Metro Connect USA: Tracking trends, deals & industry leadership

Since its launch in 2001, the conference has grown from a small industry gathering into a trusted leader in digital connectivity.

Now with 75% of attendees director or above, this is the ultimate event to cultivate collaborations and solidify deals with fibre providers, ISPs, data centres, hyperscale and cloud providers, engineering & construction firms and leading investors shaping the future of digital infrastructure.

“As we celebrate 25 years of Metro Connect USA, we reflect on a journey defined by leadership, collaboration and transformative impact on the digital infrastructure ecosystem,” Vanessa Barbe, managing director of Capacity, a techoraco brand, says.

“What began as an intimate forum for industry pioneers in fibre, Metro Connect has evolved into the must-attend event for decision makers shaping the future of connectivity in North America with 3,500+ attendees. Its success lies in creating a space where strategic conversations lead to real deals, partnerships accelerate growth, and innovation drives the next wave of digital transformation.

“Every meeting, panel and handshake at Metro Connect has contributed to strengthening networks, expanding access, and enabling the technologies that power connectivity across North America,” she adds

“Metro Connect is today a market-making platform for the digital infrastructure industry, where ideas turn into action and partnerships create impact.

“As we look back with pride, we also look forward with excitement. The next chapter promises even greater innovation, more inclusive digital infrastructure, and continued influence on the industry and the way the world connects.”

Metro Connect- a timeline of events

In recent years, Metro Connect has continued to go from strength to strength. Last year’s conference, held at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, brought together more than 2,900 attendees from across the digital infrastructure ecosystem.

The event was marked by exclusive venue access, high-level discussions and significant industry developments.

In 2024, the event, which was awarded the Best Overseas Conference/Event for delegates over 1,000 at the Conference & Events Awards last year saw a remarkable turnout, with 2,186 attendees, significantly up from the previous year’s 1,727.

This growth solidified Metro Connect’s position as the premier gathering for industry leaders and investors.

The conference’s ability to consistently attract and engage senior executives underscores its importance as a catalyst for collaboration, innovation and growth within the digital infrastructure sector.

Attendees were not only able to gain insights into the latest industry trends but also connect with key players and decision-makers, fostering an environment of shared knowledge and potential partnerships.

In 2023, Metro Connect took place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, having moved from its home of 21 years in Miami.

In 2021, the event was held virtually as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, with Marc Ganzi, DigitalBridge’s CEO and Zayo’s CEO Steve Smith jointly delivering the inaugural keynote presentation “An Industry in the Spotlight”.

However, commenting on the 2026 Metro Connect event, which Ganzi is keynoting at, he says: “Metro Connect started as a niche gathering for carriers and fibre operators.

“It has evolved into the premier strategy event for the entire digital infrastructure value chain- and has done so against a backdrop in which digital infrastructure increasingly underpins economic competitiveness and technological innovation on a global scale.

“Today, hyperscalers, private equity, infrastructure funds, credit investors, tower and data centre operators, and policy leaders are all in the same room,” he says.

“The content has evolved as well, moving from bilateral deals and route maps to discussions around AI workloads, power markets, securitisation, ESG, and now the geopolitics of connectivity. It has become the place where the industry takes stock of the year and sets the agenda for what comes next,” Ganzi adds.

Lessons learned from Metro Connect 2025

Last year’s discussions highlighted some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing the digital infrastructure industry.

Metro Connect keynote speaker, DigitalBridge CEO, Marc Ganzi drew attention to the growing difficulty of powering expanding digital infrastructure.

“We have a power distribution and transmission problem,” he told the delegates, focusing specifically on the issue of moving the power to where it is needed – actual generation is less of an issue.

He also noted equipment delays: “If you decide to go build a data centre tomorrow and head to Germany to order turbines from Siemens, they’ll tell you, ‘See you in 2029.’ This is one of the biggest problems we have.”

Alternative solutions like on-site natural gas generation were also discussed, though ESG concerns still remain.

Last year, fibre deployment was booming while towers struggled, as Gregory Williams from TD Cowen highlighted strong fibre growth driven by AI and data centre demand, yet tower stocks fell 21% in 2024 due to high interest rates and fewer international deals.

Data centre demand is shifting, with a gap in mid-range power facilities (10-50 MW). Meta’s Amar Khan warned against over-focusing on huge AI deployments, noting the need for smaller-scale hosting for universities and healthcare.

At the time, talent shortages and financing remained critical, with panels stressing upskilling staff and meaningful office collaboration, as Jennifer Ragsdale, chief administrative officer at Uniti, noted, “If people are just sitting in the office on Teams calls all day, they’re going to question the real reason behind the mandate.”

At the heart of a connected industry

With a raft of investors, fibre providers, ISPs, data centre operators, hyperscalers, cloud, neoclouds, and towercos in attendance, brands include AWS, Zayo, DigitalBridge, T-Mobile, Equinix and many more.

Attendees consistently highlight how the event delivers real-world value: from forging new partnerships and exploring investment opportunities to gaining actionable insights into industry trends.

Here’s what previous attendees have said:

“Metro Connect is a wonderfully thought out conference. The event gathers C-level leadership that meets with intention to create partnerships and progress deals. The best conference in the broadband industry by far. ” – Ashley Poling, VP of business development, COS Systems.

“Metro Connect really helps progress relationships and deals in two different ways. One is that we all schedule our meetings and we get to talk through in more detail the various arrangements or deals that we’re working on. Second, you bump into so many people just walking around the venue that you don’t have the opportunity to schedule a call or a meeting with them, so it’s a great opportunity to pop in and reconnect with people and re-engage.” Shawn O’Donnell, senior managing director, FTI Consulting.

“Metro Connect USA helps me progress deals and partnerships by giving me a quality meeting space, and the opportunity to see so many people in the industry in one spot. It’s a place where deals are made and partnerships are formed. Outside of the quality meetings we have, there are the social functions after the daily meetings, being able to relax in an informal environment with all of my colleagues and just spending time together and building partnerships.” – David Kamphuis, director, carrier sales, Segra.

“Metro Connect is the ultimate gathering of the broadband and telecom industry’s best and brightest. Having everyone in one place, ready to transact and collaborate, makes this event an unparalleled opportunity for deal-making and forging valuable connections.”– Edi Yaffe, co-founder, Foam Internet.

DigitalBridge CEO Marc Ganzi to deliver keynote at 25th Metro Connect

Metro Connect USA 2026

23 February 2026

Welcome to Metro Connect USA, the largest event for digital infrastructure leaders in the United States. You are invited to join over 3,500 attendees from every sector of the US digital infrastructure market. From fiber optics to data centers, the event serves as a pivotal gathering for forging partnerships, securing funding, gaining insights into industry advancements, and getting deals done.