Sean Buckley is the Executive Editor at Broadband Communities. His journey in tech journalism began 20 years ago and his writing has since appeared in popular industry publications like Telecoms Magazine and Fierce Markets. He joins ConnectThe2 to discuss his new podcast for Broadband Communities, how he got his start in journalism and the various tradeshows he looks forward to attending this year.
If you like what you’re reading, be sure to listen to the entire episode linked at the bottom of this page.
Writing the dailies above a movie theater… Sean’s first editorial position was at Information Gatekeepers, an independent publishing and analyst firm that produces weekly newsletters on telecommunication topics like enterprise networking, optical networking, cable MSOs and fiber-to-the-home. During his time there, Sean proposed that the firm share industry news via the internet, and that is how the “Today in Telecom” online daily telecommunications news service began. Writing the dailies turned out to be a great way for Sean to learn the particulars of the telecom industry.
A little-known fact, the Information Gatekeepers office was located right above an independent movie theater in Brighton, Massachusetts. Not surprisingly, Sean was so enthralled with telling telecom stories that he never had the chance to see a movie in the theater below.
Broadband is a constant enabler… Sean recently spoke with former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn about the 25th anniversary of the landmark Telecommunications Act of 1996. During this conversation, they reflected on the reverberating effect that broadband has had on the industry and what it has enabled for the greater world. Sean believes the future is bright for broadband, especially as more and more smaller telcos, rural carriers, municipal utilities and electric co-ops begin to re-build their networks with fiber. Sean observed, “The rural market is very different, but these carriers that want to [deliver high-speed broadband] because they want to be good stewards. It’s fun to watch.”
New Broadband Communities podcast… Sean started a new podcast with Broadband Communities, which he is calling “Broadband Ripple” (the title was suggested by Co-Host Rich Williams during our interview with Sean about the new series). The podcast offers a new way for Broadband Communities’ readership to find their news and Sean hopes that it will spark even more dialogue about the future of the broadband industry and where it’s going. Broadband Ripple will focus on the business drivers for broadband, various use cases and the people that are building the technology. Additionally, listeners can expect to hear from the entire ecosystem as Sean will interview service providers, vendors, analysts and regulatory folks. You can find new episodes here.
Hear more... If you've enjoyed these takeaways be sure to listen to our full interview linked below. Also, be sure to listen to, rate and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, iHeartRadio or Soundcloud.