2026 TFI Technology Conference

Register now for the 21st Annual TFI Technology Conference:
Thurs & Fri, January 22 & 23, 2026
In-Person at the Hyatt Place Austin Downtown, Austin, Texas & Online via Zoom
In-Person Meet & Greet on the evening of Wed, Jan 21
Online networking before and after the first day  

The TFI conference gives industry thought-leaders and professionals the chance to share the latest trends and developments impacting communications and asset valuation.  As always, we will cover wireless communications, broadband and video, network technologies, and a range of cutting-edge technologies coming onto the market. We hope you’ll join your colleagues in 2026 in what promises to be another interesting and important event!

To get an idea of the quality and depth of the TFI Technology Conferences, please visit the below links and our past conferences pages.

Information packet – General info, Speakers and Staff, Schedule

VideosSlides, and Speaker Bios are linked below in the Conference Schedule.

Videos for 2025 and previous conference presentations are on our TFI Youtube Channel.

Thank you 2025 TFI Tec6hnology Conference Sponsors:

Costquest COA logo 2016
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And Alliance Partner:  Leadership Mindset - Highway font w check r 215x102t  

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2026 Schedule

Additional details will be added as they become available.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21
6:15–7:15 pm – Pre-Conference Reception Meet & Greet – Hyatt Place Austin Downtown, Gallery

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22  Conference Day 1 – Hyatt Place Austin Downtown, Meeting Place 2&3. (Online networking before and after the first day.)

9:00 am Introductions and Welcome • Lawrence K. Vanston, Ph.D., President, TFI

9:15 am TFI Industry Forecast Overview • Lawrence Vanston, President, TFI • Ray Hodges, Senior Consultant, TFI

10:10 am Break

10:15 am Wireless Keynote: Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Communications in 6G Todd E. Humphreys, Ph.D.Ernest Dashiell Cockrell II Chair in Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

11:15 am Break

11:30 am Feature Presentation: Valuations of Data Centers and the AI Impact • Ruben Miranda, Managing Director, Property Tax, Kroll

12:15 pm Lunch Break – Attendees are on their own for lunch

1:30 pm Policy Keynote: Investment-Specific-Risk in Discount Rates • Roger Grabowski –Fellow Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA), Managing Director (ret.), Valuation Services, Kroll

2:30 pm Break

2:45 pm Broadband and Wireless Industry Panel • Gary Hunter, AVP Tax, AT&T • John ReedSr. Director, Property Tax, Charter • Brandt Palmer, Sr. Manager, Property Tax,
T-Mobile

3:45 pm Break

4:00 pm Feature Presentation: From Spreadsheets to Agents: Real‑World AI for Valuation & Property Tax • Carl Hoemke, GM, Property Tax, Avalara and Vsu Subramanian, SVP, Engineering, Avalara

5:00 pm Day End

5:30 pm Conference Reception (Hyatt Place Austin Downtown, Gallery)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23  Conference – Hyatt Place Austin Downtown Meeting Place 2&3

9:00 am Communications Technology Update • August (Augie) Grant, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina; Co-Editor, Communications Technology Update and Fundamentals

10:00 am Break

10:15 am – U.S. Economic Outlook  Michael Brandl, Ph.D., Retired Professor of Instruction, Economics, The University of Texas at Austin; Principal, Brandl the Economist; Author “Money, Banking, Financial Markets & Institutions” 3rd ed, Cengage Learning.

11:15 am Break

11: 30 am – Feature Presentation – TBA

12 :15 pm The Last Word

12 :30 pm Conference End

12:30 – 1:00 Optional Session -TBA

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Videos, slides, and photos from past conferences: 202520242023202220212020201920182017,  2016,  2015, and 2014. Videos from the 2019 – 2023 TFI Technology Conferences can also be viewed on our YouTube channel. Past Conference Photos are on our TFI Facebook page.

TFI Conference Team

Contact Helen Mary Marek,at hmvmarek@tfi.com or (512) 914-8038 if you have any questions or problems accessing the videos or slides.