Demand for gigabit broadband has taken off, and countless mayors across the country are now determined to keep up with their neighbors and reap the economic benefits of high-speed broadband infrastructure. Local governments recognize that connectivity is essential for innovation and growth, and many are working to make gigabit Internet available for anchor institutions like schools and libraries, as well as for businesses and individual residents. But should municipalities roll their own networks, or is commercial broadband the way to go? This panel will examine the financial, legal and administrative considerations involved in bringing gigabit Internet to America's cities, with panelists discussing the advantages of both public and private deployments as well as emerging interest in hybrid public/private solutions.

It's one thing to connect a city with gigabit broadband, but what goes into connecting an entire state? In North Carolina, there's a gigabit network either in the works or already deployed in major cities, including Charlotte, Salisbury, Wilson, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham and many more. The state has been on the front lines of the new push for gigabit networks, and has a growing community of broadband advocates now coming together to see what different cities in the state can learn from each other, and what they can do to derive greater benefit for their citizens from network infrastructure investments. This panel will cover the challenges involved in driving widespread deployments as well as the opportunities new gigabit networks provide.

Fiber to the Home or DOCSIS 3.1? GPON or NG-PON? The technology behind high-speed broadband networks is evolving rapidly and operators have to determine not only the right architectures to support gigabit speeds, but also how to migrate from legacy infrastructure to newer equipment, and how to plan for future upgrades. Panelists will discuss real-world deployments, roadmaps for future technology development and the best ways to manage ongoing network operations efficiently and cost effectively.

Just what exactly is a gigabit connection good for? Beyond the entertainment value of high-resolution movies and the coming wave of virtual reality products, high-speed broadband promises to improve the services cities can offer their communities, from smarter power management and advanced educational opportunities to better transportation control and more effective emergency services. Recognizing the importance of innovative new applications, the White House is showing its support with $160 million dedicated to smart city research. This panel will cover smart city experiments underway today, and some of the early results from application deployments in gigabit hubs across the country. Panelists will also look into the future of what smart cities will look like as technology continues to evolve.