Patriot Broadband Technologies taps Rick Boone to lead OSP operations

Patriot Broadband Technologies named telecom veteran Rick Boone as director of OSP operations as the fiber construction firm expands work across multiple markets. Boone brings more than 30 years of experience in outside plant construction, FTTH deployment and network operations.

Why it matters: - Patriot Broadband Technologies is adding an executive with deep outside plant and fiber-build experience as customer demand for new fiber builds rises. - The hire is aimed at helping Patriot deliver more projects on time and on budget while managing multiple concurrent builds.

What happened: - Patriot Broadband Technologies named Rick Boone director of OSP operations. - Boone joined the fiber and broadband construction company after five years at Zito Media. - At Zito Media, Boone served as director of technical operations for the Central Division and led fiber deployment and network operations across five states. - Patriot said Boone will run outside plant operations across the company’s active builds.

The details: - Boone has more than 30 years of telecommunications experience. - At Zito Media, Boone directed FTTH builds from construction through customer install. - Boone also managed multimillion-dollar capital projects. - Boone coordinated permitting and right-of-way approvals with municipalities, utilities and state agencies. - Before Zito Media, Boone spent nine years at Suddenlink Communications as an operations manager. - At Suddenlink, Boone was responsible for outside plant construction, field operations and network maintenance. - Boone’s earlier career includes technical operations roles at Northland Communications and TCI Cablevision. - Boone also served as technical operations manager and interim general manager at Comcast Cable. - At Comcast, Boone ran operations for a system serving roughly 21,000 subscribers and $12 million in annual revenue. - Boone owned and operated RBoone Contract Services, a residential and light commercial construction company. - Boone holds a bachelor’s degree in communications. - In his new role, Boone will oversee how OSP work is executed from planning through closeout. - His responsibilities include crew and subcontractor performance, schedule and production discipline, permitting and right-of-way follow-through, and quality and documentation standards. - Boone will allocate crews and equipment across concurrent projects. - Boone will serve as the escalation point when field work runs into trouble.

Between the lines: - Patriot is signaling that execution discipline is as important as engineering skill in a market where fiber builds can be slowed by permits, utilities and weather. - Boone’s background across construction, operations and field management suggests Patriot wants a hands-on leader who can keep builds moving across multiple states. - Zeller framed the hire as support for faster expansion without sacrificing delivery discipline.

What's next: - Boone is expected to help Patriot handle more fiber construction work in more places. - Patriot will be looking for faster execution across active projects while maintaining schedule, quality and documentation standards. - Patriot Broadband Technologies on LinkedIn - Patriot Broadband Technologies on Facebook