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Open Access Day 2025: Back; Bigger & Bolder

First off — a huge thank you to everyone who made Open Access Day 2024 such a success! Your energy, insights, and support were key to making it a standout moment for the open access community.

Now, we’re thrilled to announce:

Open Access Day 2025 is happening on June 1

Gaylord Opryland, Nashville, TN
12:00 PM to 5:00 PM – just before Fiber Connect kicks off
Attendance: Free- Invite your network!

This year, we’re leveling up. With the open access model gaining real traction across the U.S., we’re expecting 150–200 participants from across the investor, operator, and ISP ecosystem. And we’d love to have you be part of it again.

THE DAY | 12 pm to 5 pm | Insight. Connection. Momentum.

The event kicks off at 12:00 pm with a light stand-up lunch and your first opportunity to connect with key players in the industry. The afternoon program features:

  • 12pm-1 pm | A keynote session from an industry thought leader and lunch

  • 1pm-5pm | Three high-impact, highly interactive expert panels

  • 5pm-6pm | A post-panel networking session with beer and wine

THE NIGHT | 7 pm to 10 pm | The Open (Access) Bar Returns

Back by popular demand, our evening networking event — the Open (Access) Bar — sponsored by us and our Elite Partners will start at 7:00 PM at a location still to be revealed (we’re working on something extra special!). Expect great food, flowing drinks, and unbeatable networking.

AGENDA

Keynote – The Consolidation Race: Seizing the Golden Opportunity in Open Access

– Insights from Isak Finér, CRO, COS Systems

Open access is at a turning point. As fiber consolidation accelerates and competition intensifies, the window to lead—and win—in the open access space is closing fast. In this dynamic keynote, COS Systems CEO Isak Finér will unpack the forces driving the current wave of consolidation and what it means for operators, ISPs, investors, and municipalities alike.

With over a decade of experience at the forefront of open access innovation, Isak will explore where the real opportunities lie—both in untouched greenfields and underutilized brownfields. Attendees will gain critical insights into who’s moving fastest, where capital is flowing, and how agile players can secure long-term market position before the next wave of consolidation locks the doors.

This session is not just a call to action—it’s a strategic roadmap for anyone looking to thrive in the rapidly shifting landscape of open access broadband.

Panel Discussion I

Investor-Owned Open Access: The New Blueprint for Last Mile Networks

As open access gains momentum, investor-backed wholesale models are becoming the preferred approach to last-mile deployment. This panel will explore how groups like Meridiam, AT&T, Prime, DIG, and Ubiquity are reshaping the open access market. Hear directly from the leaders behind these networks on the financial models, operational strategies, and partnerships that are driving scalable, future-proof infrastructure.

Moderator: TBD
Panelists: TBD



Panel Discussion II

Lessons from the Frontlines: Do’s and Don’ts of Building Open Access Networks

What does it really take to launch and grow a successful Open Access network? Learn from the operators, ISPs, and municipal leaders who’ve already navigated the process. From vendor relationships to marketing and take-rate strategies, this panel delivers actionable insights and avoids the pitfalls others have faced.

Moderator: TBD
Panelists: TBD



Panel Discussion III

The Open Access ISP Playbook: Competing, Partnering, and Scaling

In an open access environment, success isn’t just about delivering great internet — it’s about standing out in a shared market, building strong relationships with infrastructure partners, and scaling smart.

This panel dives into the strategies that high-performing ISPs are using to thrive on open access networks. From pricing models and customer experience to marketing tactics and platform integration, we’ll hear directly from ISPs about what’s working, what’s not, and how to grow in a competitive, multi-provider landscape.

Whether you’re already operating on open access networks or exploring the model for the first time, this session is packed with actionable insights and real-world examples to help you sharpen your edge.

Moderator: TBD
Panelists: TBD

Sponsorship Opportunities

We’ve updated the sponsorship packages to give you even more visibility and connection time with your target audience.

