Pat Host 
- Don Parente, vice president for public sector at MetTel, is helping government agencies navigate the retirement of copper wire networks
- Copper retirement is an important issue because essential systems like fire and security systems, and elevators still rely on copper infrastructure
- He sat down with ExecutiveBiz for his latest Spotlight to talk opportunities for expansion, innovation in contract vehicles and his GovCon business outlook for 2026
Don Parente got into GovCon because he wanted to contribute to something bigger than himself. Parente, MetTel vice president for public sector, comes from a family of service, which shaped how he thought about his career.
Parente found that opportunity in mission-focused service by working closely with government customers. This role isn’t primarily about selling to the government—it’s about solving problems.
Learning about, and solving, agency challenges through the thoughtful application of technology is exciting to Parente. Whether it’s improving efficiency, strengthening resilience or helping agencies better serve their constituents, he sees his role as a partner and problem solver.
One significant initiative Parente is leading is helping government customers navigate the retirement of copper networks. Copper retirement doesn’t sound urgent because traditional landlines have largely been replaced by Internet Protocol phones and mobile devices.
But in reality, this is a major issue for government agencies as critical infrastructure like fire panels, security systems and elevators still rely on analog copper lines to function safely and reliably. Parente is working with customers to proactively assess exposure, prioritize essential services and implement modern equivalents that preserve reliability and safety.
Parente sat down with ExecutiveBiz for his latest Spotlight interview to discuss opportunities for MetTel expansion, new contracting vehicles and his outlook for GovCon business in 2026.
ExecutiveBiz: What are some capabilities you’re considering for expansion in the near future?
Don Parente: Over the next couple of years, we’re focused on expanding capabilities across low Earth orbit satellite connectivity, artificial intelligence-driven managed services and safe architectures.
We’ve seen strong adoption of LEO satellite services, particularly SpaceX’s Starlink, and we believe this connectivity will fundamentally change the wide‑area networking landscape when paired with a software-defined wide area network. Starlink has enabled our customers to rapidly expand their footprint with high‑quality, low‑latency throughput—especially in remote, underserved or hard‑to‑reach locations where traditional terrestrial connectivity is limited or unavailable.
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The real inflection point comes when this connectivity is delivered as a managed service and enhanced with AI‑driven monitoring and response. AI allows us to proactively detect issues, optimize performance and respond to anomalies in real time. This adds a layer of reliability and resilience that mission‑critical customers increasingly require. At this point, it’s difficult to envision how a modern managed services provider can operate effectively without AI at the core of its delivery model.
Looking ahead, these AI‑enabled operational capabilities become even more critical as we move toward the quantum era. Quantum technologies will introduce new levels of complexity, performance expectations and security considerations. Preparing now—by embedding intelligence, automation and adaptability into our networks and managed services—positions us and our customers to take advantage of quantum advancements as they mature.
EBiz: What types of innovation in contracting vehicles are you seeing?
Parente: One of the most significant areas of innovation we’re watching is around contracting vehicles, particularly as the government prepares to revamp the Federal Acquisition Regulation. There’s a great deal of interest across industry in what that modernization will look like, especially given the strong emphasis on speed, efficiency and mission outcomes we’re seeing today.
Our expectation is that a refreshed FAR will drive the creation of contract vehicles that are far (pun intended) more aligned with commercial best practices. Specifically, we anticipate increased use of vehicles that encourage the adoption of commercial off‑the‑shelf products, managed services, and “as‑a‑service” delivery models, rather than highly customized, asset‑heavy procurements.
We’re already seeing momentum toward contracts that:
- Reduce acquisition friction and cycle time
- Emphasize outcomes and performance over ownership
- Enable agencies to consume technology in a more flexible and scalable way
This shift aligns closely with the government’s broader focus on efficiency, modernization and operational agility, particularly as agencies manage constrained budgets while supporting increasingly complex missions.
From our perspective, these evolving contracting approaches are critical enablers. They allow agencies to leverage innovation happening in the commercial market; whether that’s advanced networking, managed services or emerging technologies; without having to reinvent procurement models each time. As the FAR evolves, we believe contract vehicles will increasingly reflect that reality and accelerate adoption of modern, service‑based solutions across government.
EBiz: What is your outlook on GovCon business for 2026?
Parente: Our outlook on GovCon business for 2026 is closely aligned with what we’re seeing in the evolution of contracting vehicles and acquisition strategy more broadly. When you look at how the current administration is approaching technology procurement, it’s clear there is a deliberate move away from the bespoke, one‑off solution model that has been at the center of government procurement, and the federal systems integrator model, for many decades.
Instead, we expect the government to place greater emphasis on commercial best practices, leveraging technologies that are already proven, scalable and cost‑effective in the commercial market and bringing them into government environments. That shift is being driven by a strong focus on efficiency, speed and mission impact, especially as agencies work to modernize under tighter budget and resource constraints.
For the GovCon market, this creates a positive, but different kind of opportunity in 2026. The emphasis will be less on custom‑built solutions and more on the ability to integrate, secure and operate commercial technologies through managed services and “as‑a‑service” models. Companies that can successfully bridge commercial innovation with government requirements will be best positioned to grow.
Overall, we’re optimistic about 2026. While the market continues to evolve, the government’s push toward commercial alignment and operational efficiency favors providers that can deliver proven technologies quickly, reliably and at scale, rather than reinventing solutions from the ground up.
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Who Is Don Parente?
Don Parente is MetTel’s vice president of public sector. He is in charge of direct sales and solution architecture for U.S. federal agencies, state and local governments, and education customers. He previously held leadership positions at AT&T, serving across commercial and government segments, with increasing responsibility in the realms of marketing, solutions architecture, product management and more.
What Does MetTel Do?
MetTel is a global provider of integrated digital communications services for businesses and government agencies. It designs and deploys tailored connectivity and networking services for voice, data, mobility and internet of things. It provides expertise in technologies including cloud computing, network connectivity, enterprise mobility and network security.
