Let's Get Digital with Carrie Charles

In this episode, Jeff Uphues, CEO of DC BLOX, shares how the company is reshaping digital infrastructure in the Southeast through a focused, vertically integrated strategy built on data centers, fiber networks, and cable landing stations. With more than 35 years in the communications industry, Jeff offers a candid look at scaling DC BLOX from a $5 million startup into a multi-billion-dollar platform serving hyperscalers and enterprise customers. DC BLOX’s approach is rooted in deep regional focus, targeting underserved, high-growth markets and building strong local relationships while connecting globally. Jeff explains how the company evolved from smaller edge deployments into large hyperscale campuses by listening closely to customer needs and expanding capabilities over time.A key theme is the impact of AI, which is driving unprecedented demand and fundamentally changing data center design. From liquid cooling to flexible power configurations, today’s infrastructure must support a wide range of high-density workloads. This shift has also intensified one of the industry’s biggest challenges: power. Jeff highlights the growing complexity of securing energy, including massive upfront investments and navigating utility constraints.Beyond infrastructure, Jeff emphasizes culture, built on transparency, trust, teamwork, and tenacity, as a core driver of success. He also underscores the importance of community engagement, helping local stakeholders understand the economic and social value data centers bring.Looking ahead, Jeff sees continued growth with no clear slowdown, as hyperscalers, AI companies, and enterprises drive the next wave of digital infrastructure expansion. Subscribe, leave a review, and stay connected.Visit Broadstaff at broadstaffglobal.comFollow Broadstaff on InstagramFollow Broadstaff on LinkedInConnect with Carrie Charles on LinkedInFollow Let's Get Digital with Carrie Charles on LinkedInWatch full episodes of Let's Get Digital on YouTube

In this episode, Rich Berliner, Founder of the Connected Digital Infrastructure Association (CDIA), shares a forward-looking perspective on how the industry is evolving from siloed technologies into a fully integrated, “connected” digital infrastructure ecosystem. With more than 40 years in telecom and construction, Rich brings a unique lens on how the convergence of wireless, fiber, real estate, and AI is reshaping the future of connectivity.CDIA was born from the evolution of the in-building wireless space into something much broader. Rich explains how enterprise customers—especially in real estate—no longer want fragmented solutions like DAS alone, but instead demand fully integrated offerings that combine connectivity, cybersecurity, software, and infrastructure into a single, cohesive strategy. This shift is driving greater collaboration across the industry and redefining how solutions are delivered.A key theme is the growing importance of “connected” infrastructure, where fiber, wireless, public safety systems, and building technologies must all work together seamlessly. Rich highlights how enterprise decision-making now involves multiple stakeholders—from IT to finance to operations—making it critical for providers to approach customers with a needs-based, consultative mindset rather than a product-first pitch.The conversation also explores a major technological shift: the move from CPU-based systems to GPU-driven computing, led by companies like NVIDIA. Rich explains how this transition is enabling distributed data centers and what he calls the “new edge”—a model where compute is deployed across towers, rooftops, and localized environments instead of centralized mega facilities.Looking ahead, Rich sees CDIA playing a vital role as an educational and networking hub—bringing together telecom, real estate, and technology leaders to better understand and navigate this rapidly changing landscape. Subscribe, leave a review, and stay connected.Visit Broadstaff at broadstaffglobal.comFollow Broadstaff on InstagramFollow Broadstaff on LinkedInConnect with Carrie Charles on LinkedInFollow Let's Get Digital with Carrie Charles on LinkedInWatch full episodes of Let's Get Digital on YouTube