Open Access Day Partner – $1,500

  • Logo featured on all event marketing (website, social, signage)

  • Verbal recognition during the general session keynote

  • Guaranteed speaking slot on one of our three panels
    (Panel selection based on order of signup)

Open Access Elite Partner – $3,000

  • Premium logo placement across all event materials

  • Recognition at the general session keynote

  • Guaranteed panel speaking slot

  • Featured branding + 5-minute speaking opportunity at the Open Access Bar

Attendance is Free — Invite Your Network

As always, Open Access Day is free to attend.
As a sponsor, we encourage you to invite colleagues, partners, or anyone curious about the open access model.
Note: Open Access Day registration does not include access to Fiber Connect.

Ready to sponsor or have questions?

Get in touch with us at adam.puckett@cossystems.com or reach out directly through the links below.

Let’s make Open Access Day 2025 one for the books!

 

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Learn how Silverstar empowers uses Business Engine to empower ISPs and Subscribers

Silverstar empowers ISPs with Busines Engine

New Developments in Open Access Networks

Open Access is hot! While being big in Europe mainly it has been little traction for Open Access networks in the US. In recent years this has started to change, and in the last year or so, investors and tier1’s have announced investments of capital and efforts in Open Access Networks. Isak Finer was recently brought in as en expert on the topic on a Panel hosted by Broadband Breakfast.

 

During much of the last decade, public-private partnerships have gained popularity as a vehicle for helping municipal governments successfully improve local broadband infrastructure and related services to customers while reducing financial and operational risk to the municipality. Various business models and forms of broadband partnerships have evolved during this time to leverage existing local resources and address needs represented by different partnership structures.

The most common partnership model involves public financing of fiber-optic infrastructure through grants and tax dollars coming from the municipality. The municipality, as the public partner, becomes the owner of the core broadband infrastructure, with one or more private sector service providers then partnering to build, own, and operate the last-mile broadband infrastructure and manage customers. The model has been revered because it brings low risk and high reward to a community while incentivizing the private sector to deliver high-quality, affordable broadband services.

The fundamental understanding behind these partnerships is that community-owned broadband infrastructure will continue functioning with the public interest at the forefront. This local control ensures that broadband services remain competitive and affordable, that service levels meet the demands of local customers, and that operations and growth are addressed with the community’s best interests in mind. The risk with today’s most common partnerships is that once the private partner owns the last mile, the municipality loses control. The question then becomes, will community broadband infrastructure be supported equitably in the community, the same as any other public utility, and the focus remains on delivering affordable service, with customer satisfaction and community needs taking precedence over services from providers motivated purely by profit?

Enable the Business of Broadband Without Getting into the Broadband Business

The perceived risk of a municipality supporting broadband services has discouraged many municipalities from the role they know best – owning and managing shared public infrastructure. In fact, municipalities are capable of owning and managing miles of water line and miles of roads, so owning and managing the “poles and wires” aspect of the fiber-optic infrastructure is a familiar municipal strength. While many municipalities understandably don’t have the funds, staff, or political will to risk starting up and operating a competitive retail broadband service provider, municipalities must realize that they can be important enablers of broadband in their jurisdictions without operating the business side of broadband.

While municipalities are traditionally well-suited to own and maintain public infrastructure, many are uncomfortable with the unfamiliar territory of marketing and operating broadband services, billing and supporting customers, and generally competing with the private sector in the broadband space. Therefore, the key to a municipal broadband partnership is simple: Bring together the existing regional broadband suppliers and retailers to operate on the municipally owned network infrastructure following a last-mile wholesale model – known as open access.

With an infrastructure-based approach and a wholesale operations model, municipalities own the assets and partner with one or more retail service providers to provide competitive services. The private partner would supply local staff, equipment and technical resources, and business processes required to provide broadband services to subscribers on the municipal network, while the municipality focuses on maintaining the more physical aspects of the poles and wires throughout the community.

