The people behind broadband: top profile pieces of 2024 

While the world has come to rely on broadband internet infrastructure — from healthcare to emergency communication — most people don’t realize how it all connects or who keeps it running. 

Technicians, construction workers, call-center representatives and tower climbers are all integral to our digital world functioning. 

Their work isn’t just technical; it’s foundational to how we live, work and connect in a digital age often taken for granted. From running new fiber lines to unconnected neighborhoods to repairing storm-damaged towers, these workers keep the internet running in ways most of us never see.

Here are some of their stories: 

1. Puzzles and people: breaking down the broadband boys club

The telecom and broadband industry has long been a boys club, but that is slowly changing, Britni Cuington, a technician for AT&T, said sitting down with us for an interview.

“I really just hope that all the girly girls realize — and that applies to all genders — this is the best job if you like being nosy and you're tenacious,” she said... (Full Story)

2. How a motorcycle mechanic became an award-winning broadband technician

3. Connecting Indigenous communities: a Tribal affairs specialist on her career in broadband

For Angel Benally, a Tribal affairs specialist at AT&T's FirstNet division and a member of the Navajo Nation, working in broadband has been about building a balance of career and community.

"Everything I do is working with Tribal Nations, bringing them connectivity, and that's so rewarding. I get to wake up every day and feel like I'm actually making a difference," she told us... (Full Story) 

4. Technician expert: stay adaptable in broadband and it will 'take care of you'

An industry veteran with over two decades of experience, Keith Busby has watched telecom technology evolve from the dial-up days to the fiber-optic frenzy that has become the bedrock of modern internet today. 

“I raised five kids on this. So, it is a difference between a job and a career. If you get a good opportunity in this field, give it your best because it'll take care of you. I’ve lived a comfortable life, and I'm thankful..." (Full Story) 

5. A 'breath of fresh air': fiber broadband support isn't your typical call center job

The classic call-center experience may often elicit a sense of dread, with angry customers and no face-to-face interactions. But when you’re offering support for fiber optic technology, that all gets flipped on its head, Ginger Lane said sitting down with us for an interview.  

For many years, Lane worked in collections — settling bill payments and plans — until she heard about different folks being transferred into broadband support, working with customers using fiber-to-the-home. It didn't take long for her to hop on the train and make the transfer.   

“I’m so glad I did. It is not micromanaged. We have all the support we need. It's like going from the dark side to the light side. I used to literally dread going to work every day. It was just a fight to go to work. And now, I like it. I like my job, which is huge," she said... (Full Story) 

6. Tower tech talk: ‘There’s nothing like being in the air’

While many may go on Craigslist hunting for a new dresser, Ryan Dupal found a career, when — in 2013 — he stumbled on an advertisement to climb cell towers for $15 an hour.

For most, the interview process could have raised some alarms. “Put this harness on. We're going to climb 280 feet, and we're going to do some work,” Dupal recalled the technician saying. “I was like, What?! I couldn’t believe it..." (Full Story) 

7. Broadband vanlife: the family-run fiber company that makes digital nomad life possible

Eight years ago, working as a sprinkler system installer, Adam Roy had never heard of fiber optics. Today, the technology supports his entire family to live on the road.

But unlike your prototypical digital nomad, Roy's job isn't remote. Rather, it's what makes remote life possible in the first place. With his wife, Lauren, the Roys run a fiber subcontracting company, enabling the whole family to live in a mobile camper full time — free from a nine-to-five grind... (Full Story) 

8. See broadband ‘from the inside out’ as a remote network technician

For Marcus Chambers, a broadband technical specialist, one of the best aspects of working in the industry is digging into the digital details of a network and seeing it “from the inside out.” 

While the customer view may be limited to the end-user hardware — from fiber cables to routers — his work “is the technology that provides that to you,” he explained to us in an interview... (Full Story)

9. Not your average clock-puncher's post: the life of a tower tech is 'never boring'

What do you want to be when you grow up? Most of us can recall deflating into a chair across from a high school counselor, that incessant question relentlessly pressed into our brains.

But for all the weight that question is given, a lot of lucrative careers are left off the list. 

This was certainly the case for Eric Popielarski, who — thanks to an unexpected find on Craigslist — went from teaching English to climbing cell towers... (Full Story) 

10. How a job at a phone company became ‘more than just a paycheck’ 

Fresh out of high school, Nick Hoh needed work, and he needed benefits. He sent out a wave of applications to what he knew were considered good union jobs — from firefighting to construction. Of all the submissions he sent out, the phone company was the first to call.

Quickly moving beyond just phones, Hoh has now made a multi-decade career in broadband working as an in-home fiber installation and repair technician. When he first landed in the industry, he'd just had his first son, so medical benefits were indispensable — but he found that the career support didn’t stop there... (Full Story) 

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