The OIX Association has announced the formation of the Digital Infrastructure Framework Committee (DIFC). The DIFC aims to empower communities across the U.S. to plan, deploy, and modernize the technology that underpins government, business, and future growth dependent on the internet, cloud and AI capabilities. The DIFC is founded and chaired by industry veteran Ilissa Miller, who brings her expertise as the CEO of iMiller Public Relations and her former public service role to spearhead this initiative. The goal of the DIFC is to provide municipalities, economic developers, and public officials a foundational resource to help them plan for complex digital infrastructure growth in communities across the United States.
Master Planning for the Digital Era
The OIX Association is a global volunteer organization well-known for establishing fair and non-discriminatory standards for digital infrastructure. The DIFC expands the organization’s scope, taking best practices implemented by data centers and Internet Exchanges (IXs) to municipalities and city planners. Demystifying technology and the need for infrastructure to support future growth, the The committee will create practical, actionable guidance that empowers local government leaders, economic developers, and city planners to keep pace with technology’s accelerating demands, which range from supporting mission-critical public services to aligning with planned community growth.
Municipality Planning with Industry Leadership Guidance
As an OIX Board Member and CEO of iMiller Public Relations, Ilissa Miller is spearheading the initiative with nearly three decades of industry experience and insights from her extensive network of industry stakeholders and experience as a former elected official.
To bring awareness to the initiative, Miller will be leading the state-focused roundtables at Techoraco’s Datacloud USA event series, taking place from September 16-17, 2025 in Austin, Texas. The session will gather perspectives from community leaders, such as Buddy Rizer, Executive Director of Economic Development for Loudoun County (Virginia) and Chris Pumphrey, President of Elevate Douglas Economic Partnership (Georgia), among others, and will will explore the opportunities and challenges city planners have in understanding and evaluating digital infrastructure needs for today, and tomorrow.
Addressing Municipal Challenges
With mounting federal mandates and programs such as BEAD, communities are increasingly tasked with upgrading digital services even as they face power, water, and economic pressures. Yet, many localities still lack the expertise to evaluate infrastructure proposals or to seamlessly integrate advanced technology into current zoning and policy plans. The DIFC aims to deliver a “trusted, unbiased framework” to demystify planning and help communities identify technology gaps, assess future needs, and guide strategic investments.
Open Call for Participation
The DIFC is actively developing its framework and the OIX Association is inviting volunteers, industry professionals, and stakeholders to join as contributors. Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to apply by sending an email to info@oix.org.
For more information about the Digital Infrastructure Framework Committee, please contact DIFC@oix.org.