Local Infrastructure Ownership is the Key to Your Community’s Economic Future

The national telecommunications market is evolving rapidly as record amounts of both public and private funding are helping municipalities build broadband infrastructure in their underserved areas. Along with the influx of public dollars, private capital investors have become bullish on infrastructure as long-term investments, often focusing on new deployments in more dense and profitable markets and even overbuilding existing service providers where attractive investment opportunities exist. Underserved areas that remain in communities are typically the most difficult and most costly locations to reach, creating the most challenging business cases.

Avoiding Potential Risks

Communities need to ensure that their private-sector partners, which are typically relatively small local or regional internet service providers, are best suited to address the digital divide in their communities. While such local service providers can be ideal broadband operations partners, they quickly gain customers and market share in newly available areas. Still, with limited economies of scale, smaller providers can grow ripe for becoming acquisition targets by larger service providers and capital investment firms over time. Plausible scenarios envision a wave of investment firms acquiring underperforming broadband service areas and undervalued broadband infrastructure in the next decade.

In this negative scenario, what began with the admirable goal of broadband being served to the municipality by local service providers can end with broadband services being controlled by an outside provider. Ultimately, the community could be left with one service provider, likely headquartered outside the region and supported by staff who live outside the community. Not only will this diminish broadband competition in the community, but it will also inevitably increase consumer costs while taking dollars out of the community. This scenario leaves communities with a broadband landscape void of consumer choice, reduced customer satisfaction, less local reinvestment, and fewer opportunities for smart city and community development.

However, the successful community-owned infrastructure model solution mitigates this risk, provides long-term community control, and partners with one or more private internet service providers to serve end users. It’s the only viable solution that ensures communities can meet the connectivity needs of all community members while providing a low capital expense opportunity for smaller service providers to compete for and serve customers they would not previously have been able to reach, all while relieving the burden of costly long-term infrastructure debt from the service provider.

With infrastructure ownership in the hands of a municipality, it frees up local ISP partners to focus on doing what they do best – operate networks and serve customers with local support. This model also allows communities to keep doing what they do best – be stewards of shared public infrastructure and allows them to stay out of the competitive business of operating broadband services. More importantly, for long-term partnership success, the community ownership of infrastructure removes a major element of risk for smaller ISPs that could otherwise easily become ridden with infrastructure-related debt and more easily be gobbled up in acquisition activities.

Fight to Maintain Broadband Infrastructure Ownership and Local Control

Many municipalities aim to deploy modern infrastructure that can deliver adequate broadband services to their currently underserved homes and businesses. These locations are often low-income or rural communities—typically the less attractive places for corporate investment to improve or build new infrastructure. So why, after years of tireless community-driven efforts to improve broadband, are communities willing to hand over the infrastructure assets to the same corporations that have failed for years to deliver services to their communities?

Once the infrastructure gets built with public dollars, communities cannot simply give ownership and control of that public infrastructure to a corporate service provider to reap the financial rewards for decades to come. This is essentially handing over control of local infrastructure and future service delivery to the same profit-minded companies that have left so many communities stranded on the wrong side of the digital divide for decades. 

When a community owns shared public infrastructure assets, as they already do with other utilities and transportation, they don’t pick private sector winners and losers. Instead, the shared infrastructure provides an equal and consistent platform for all activities across that infrastructure. Communities maintain and grow such shared assets across the long term for the betterment of all community members – residents and businesses alike. So, for the historic levels of public funding available to help build network infrastructure today, communities must own the network infrastructure assets to provide the platform for local service providers to deliver the broadband services that will sustain and grow the digital economies of tomorrow.

Conclusion

In conclusion, public-private partnerships have proven to be a successful model for improving local broadband infrastructure while minimizing municipal financial risk. The key to success lies in selecting private-sector partners committed to addressing the digital divide and having a long-term vision for the community. Municipally owned infrastructure ensures that the focus remains on delivering affordable service that meets the needs of local customers. By enabling broadband as a public infrastructure, municipalities play a crucial role in improving access without taking on the risks associated with operating a retail service provider. This strategic approach fosters competition among service providers, supports local reinvestment, safeguards against corporate profit-driven motives, and provides opportunities for smart city development and socioeconomic growth, which benefits all community members and propels them forward in the digital society.

