The Government Technology Insider Podcast

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) will play a crucial role in driving the next generation of wireless connectivity with high speeds and low latency. What differentiates FWA from traditional wired broadband is that there is no need for cables. FWA utilizes radio signals from transmission towers to connect devices. This is pivotal because FWA is able to bring high-speed Internet to areas where cable connection is not possible, such as in satellite and remote offices. In these remote locations, it is essential to have failover solutions in place in case of disruption so that the agencies can maintain their mission. In part one of our new podcast series on the crucial role Fixed Wireless Access will play in the future of government, Dave Stepp, Managing Partner of Federal Connected Solutions at Verizon, discusses how agencies can use FWA to improve their networks, as well as the need to have failover solutions in place for maintaining mission success.

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are at the forefront of warfighters and support teams across the Department of Defense (DoD). AR and VR not only support training but can also be used to improve and enable proficiency on the job, maximize operational abilities, and minimize classroom training so workers can be productive sooner. 5G and mobile edge computing (MEC) are helping make these advanced technologies a “reality” today. With AR and VR capabilities, the DoD warfighters and workforce can be better connected for training and much more.In part 2 of our podcast on 5G powered use cases for the DoD Dominic Bonaduce, Product Strategy Manager – Device Technology at Verizon and Kelly Malone, Chief Business Officer at Taqtile, discuss how augmented reality using 5G can help shape the DoD.

The military often looks to industry to collaborate on cutting edge solutions and technologies to help advance its overall modernization mission. The Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, with its commercial 5G network called the 5G Living Lab, is a prime example of industry and military collaboration in action and has created many 5G powered use cases for the Department of Defense. At the 5G Living Lab, stakeholders meet to develop scalable capabilities and drive new innovations to support the Department of Defense’s initiatives. Miramar is a unique 5G test location because of its significant exposure to the warfighter and proximity to San Diego. In the first part of this conversation about 5G powered use cases, Captain Ben Cohen, Director of NavalX SoCal Tech Bridge, and Dominic Bonaduce, Product Strategy Manager – Device Technology at Verizon, discuss Miramar’s 5G Living Lab, use cases in process, and plans for the future.

Listen to this podcast to learn strategies being used by defense agencies to accelerate secure software delivery that meets the needs of the warfighter.

Listen to insights from cybersecurity expert Michael Sieber on how cyber threat intelligence can help defense agencies to improve national security responses.

In the “Meeting Public Safety Needs for the Department of Defense: A Podcast” interview, Tetoya Gibson, Retired Air Force, DoD Crisis Response Manager at Verizon Frontline; and Calvin Jackson, Crisis Response Manager, Northeast at Verizon Frontline, shared insights into how the DoD can better meet current and future public safety challenges.

Pop-up and emergency networks are temporary connections that organizations can use to bridge coverage gaps or provide reliable communications during a man-made crisis, natural disaster, or even large-scale public events. These networks are practical and relevant today because they are easy to implement and cost-effective to deploy. By leveraging pop-up and emergency networks, agencies can ensure dependable connections during critical moments, minimizing disruptions, and restoring essential services at the moment of greatest need. For example, agencies will often have a need to quickly respond to an area and be able to provide communications from “hour one” of being there.In the second part of our FWA podcast series Dave Butta, Managing Partner, Federal Government Sales at Verizon, Rose Mata, Director, Federal Healthcare, Finance, and Education at Verizon, and Curtis Mentz, Sr. Manager for the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team at Verizon, share their insights around the need for pop-up and emergency networks, along with key use cases and future developments in this arena.

To implement a true Zero Trust approach and provide the next level of protection for data and users, agencies need to move beyond compliance. We spoke with Hansang Bae, Chief Technologist, Public Sector at Zscaler, to learn more.

Following the award of the DoD’s Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability contract, Maximus Cloud expert Frank Reyes explained how defense & IC agencies can reap the benefits of multi-cloud.

While future cybersecurity threats from quantum cryptography and quantum computers are nascent, agencies must start hardening their communications infrastructures from these new attacks. Quantum has numerous applications within the federal government as it is ideally suited to protect sensitive information such as healthcare data, financial information, and classified intelligence.In the “Hardening Federal Infrastructures Against Quantum Threats” interview, Lamont Copeland, Director of Federal Solutions Architecture with Verizon, and Jim Westdorp, Senior Director Strategic Initiatives at Ciena Government Solutions, broke down the different quantum types, threats and zero trust compatibility to federal agencies and beyond.“One of the reasons why networks today are susceptible to quantum attacks is because PKI exchanges keys in such a way that they are mathematically susceptible to attacks,” said Westdorp. “Looking at changing our cryptographic infrastructure is really about preparing networks today from future risks that can be exposed to from improvements in quantum computers.”