WEBINAR

Rethinking Network Architecture in a Fiber Constrained World

March 03, 2026

4:00 PM UTC

1 hour

Sponsored by

March 3rd, 2026

11:00 AM ET / 10:00 AM CT / 8:00 AM PT / 3:00 PM GMT

Duration: 1 hour

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A certificate of attendance will be offered.

Summary

The U.S. broadband market is experiencing an unprecedented buildout wave, driven by federal funding programs, competitive overbuilds, and accelerating demand for multi‑gig services. While global fiber production remains stable, domestic U.S. fiber manufacturing capacity and broader supply‑chain bottlenecks continue to create pressure on deployment timelines and material availability. This environment is prompting service providers to rethink traditional, fiber‑rich access architectures and adopt new design approaches
that make better use of every strand.

This webinar explores how modern network architectures can maintain performance, reliability, and scalability, even when operators face constraints in U.S.‑sourced fiber, terminals, connectors, and other critical optical components. We will discuss emerging design philosophies that emphasize flexible distribution, drop efficiency, modularity, and reduced handling in the field, all while supporting long‑term growth and service evolution.

Key themes include:

How U.S.‑based fiber-supply limitations and broader material-lead-time challenges are influencing architectural decisions.
Where optimized distribution designs can reduce fiber consumption without compromising service reach or customer experience.
Modular and craft‑friendly approaches that mitigate labor variability and shorten build intervals

Speaker

Noah Taylor

Head of Market Intelligence & Growth Strategy

AFL

Noah Taylor serves as Head of Market Intelligence & Growth Strategy - Broadband at AFL, bringing several years of experience to the company. Throughout his tenure, Taylor has held various positions within manufacturing and applications engineering specific to fiber-to-the-home. He has spent time with customers designing fiber optic cables, supporting the installation of fiber optic cable networks in the field, while also training installers on the use of fiber optic cable, connectivity, and accessories. Currently, he serves as the technical lead for a fiber-to-the-home project with a rural cooperative. Taylor is a certified FTTx Outside Plant Designer and holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University, as well as an MBA from Liberty University.

Moderator

Sean Buckley

Editor in Chief

Lightwave

Sean is responsible for establishing and executing the editorial strategy of Lightwave across its website, email newsletters, events, and other information products.