Broadband Pioneer Steve Harris Joins UCL Swift to Drive Innovation

CARROLLTON, Texas – January 14, 2026 – In a significant move signaling a dual focus on technological advancement and workforce development, fiber optic solutions provider UCL Swift North America has appointed Steve Harris, a globally respected broadband innovator, as its new Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Broadband. The strategic hire brings over three decades of telecommunications leadership to the company, positioning it to address two of the industry's most pressing challenges: the demand for next-generation network technology and the critical shortage of skilled labor required to deploy it.

Harris joins UCL Swift with a distinguished career marked by influential roles at organizations like CableLabs/SCTE and Learning Alliance Corporation. His appointment is widely seen as a move by UCL Swift to leverage deep industry expertise to not only enhance its product portfolio but also to champion the educational initiatives necessary for the sector's growth.

A Strategic Play for Product Innovation

UCL Swift has carved out a distinct market position with its highly engineered products for processing and splicing optical fibers. The company, founded in 1982 as a high-precision tool manufacturer, is particularly known for its innovative "All-In-One" fusion splicers, which integrate stripping, cleaving, cleaning, splicing, and protection into a single, efficient unit. These tools are critical for deploying networks in Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH), data center, and campus environments, where reliability and speed are paramount.

The addition of Steve Harris is poised to inject a new layer of strategic insight into this technology-driven foundation. As a proven innovator with a patent in workforce network optimization and a history of authoring influential publications, including the "Fiber Source" series in Broadband Library, Harris brings a forward-looking perspective on network engineering and industry best practices. His expertise is expected to directly influence UCL Swift’s product roadmap, ensuring its tools evolve to meet the complex demands of future broadband deployments.

“By adding Steve to the UCL Swift team, we're ensuring our customers continue receiving only the best in broadband innovation,” stated Brad Everette, General Manager of UCL Swift Americas, in a recent announcement. This statement underscores the company's intent to harness Harris’s deep technical knowledge to maintain a competitive edge and deliver solutions that are not just effective today but are also designed for the networks of tomorrow.

Addressing the Industry's Workforce Crisis

Beyond technological prowess, Harris's appointment strategically confronts the broadband industry's severe workforce crisis. Current estimates reveal a staggering shortage of skilled labor, with the U.S. needing between 58,000 and 200,000 additional trained technicians to build out and maintain its rapidly expanding fiber infrastructure. This deficit, exacerbated by an aging workforce and a lack of specialized vocational programs, threatens to slow down crucial national initiatives like the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.

Harris is a renowned figure in the fight against this skills gap. In his previous role as SVP of Continuing Education at Learning Alliance Corporation, he was instrumental in creating over 500 advanced technical courses and professional credentials that have empowered tens of thousands of professionals. His work has been pivotal in preparing a new generation of technicians for careers in fiber optics, wireless, and digital infrastructure.

UCL Swift clearly intends to integrate this educational focus into its core strategy. Everette highlighted this by adding, “And just as important to our company, our team will benefit from his commitment to continuing education.” This dual approach suggests a future where UCL Swift provides not only the tools for the job but also the knowledge to use them effectively. Industry watchers anticipate the potential development of UCL Swift-certified training programs that could upskill customers, support partners, and contribute directly to closing the industry-wide talent gap, turning a major challenge into a competitive advantage.

A Legacy of Collaboration and Industry Leadership

Harris’s value extends far beyond his technical and educational acumen. He is a central figure in the telecommunications ecosystem, known for fostering collaboration among network operators, equipment vendors, original equipment manufacturers, and academic institutions. His career is a testament to building bridges and advancing industry-wide excellence.

His deep involvement with a vast network of major organizations—including the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA), Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)—reflects a profound commitment to the sector's collective growth. This extensive network provides UCL Swift with unparalleled access to industry dialogues, standards committees, and strategic partnership opportunities.

Recognized with numerous honors, including the prestigious Cable Pioneer and SCTE Senior Member distinctions, Harris's reputation lends significant credibility to his new role. His decision to join UCL Swift is a powerful endorsement of the company's technology and vision, signaling to the market that it is a key player in the future of fiber optic connectivity.

Charting the Future of Fiber Connectivity

Looking ahead, the synergy between Harris’s vision and UCL Swift's capabilities promises to accelerate progress in the field. Harris himself expressed enthusiasm for this new chapter, highlighting the company's established reputation and its potential for future impact.

“UCL Swift has a proven track record for excellence in fiber optic connectivity, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for our industry and how UCL Swift accelerates the evolution of our customers’ networks,” Harris said. His statement points to a proactive strategy focused on empowering customers to build more advanced and efficient networks.

With Harris’s guidance, UCL Swift is positioned to move beyond being just a hardware provider to becoming a comprehensive partner in network deployment. His engagement with emerging topics like the application of AI and big data for network optimization suggests that the company's future innovations may lie at the intersection of high-precision hardware and intelligent network management. This holistic approach, combining best-in-class tools with expert-led education and forward-thinking strategy, equips UCL Swift to play a defining role in building the digital infrastructure of the coming decades.