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From 10 employees to 1,000: Nextlink Internet's story of radical, organic growth
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On this episode of Connected Nation, we sit down with Bill Baker, CEO of Nextlink Internet, to explore how this Texas-based provider is leading the charge in expanding broadband across 12 states—serving some of the country’s most rural and underserved communities.
Baker shares the extraordinary origin story of Nextlink, explains what “radical, organic growth” means, and unpacks the company’s unique approach to fiber and fixed wireless deployment.
We also dive into the company’s major role in the federal E-Rate program, its partnerships with local governments, and what it takes to build resilient, rural broadband networks in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
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Chapters
1. Introduction (00:00:00)
2. Meet Bill Baker: From CPA to telecom CEO (00:01:00)
3. Founding Nextlink & honoring a legacy (00:04:45)
4. Entrepreneurial spirit & building a culture (00:10:00)
5. Bill's flying hobby (00:14:40)
6. What Nextlink does (00:18:10)
7. Understanding the footprint (00:22:00)
8. The importance of E-Rate (00:26:20)
9. The COVID shift: Why community-focused providers matter (00:30:30)
10. Storm season strategies: Preparedness across 12 states (00:35:30)
11. Navigating federal funding (00:43:00)
12. Radical organic growth: Why Nextlink is scaling fast (00:50:00)
13. Advice for ISPs: Scale, capital and the will to grow (00:53:00)
14. Looking ahead: Mobile, fiber & the BEAD future (00:56:10)
15. Final thoughts: Local matters (00:58:20)
16. Conclusion + Outro (01:01:50)
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