SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 -- The Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council, an organization dedicated to expanding the deployment of high-speed, all-fiber networks, has named Daniel O'Connell, an executive from Verizon Communications, to serve as its new president effective October 1.
O'Connell will replace Joe Savage, who announced earlier this year that he would retire from the Council at the end of 2010 after having served as president for the past five years. Under Savage's leadership, the Council more than doubled its membership, put itself on solid financial footing, and strengthened its educational, legislative, and public advocacy efforts.
O'Connell joins the FTTH Council after nearly 30 years in the private sector, most recently having served as the National Sales Director for Verizon Enhanced Communities (VEC), the division of Verizon Communications that works with housing developers and property owners to deliver the benefits of FTTP technology to residents. O'Connell directed the organization in securing more than two million homes and apartments under all-fiber access agreements over the past five years, says a spokesperson.
"Not only is Dan O'Connell an accomplished leader in the telecommunications industry, but he has been directly involved in running fiber all the way to millions of North American households," says David Russell, chairman of the FTTH Council's Board. "He is uniquely qualified to lead the Council into its next era of growth and progress toward our goal of bringing lightning fast, next-generation, all-fiber broadband to every home on the continent."
O'Connell has more than 20 years’ experience in the telecommunications sector, having served previously in other executive positions at Verizon and on international assignments in Mexico and Brazil with MCI Worldcom. As sub-director of Carrier Interconnection for Aventel in Mexico City, he led a consortium of competitive market entrants in negotiating interconnection agreements with Telefonos de Mexico. He led Aventel's public policy efforts at the Cofetel, and developed and lobbied in support of policy positions for the Brazilian long-distance carrier Embratel, following MCI Worldcom's acquisition of the company. He led interconnection negotiations with the Telebras companies. Earlier at MCI, he developed new market entrance strategies and worked with regulatory authorities in Argentina, Venezuela, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and elsewhere to establish pro-competitive rules of engagement.
O'Connell's appointment as president is being officially announced at the Council's annual conference and trade show, the 2010 FTTH Conference & Expo, in Las Vegas, Nev.