The days when fixed broadband, mobile, Wi-Fi and edge networks operated as separate domains are gone. As the industry advances toward an adaptive era of broadband powered by AI, these domains are converging into a unified, intelligent fabric that responds to consumers, enterprises and society as conditions change.
This new era will be defined by experience, intelligence and service innovation across every access network.
That’s the theme of SCTE TechExpo26. As one of the largest and most influential broadband events in the Americas, TechExpo will focus on reimagining how networks operate, applying AI, automation and converged architectures to ensure seamless connectivity and performance across every environment.
Global leaders, technical teams and researchers will share insights and solve key industry challenges across eight conference tracks:
- Multi-Access Convergence
- Experience Era for Consumers
- New Growth Opportunities
- AI Infrastructure
- Autonomous Networks
- Operations, Planning & Construction
- StreamTech Featuring SEGMENTS
- SCTE Energy 360 Summit
CableLabs members can receive complimentary full-access TechExpo passes, which include all headliner and conference sessions as well as entrance to the exhibition and a private lounge.
Who Is Speaking at SCTE TechExpo26?
Main stage headliner speakers will kick off the week at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, with fresh perspectives on powering convergence and perfecting the experience. Tuesday’s headliners include CableLabs’ CEO Phil McKinney and President and CTO Mark Bridges. Bridges assumed the role of president in August and will succeed McKinney as CEO on Jan. 1, 2027. This session will also include Charter Communications President and CEO Chris Winfrey, who is chairman of the CableLabs Board of Directors. Bridges will also moderate Wednesday’s opening session.
CableLabs speakers will lead sessions across every part of the conference. The agenda explores how cross-technology convergence is unlocking unprecedented experience quality, new business models and the rise of truly autonomous, AI-powered networks — with nearly 30 CableLabs speakers presenting across more than 20 sessions throughout the conference.
Sessions featuring CableLabs experts include:
- The Quantum-Ready Network — Learn how CableLabs researchers Brian Rollick, Steve Jia and Jing Wang are advancing Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) in passive optical networks (PONs). This method leverages existing PON fiber infrastructure to distribute quantum-generated encryption keys. Their research provides a tangible proof point for how operators could introduce quantum-secure capabilities without replacing their existing fiber architecture. (10:45 a.m. Thursday)
- QKD Without Dark Fiber: Measured Coexistence Performance over SMF and Hollow-Core Fiber in Access Networks (Rollick, Jia, Wang)
- Quantum Computing and the Broadband Network: From Theory to Industry Reality (Wang)
- Cross-Domain Network Evolution — Omkar Dharmadhikari, manager and principal architect, will discuss how SIMPL (Secure Integrated Multi-access Platform Layer) can be used to enable unified subscriber identity, authentication and policy management across DOCSIS®, fiber, Wi-Fi and 5G networks. Learn how scalable, vendor-agnostic deployment models reduce operational complexity, accelerate service innovation and support converged network evolution. (3:45 p.m. Tuesday)
- SIMPL: Secure Integrated Multi-access Platform Layer
- Agentic AI for Network Operations — Join CableLabs Principal Irene Macaluso and other industry leaders for a panel discussion offering perspectives on how bounded, auditable agents can work from the edge to the network operations center on general-purpose compute operators already own. (2:15 p.m. Wednesday)
- Agentic AI from the Edge to the NOC: Trusted Data, Bounded Autonomy, and Deployment on General-Purpose Compute
- Building the Autonomous Network — Explore a practical framework for agentic AI architectures and hear practical perspectives and insights on AI governance. This session will include discussion of an end-to-end AI-native architecture in “AI Native Networks: A New Operating Model,” led by CableLabs Senior Director Paul Fonte and Principal Software Engineer Shafi Khan. (2:15 p.m. Wednesday)
- AI-Native Networks: A New Operating Model
Other highlights include:
- The AI-Native Network Stack — Fonte and AI/ML Engineer Megan Collins (12:45 p.m. Tuesday)
- AI Infrastructure Enhancements for Distributed, Virtualized and Software-Defined Access (Fonte)
- Edge AI, Agentic AI and MCP (Collins)
- Delivering the Always-On Experience — Distinguished Technologist Jason Rupe (12:45 p.m. Tuesday)
- Elevating Customer Experience: Advancing Network & Service Reliability
- Deploying AI at Scale — Principal Architect Ben Hepworth (2:30 p.m. Tuesday)
- Edge AI in Practice: Deploying Intelligent Systems Across Access Networks
- Gateway-as-a-Platform — Principal Architect Jason Page (3:45 p.m. Tuesday)
- Gateway-as-a-Platform: Turning the Cable Gateway into an Open Application Platform
- Predictive DOCSIS Operations and PON Interoperability — Principal Architect Jon Schnoor (3:45 p.m. Tuesday)
- Ensuring Cross-Vendor PON Interoperability
- Digital Twins for Real-World Networks — Principal Strategist Todd Bryan and Distinguished Technologist Randy Levensalor (12:30 p.m. Wednesday)
- The Machine-Readable Node: Structured Plant Data for Automated HFC Upgrade Planning, Simulations and Digital Twin Validation
- The Intelligent 6 GHz HFC Network — Principal Architect Eric Nachtigall (12:45 p.m. Wednesday)
- Smarter Plant, Wider Spectrum: AI-Driven Operations for 3–6 GHz HFC — and What It Teaches Us at 1.8
- Beyond the Cascade: Rearchitecting the HFC Amplifier for the DOCSIS 4.0 Era Through 6 GHz and Beyond
- Broadband Best Practices at Scale — Principal Architect Kevin Noll (2 p.m. Wednesday)
- Broadband Best Practices: From Deployment to Intelligent Operations
- 5G Meets DOCSIS — Dharmadhikari, Senior Director of Wireless Mark Poletti, RAN Solution Architect Lauryn Smith, Distinguished Technologist Dorin Viorel (2:15 p.m. Wednesday)
- Dimensioning Mobile Optionality on Shared HFC Infrastructure (Poletti, Smith)
- Seamless Multi-Access Integration: Architecting Resilient Fixed Broadband & Cellular Integration for Always-On Connectivity (Dharmadhikari)
- Exploring 5G NR Access Features for DOCSIS Protocol Evolution (Viorel)
- The Adaptive Home Network — Principal Architect Josh Redmore (3:45 p.m. Wednesday)
- The Sensing Landscape
- · Wi-Fi 8 and the 6 GHz Revolution — Principal Architect Lili Hervieu (9 a.m. Thursday)
- Operator Use Cases and Potential IEEE 802.11bn/Wi-Fi 8 Features
- Operationalizing Edge AI — Senior Software Engineer Leo Chely and Principal Engineer Scott Johnston (9 a.m. Thursday)
- AI Interoperability
View the full agenda for even more high-impact sessions.
Bootcamps at SCTE TechExpo26
Join us Monday for a DOCSIS 4.0 Bootcamp covering two major “paths” in DOCSIS 4.0 technology: Full Duplex DOCSIS (FDX) — enabling more symmetrical performance by allowing upstream and downstream to share spectrum — and Extended Spectrum DOCSIS (ESD), which boosts capacity by expanding usable spectrum. A hands-on Fiber Splicing Bootcamp will also be available to help technicians build essential field skills.
See You in Atlanta!
Join us at SCTE TechExpo26, Sept. 29–Oct. 1 in Atlanta, for these sessions and more opportunities to connect and collaborate with CableLabs, our members and exhibiting vendors on the show floor. If you’re attending, you can also find CableLabs and SCTE in booth B449 and at dedicated networking events throughout TechExpo.
