On his LinkedIn page, he describes himself as a nerd with an engineering degree and an affinity for understanding and engaging with customers. He says he is passionate about technology and a staunch advocate for the customer and end-user experience. About the Podcast In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address the key issues affecting the optical and broadband industry segments. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and listen here.

2. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Cable's convergence, fiber and network resilience strategies take center stage at Tech Expo 26

   The Cable Tech Expo, being held this week in Atlanta, will highlight the importance of not just technology, but also how discussions can drive growth for both large and regional cable operators. Ahead of this year’s show, Broadband Pulse spoke with Janelle Morse, SCTE’s VP, Engagement and Strategy, about her expectations for the event. During our conversation, we addressed a range of issues, including convergence, AI’s role, fiber, and cross-industry collaboration around network resilience and security. Timeline of the episode: Intro/opening | 0:03 Industry shifts shaping the conversation at Tech Expo | 0:18Morse addresses how this year’s event addresses the growing convergence trend in the cable industry. AI’s growing influence | 1:56How AI is influencing and enabling cable operators to perform key functions, including network diagnostics, anomaly detection and predictive service assurance. What’s new about Tech Expo 26 | 3:37SCTE’s new Stream Tech track, which will be co-hosted by AMC, will show how to build infrastructure required to deliver premium experiences to consumers. The role of fiber in cable networks | 5:12The show’s program will cover the continued evolution of PON, next-generation optical access, and how fiber works alongside other access technologies in a converged network. Network security and resilience | 6:20Members of STRIKE (Strategic Threat Response and Infrastructure Knowledge Exchange) will present information, identify patterns, establish best practices, and strengthen how to prevent and respond to network theft and vandalism incidents. Telcos and wireless operators’ complementary STRIKE role | 8:01Joining Comcast and Spectrum in the network resiliency program is T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, which shows that the full broadband ecosystem is coming together. Final thoughts/closing | 8:45Morse notes how SCTE bridges the gap between technology and operational readiness through its standards, education, and continued industry collaboration beyond each year’s event. Meet our guest: Janelle Morse, VP of engagement and strategy, SCTEAs SCTE’s Vice President of Engagement and Strategy, Janelle Morse leads strategy and engagement initiatives across the SCTE membership community and drives global participation for TechExpo, North America’s premier broadband technology event. Before joining SCTE in 2023, she served as VP of Research, Events & Media at TM Forum, where she led initiatives to showcase the Forum and industry achievements across multiple platforms, fostering opportunities for learning, collaboration, exploration, and connection. In 2020, she successfully led her team through the rapid transformation of TM Forum’s flagship event, Digital Transformation World, into a completely virtual 6-week magazine-style event. About the Podcast In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address the key issues affecting the optical and broadband industry segments. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and listen here.

3. 

   21 Sept 2026

   Astound’s Brandt plots an enhanced customer experience growth path

   Astound, like other broadband players, is undergoing a transition. The service provider is merging with GFiber to create a larger independent broadband provider, at a time when the fiber broadband segment is consolidating to meet new scale. Astound itself has been a story of consolidation. In 2018, TPG Capital acquired Wave Broadband. Wave was then combined with RCN Corporation and Grande Communications, both of which were acquired in February 2017, in a $2.25 billion deal; TPG bought RCN for $1.6 billion and Grande for $650 million. GFiber will leverage Astound’s extensive experience in building large-scale fiber networks and community partnerships. The combined company, which aims to expand fiber infrastructure into new markets across California, Colorado, and Iowa, will create a larger platform to serve over 1 million customers across multiple U.S. markets. Astound named telecom veteran Ettienne Brandt as CEO in March. He will focus on expanding Astound's fiber footprint, integrating GFiber assets, and developing converged wireline and wireless services to stay competitive. In this podcast, we spoke with Brandt about his plans to implement new company-wide best practices to improve customer experience while maintaining its local feel. Here’s a timeline of the episode Opening/Introduction | 0:03 Taking on Astound’s CEO role | 1:03 Brandt talks about his first few months on the job. Highlighting initial priorities | 2:17As the cable industry faces customer retention challenges, Brandt launched an internal program called the Astound Way to drive company-wide best practices while maintaining a local feel. Competitive environment | 4:17Brandt highlights how Astound is charting a growth path by improving customer experience, making it as easy to deal with us as it is to deal with fixed wireless access (FWA) providers. Astound’s residential service opportunity | 6:18 How the service provider is enhancing the residential experience with a three-pronged approach: providing instant-on broadband activation for multi-dwelling units (MDUs), distribution and broadband pricing options. MDU broadband approach | 9:10Astound tailors its MDU broadband strategy to each market and opportunity. Focus on easing the experience | 10:25How customers can get access to service and solve issues quickly. Business and wholesale services evolution | 11:10Astound is not only growing business services revenue, but it is also growing wholesale services to data centers. Data center opportunities | 12:23How the service provider is positioning itself to serve data centers that reside near or within its network footprint. Setting priorities | 12:54After meeting with management leaders at Astound, Brandt is working to realign its purpose, create strategy pillars, and gain clarity. Wireless and bundling factor | 18:19How service providers with multiple products can create customer stickiness. Final thoughts/closing | 19:55 Meet our guest Ettienne Brandt was named CEO of Astound in March. Brandt leads Astound as it continues to execute its network expansion and prepares for a planned merger with GFiber (formerly Google Fiber), following an agreement announced in mid-March to combine the two companies and create one of the largest independent fiber-based broadband providers in the country. Brandt has more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry across multiple scaled wireless and broadband platforms. He most recently served as Executive Vice President, Commercial at Frontier Communications, where he was a key senior executive in the company’s successful transformation, ultimately leading to Frontier’s $20 billion sale to Verizon. Before Frontier, Brandt worked for various telecommunications providers, including British Telecom, EE, Orange, and ntl (now Virgin Media), and has vast experience in the Consumer and Commercial segments within wireless and wireline. About the Podcast In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address t

Who has been a guest on Broadband Pulse

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Ted Schremp
• Paul Garnett
• Ryan Young
• Patton Lochridge
• George Hughes

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Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100

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Quality

82

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0

YouTube

0

Engagement

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