Ashley Poling, May 2024

FTTH Fiber to the Home Automation Solutions

FTTH Fiber to the Home Automation Solutions

COS software solutions, tailored for Fiber-to-the-Home operators and Service Providers, offer a robust fiber network automation and management solution. At the heart of this is the COS Business Engine, a unified BSS OSS platform that efficiently enables the provision of multiple services over a single fiber connection. This empowers network operators to expand their service offerings and discover new revenue streams. Moreover, it allows them to streamline operations and customer support to effectively meet the growing demand for private networks. COS’ open-access capabilities provide you with: 

Higher take-rates:

COS’ open-access capabilities result in significantly higher take rates than marketing a single service network. Consumers usually spend more when given various choices, with take rates often up to three times higher.

A More Profitable Business Model:

By accessing wholesale revenue streams, you can become a specialist in your field and create a more profitable business model. This approach allows you to leverage your expertise and offer a range of services to different market segments.

Improved  public and private partnerships:

COS solutions promote better public-private partnerships. Municipalities can invest in infrastructure and provide enhanced digital services to their citizens without competing directly with commercial consumer services.

Contact us today to learn more about how COS can help you overcome the challenges of managing fiber infrastructure and providing reliable broadband connections.

As you have surely noticed, the interest in Open Access Networks is growing by the day, but there is still some confusion about what it really is. Therefore, we have teamed up with our friends at Connected America to arrange a pre-conference day focusing exclusively on Open Access. The program starts at lunch and ends with an Open (Access) Bar close to the venue.

Find Out More Join the Conference Register for the Open Access Bar

12 pm – 1 pm | Lunch

1 pm – 1:50 pm | Keynote 

Understanding the Increasing Popularity of Open Access and key business model considerations for success – Insights from Mikael Philipsson, CEO, COS Systems 

The future of fiber is a digital society with Everyone and Everything relying on digital infrastructure. Paired with the current trends of consolidation, more expensive build costs and a race to invest in fiber roll out – all roads lead to shared infrastructure and open access. Mikael Philipsson, former CTO and CEO at one of the largest Open Access networks globally, IP Only (now Global Connect), led this journey on a national scale in Sweden, which has a fiber penetration of 98% today. He shares his insights on why Open Access is the right choice and how to structure the business case to make Open Access a success.

2 pm – 2:50 pm | Panel Discussion I

Three Layers of an Open Access Network: A Thorough Look at Roles and Responsibilities

Moderator: Keith Ponton, Senior Practice Lead, Arcadis
Panelists:

Gregg Shepperd, Senior Engagement Leader at Fujitsu Network Communications

Beni Blell, Vice President, Head of Sales and Marketing, Hexatronic 

Gabe Gomez, VP Customer Experience, Syringa Networks

Pankaj Gulati, Head of Products and Platforms, Ubiquity 

The key characteristics of an Open Access Network are the separation of the network infrastructure, the neutral operations of the network, and the independent service providers selling their services to subscribers. This panel will explain these different roles and show that you can run an efficient fiber network by working with specialized partners without doing everything yourself.

3 pm – 3:50 pm | Panel Discussion II 

Exploring the Advantages of Open Access Networks for Internet Service Providers and Their Operations Support Requirements 

Moderator: John Zannos, Partner at Digital Ubiquity Capital
Panelists: 

Phil Roberts, Chief Executive Officer at Valo Networks

Brian Hollister, CEO and Co-Founder at Bonfire Infrastructure Group

Dan Johnson, Product Manager, Connect Fast

Aaron Hildreth, Founder, Intellipop Internet Services 

On an Open Access Network, all parties rely on each other for success. Internet Service Providers often have financial or workforce constraints limiting their ability to build fiber at a large scale. On an Open Access network, their Capex investment is minimal, and they can focus on providing high-quality services and support to their subscribers. But to be able to do this, they need a strong operator partner offering tools to efficiently sell, deliver, and troubleshoot on the shared network.

