Last week marked a pivotal moment for PomeGran as our team took part in two leading events shaping the broadband landscape: Fiber Connect 2024 in Calgary and the Broadband Nation Expo. During the Expo, Joe Hickey, President of PomeGran, was honoured with the Broadband Nation Impact Award for Connecting the Unconnected, a recognition of his efforts in bridging the digital divide. As a company deeply invested in advancing connectivity across rural and underserved regions, these events offered invaluable insights into the future of fibre technology and its role in economic and technological growth.
Fiber Connect 2024: A Focus on Fibre’s Impact
At the Fiber Connect Regional Workshop in Calgary, a first in Canada, Joe Hickey, President of PomeGran, participated in the panel titled The Community Connection: How Fiber Impacts Economics and Opportunity. The discussion highlighted the critical role fibre plays in improving GDP, job creation, and new business development. Joe brought PomeGran’s unique perspective to the conversation, emphasizing how our initiatives in rural broadband are contributing to closing the digital divide and fostering economic growth in local communities. His focus on how high-speed fibre is elevating education, healthcare, and home values resonated with many attendees who are working toward similar goals in the realm of fibre connection.
Meanwhile, the Capacity Drivers: Edge, Cloud, AI, IoT, Quantum, and Machine Learning panel, moderated by Nadine Mansour of PomeGran, featured Christine Marion, President of Digicom, a subsidiary of PomeGran. This panel explored how fibre infrastructure enables cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and quantum networking. Nadine skillfully guided the conversation as the panelists discussed how these technologies, which rely heavily on high-capacity broadband, are transforming industries and everyday life. Christine offered key insights into the practical applications of AI and cloud technologies in rural and underserved areas, reinforcing the importance of fibre as the backbone of these innovations.
Broadband Nation Expo: Charting the Future of Broadband in the U.S.
In addition to Fiber Connect, PomeGran was well represented at the Broadband Nation Expo, where discussions centred on regulatory updates, funding strategies, and the evolving challenges facing the broadband industry in the U.S. The Expo provided a platform for policymakers, ISPs, and industry leaders to come together and strategize on how to accelerate broadband deployment in underserved regions. PomeGran actively contributed to these discussions, sharing our experiences from Canada’s broadband initiatives while drawing parallels to the U.S. market.
On day two of the Expo, PomeGran was proud to see its President, Joe Hickey, earn the prestigious Impact Award for Greatest Technical Achievement in Connecting the Unconnected. This accolade celebrated Joe Hickey’s relentless commitment to closing the digital divide and expanding access to high-speed internet in urban, rural, and Indigenous areas. As President of PomeGran Inc. and Founder and President of ROCK Networks, Joe continues to lead both companies to become trailblazers in the telecommunications sector, delivering groundbreaking broadband solutions that are reshaping connectivity in communities across North America.
Our participation at both events solidified PomeGran’s standing as a leader in rural broadband and our commitment to leveraging fibre technology to create more connected communities. Whether it’s advancing economic opportunities through fibre or exploring the future potential of AI and IoT, we’re excited to continue playing a critical role in shaping the future of broadband.
Looking Forward
As we reflect on the past week, we are inspired by the innovations and ideas shared at both Fiber Connect and the Broadband Nation Expo. With new technologies on the horizon and the increasing demand for reliable connectivity, PomeGran is positioned to continue leading the way in broadband innovation. Building on this momentum, we approach the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Northern Ontario Gigabit Fibre Project, which will bring high-speed internet to 18,663 underserved households, including 2,580 Indigenous homes, across the Huron Shore and Manitoulin Island region. Spanning over 50,000 sq. km, this project will serve communities along Highway 17 from Lively to Garden River, furthering our commitment to delivering connectivity where it’s needed the most.
Stay tuned for more updates on our ongoing projects and upcoming developments as we continue to foster future-ready connectivity across North America.
