Connected Nation
This is Connected Nation – an award-winning podcast focused on all things broadband. From closing the Digital Divide to simply improving your internet speeds, we talk technology topics that impact all of us, our families, and our communities.
The podcast was honored in 2024 with an Award of Excellence for Podcast Series - Technology. This is the highest honor given by the Communicator Awards. More recently, the podcast received an Award of Distinction in 2025. It received the same honor in 2023 and 2022.
Learn more about the national nonprofit behind this podcast at connectednation.org.
- Update frequency
- every 5 days
- Average duration
- 29 minutes
- Episodes
- 204
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
Can rural America lead the next innovation boom? The Range is showing us how it can be done
On this episode of Connected Nation, we are joined by the leadership at the Range, which is short for regional accelerator and new growth engine.
Learn how the organization is focusing on creating in…
What makes the best ISP? We talk to leadership at one of CNET’s top picks for 2024 AND 2025
What makes Fort Collins’ community-owned internet one of the best ISPs in the nation? Find out from their Broadband Executive Director on this latest episode of the Connected Nation podcast.
Join us …
Attention hyperscalers, political leaders, and decision-makers: This project can help America win the AI race
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect 2025 as we sit down with Connected Nation's very own Brent Legg, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs. We d…
How a company with a century of experience in infrastructure is helping improve broadband
On this episode of Connected Nation, host Jessica Denson talks with Mike Miller, Broadband Practice Leader at HDR—a 107-year-old company that recently entered the broadband space.
Discover how HDR is …
How one company delivers on the promise of "frictionless" support for heavy hitters like Google and Verizon to small providers
On this episode of Connected Nation, recorded live at Mountain Connect 2025 in Denver, Colorado, host Jessica Denson sits down with Osmo’s Troy Cross, Vice President of Sales, and Sadie Conley, Deman…
Inside the NDIA with Executive Director Angela Siefer
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect 2025 as we sit down with Angela Siefer, Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA). We di…
From veterans to senior citizens: This is how Colorado State University Pueblo is tackling the need for digital literacy
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect 2025 with two women from Colorado State University Pueblo—Dana Lambert, Director of Digital Equity, and Juliann San…
The unique approach a New Mexico county is taking to developing an open access network
On this episode of Connected Nation, we kick off our Mountain Connect 2025 coverage from Denver, Colorado.
Jessica Denson sits down with Jerry Smith, Broadband Manager for Los Alamos County, New Mexi…
The national Digital Divide Award goes to...
On this episode of Connected Nation, we wrap up our coverage from the 2025 Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, Texas.
Telecommunications legal expert Philip Macres breaks down the new BEAD rules…
The exhibit booth no one wanted to miss at the 2025 Broadband Communities Summit
In this special bonus episode of Connected Nation, we take you straight to the heart of the action on the exhibit floor at the Broadband Communities Summit.
Join us as we explore the buzz around Int…
Assessing telehealth attitudes and usage in Northwest Colorado
On this episode, we’re reporting from the Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, Texas, where we sit down with Molly Weiner, Director of Local and Regional Planning for Connected Nation.
Molly shar…
BONUS EPISODE: Building open networks for others to own across the country
On this episode of Connected Nation, we've got some bonus coverage from the Broadband Community Summit. We talk with Drew Pappas from Bonfire Infrastructure Group on how they help communities, coops,…
This company is the Internet Service Provider of Internet Service Providers
On this episode of Connected Nation, we sit down with two representatives from Cogent Communications. We discuss the evolution of data centers, talk about Cogent's work globally, and find out what i…
DirecTV's big changes and the company that's creating what connects us
In this episode of Connected Nation, host Jessica Denson continues coverage from the 2025 Broadband Communities Summit in Houston.
First, she sits down with Dawn Intili of DirecTV, who breaks down ho…
Where civil rights and digital access meet
In this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from the Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, Texas.
Jessica Denson speaks with Tyler Dempsey and Shelby Smith of Sonar Software abou…
You never know who you'll meet at the Broadband Communities Summit
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage live from the Broadband Community Summit in Houston, Texas.
We talk with Heather Gate, Executive Vice President of Digital Transformation…
From Middle Mile to high stakes in the High Court: MCNC's leadership tackles connectivity in a unique way
On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from the Broadband Community Summit, and we talk with the president and CEO of MCNC, about its role connecting schools and healthcare fac…
Why the SHLB Coalition's defense of the USF impacts us all
Today we begin our in-depth coverage of the Broadband Communities Summit taking place in Houston, Texas.
On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Joseph Wender, Executive Director of the SHL…
Meet “The Energy Expert” who says she can help revitalize your remote workforce
Why does workplace energy matter — and how can we build it?
Dana Spencer, known as “The Energy Expert,” joins us to share how she’s helping organizations revitalize employee productivity, morale, and…
Broadband leaders gather in Houston just weeks after BEAD's new rules are released
On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with a representative from the Broadband Communities Summit about the topics and speakers attendees can expect in Houston, Texas — and why now is a critic…