4 pm- 4:50 pm | Panel Discussion III

Navigating the Choice of Tech Stack for Open-Access Networks: Key Considerations for Success.

Moderator: Isak Finér, CRO, COS Systems 
Panelists: 

Robin Harder, Woven Product Lead at Arcadis

Sean Dundon, Director – Partner and Channel Development at VETRO FiberMap

Rob Laudati, VP – Product & Partnerships, Render Networks

Don Eben, CEO, Core Network Strategies

Despite the digital nature of fiber networks, a lot of legacy systems, technology, and manual processes are still in use. The Open Access model of sharing one infrastructure creates a whole different set of requirements and challenges that legacy technology can not solve. This panel explores the benefits of a “digital first” approach and how important integrations and automated workflows are becoming – especially in Open Access Networks.

5 pm- 6:00 pm | After-Panel Drinks and Socializing

Grab a beer and take the opportunity to grow your network of Open Access experts. Courtesy of the Open Access Day sponsors.

7 pm – 10 pm | Open (Access) Bar 

COS Systems and all other Elite Sponsors are inviting you to continue the fun and discussions at Bar Louie,  360 W Las Colinas Blvd #100, Irving, Texas 75039

Find Out More Join the Conference Register for the Open Access Bar

COS Systems, SNG, and Valo Publish Joint White Paper on Options to Bridge Broadband Gaps 

 

November 9th, 2023, Umeå Sweden — Strategic Networks Group (SNG), Valo, and COS Systems today announced that they have published a white paper exploring the challenges that bridging broadband gaps in unserved and underserved areas entails, as well as presenting possible approaches to address them.

This whitepaper explores the challenges faced by localities (communities, regions, etc.) and presents four potential options to address their broadband gaps: do nothing, subsidize an ISP, become an ISP, or develop a digital infrastructure public-private partnership.

After thorough evaluation, the digital infrastructure public-private partnership (PPP) approach emerges as the most recommended solution because it leverages the strengths of both public and private sectors to ensure affordable broadband access is available to all.

The release of the white paper “Leaving No One Behind in an Increasingly Digital World–Options for Unserved and Underserved Areas to Bridge Broadband Gaps” is the outcome of a long partnership between SNG, COS, and Valo to enable stewardship of localities’ digital future that is sustainable, inclusive, and cost-effective.

Ensuring that no one in your locality is left behind in an increasingly digital world means that everybody can access reliable and affordable high-speed internet. This broadband connectivity has become an essential infrastructure for localities. However, there are still areas where broadband services are non-existent (unserved) or inadequate (underserved).

This joint whitepaper compares the various options available to localities seeking to bridge their broadband gaps and ensure equitable access to digital opportunities. Recognizing that a one-size-fits-all solution does not exist, the paper analyzes the advantages and drawbacks of each proposed option to help decision-makers make better-informed choices about their locality’s digital future.

“We are delighted to jointly announce this white paper highlighting different options to solve broadband gaps,” said Mikael Curri, founder and President of SNG. “We will continue to work with localities and the private sector to build a sustainable broadband and digital inclusion ecosystem.”

About Strategic Networks Group

If you want to learn more about digital infrastructure, public-private partnerships, digital inclusion, and how to get started, reach out to us at www.sngroup.com

About Valo

For more information on what it takes to set up, operate, or commercialize digital infrastructure, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at www.valonetworks.com

About COS Systems

COS Systems delivers cloud-hosted software to plan, build, and manage broadband networks globally. COS Business Engine is a proven network management solution (BSS/OSS) supporting traditional ISPs and Open Access networks.

