Telecom 150

Event will begin at 12 Noon ET, and include two virtual panels, on innovation and competition.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 - Broadband Breakfast will host "250 Years of American Independence and 150 Years of American Telecommunications," a half-day online conference, on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 12 Noon ET to about 3 p.m. ET. 

The event will kick off with a keynote address by Senator Deb Fischer, Republican of Nebraska.

Full bios at "250 Years of American Independence, 150 Years of American Telecommunications"

• Noon–12:05 p.m. | Welcome: Drew Clark, CEO, Broadband Breakfast
• 12:05–12:20 p.m. | Keynote: Sen. Deb Fischer
• 12:20–12:35 p.m. | 1876–1926: The Telephone and the Telegraph: Claude Fischer
• 12:35–12:50 p.m. | 1927–1976: Broadcasting, Cable and the Creation of the Media: Thomas Hazlett
• 12:50–1:35 p.m. | Innovation: Matt DelNero, Shane Greenstein, and Chris Lewis
• 1:35–1:50 p.m. | 1977–2026: Computing and the Internet: Christopher Yoo
• 1:50–2:35 p.m. | Competition: Milton Mueller, Gigi Sohn, Jonathan Nuechterlein, and Eli Noam

Register at https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150

The October 1 date sits at the intersection of two anniversaries. The nation marks 250 years of independence this year, and Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone in March 1876, 150 years ago. Broadband Breakfast has spent the year working through these anniversaries, first in a three-part online series, then in a 35-lesson online course.

This half-day conference in a single online session is built around the two forces that recur across the 150 Years of American Telecommunications: Innovation and competition.

The conference grew out of a three-part Broadband Breakfast Live Online series this summer, each session covering a distinct 50-year arc.

The first session, "1876-1926: The Telephone and the Transatlantic Cable," ran from Bell's patent through the rise of AT&T and the first transcontinental telephone line in 1914.

The second, "1927-1976: Broadcasting, Cable and the Creation of the Media," opened with the Federal Radio Commission in 1927 and traced the Communications Act of 1934, the postwar television boom and the cable systems that began challenging the broadcast networks.

The third, "1977-2026: Computing, the Internet and Artificial Intelligence," began with the breakup of Ma Bell and ran through ARPANET, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the net neutrality fights and the arrival of large language models.

An online seat is $150 and includes three months of Breakfast Club access – through Dec. 31, 2026. By becoming a Breakfast Club Member, you’ll also be able to access the complete course, “150 Years of American Telecommunications” at no additional charge.

Section A of the course, or Lesson 0 through Lesson 4, are available to free members of the Broadband Breakfast Community. Sections B though Section F of the course – 31 lessons from Lesson 5 through Lesson 31 – are the ones reserved for Breakfast Club Members.

Broadband Breakfast is the leading media company advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. The company’s annual BEAD Implementation Summit and Digital Infrastructure Investment event champions a robust 21st century information economy.

Media contact: Ari Bertenthal, (925) 528-9984

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