To Revolutionize and Simplify Customer Experience and Sign-Up Process for Network Operators and Subscribers Worldwide


Las Vegas, Nevada, Calix ConneXions, October 2023 – GOCare providing innovative software solutions to the broadband and utility industries, including a complete digital experience platform, proprietary SMS Chat functionality, Secure Payments, multi-platform NPS scoring, and a sophisticated analytics engine, and COS Systems, a leading provider of network management and billing solutions for Network Operators, Service Providers and Open Access Networks are excited to announce a strategic partnership as well as a Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstrations that will take place on the expo hall floor of ConneXions.

This collaboration brings together two industry leaders to revolutionize and simplify the customer experience and sign-up process for Service Providers and their subscribers worldwide.

The PoC addresses customers’ overwhelming preference for digital channel engagement and the convenience of those channels for prospective customers, existing customers, and operators alike. Combining COS System’s address-search functionality (showing where fiber is available), with GOCare’s intelligent data capture and flexible digital experience platform, the companies provide operators and their subscribers with a world-class customer experience and easy access to available services. The integration makes it easy for operators’ subscribers to sign up for service by using digital channels such as SMS, WebChat, Social Media interactions, and even email to both get information about fiber services available in their area and eventually sign up via those digital channel engagement mediums.

COS Systems Business Engine, a proven network management solution (BSS/OSS) supporting Service Providers, Operators, and Open Access Networks with an automated end-to-end solution to streamline fiber network management will integrate seamlessly with GOCare’s analytics engine to enable operators to search for and sign up for services using the digital mediums most comfortable to their subscribers.  

“In a landscape where ISPs must constantly adapt their interactions with networks and subscribers, our decision to partner with GoCare has us very excited. This partnership signifies more than integration; it opens new avenues for enhanced communication and customer experiences, while reducing operational expenses and time for ISPs and network owners. COS has always championed automation, and finding a partner in GOCare, who shares this ethos, means our combined software capabilities will empower operations to engage with customers through contemporary channels like SMS, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, with the scope for further expansion. It’s about efficiency meeting innovation for superior service delivery,” said Mikael Philipsson, CEO of COS Systems.

“In today’s competitive broadband marketplace, ‘being easy to do business with’ is critical”, stated Rick Perkins, CTO of GOCare. “The PoC between GOCare and COS Systems simplifies customers’ expression of interest to a service provider and accelerates the timeline of service delivery without the friction of legacy processes like web searches, filling out forms online or even phone calls, IVR, hold times, and more” added Rick. Furthermore, service providers are able to determine consumer demand beyond their footprint for future smart builds through this important integration between GOCare and COS Systems”, concluded Perkins.

COS Systems and GOCare are committed to helping operators worldwide deliver exceptional broadband services with unmatched reliability and performance. The partnership will focus on providing a best-in-class customer experience to meet the evolving needs of service providers and their subscribers.

About COS Systems:

COS Systems is a leading provider of cloud-hosted network management and billing solutions for service providers. COS Business Engine is a proven network management solution (BSS/OSS) supporting Service Providers and Open Access Networks. The end-to-end platform provides subscribers self-service and digital sales and marketing through an online marketplace. Service orders will be automatically activated within a minute, and billing follows with no operator interaction. It offers a great user experience, increasing take rates and revenue. COS Systems has a global customer base and serves a wide range of service providers, including municipalities, utilities, network operators, and fiber ISPs. Learn more about COS Systems at www.cossystems.com.

About GOCare:

GOCare provides software solutions to the broadband and utility industries. Our SaaS portfolio includes a complete digital experience platform, proprietary SMS Chat functionality, Secure Payments, multi-platform NPS scoring, and a sophisticated analytics engine allowing our clients to benchmark their performance against other similar operators. GOCare was founded by industry veterans and incorporates its mission of “By Operators, For Operators” into how they partner with broadband industry leaders such as Vexus Fiber, Point Broadband, Bluepeak, and many others. For more information visit www.gocarecx.com

Reach out to learn more

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