During this historic year for broadband deployment, there’s something electrifying about walking into a hotel ballroom and seeing nearly 500 NTCA members from across the country ready to meet with members of Congress and share their perspective on public policy matters that impact their ability to deploy broadband to their communities. That’s what happened this week during the NTCA 2024 Legislative + Policy Conference, a two-day event to showcase our unified voice on key policy issues impacting the rural broadband industry.
Monday was filled with policymaker discussions in one of the best lineups we have been able to convene for this event. It was apparent that policymakers wanted to share thoughts with our members as much as our members wanted to hear from them. We kicked off the morning with FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, who shared her support for connecting rural communities and keeping broadband affordable. As the latest addition to the commission, Gomez has the opportunity to be a critical voice in supporting NTCA members deploy and sustain their networks as the commission continues to grapple with carving a path forward for the Universal Service Fund (USF). Following her remarks, Rural Utilities Service Administrator Andy Berke talked about funding opportunities to help NTCA members, including new ReConnect loans and grants, and we were then joined by National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Alan Davidson who shared the importance of engaging state broadband offices and other stakeholders in pursuit of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program grants coming soon. It was also important to hear NTIA reiterate its support for fiber and future proof technologies as part of the BEAD program, even as many states are still working on their final rules. NTCA and our industry partners have previously engaged with NTIA and Davidson on the need to prioritize fiber for rural builds, so it was gratifying to hear his support.
Next up was Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and all-around cybersecurity rock star, who talked about how she and her team are working to keep critical infrastructure secure and resilient. She also shared many free resources CISA provides to augment critical infrastructure providers’ cybersecurity efforts, and she called out the great work NTCA members and our CyberShare: The Small Broadband Provider ISAC are doing to secure networks and promote online safety.
Because this conference is all about advocacy and sharing the stories of rural broadband deployment from the field—and because our efforts must continue once everyone gets home—I was so appreciative of Chris Townson, CEO of DTC Communications (Alexandria, Tenn.), and Tyler Campbell, executive director of the Kentucky Telephone Association (Frankfort, Ky.), who led a discussion about how to engage with members of Congress in their own communities.
The afternoon was filled with updates from different broadband leaders and “Washington insiders.” Ian Swanson, managing editor of The Hill, gave an election analysis, and Evan Swarztrauber, senior vice president of AxAdvocacy, and Alisa Valentin, broadband policy director at Public Knowledge, talked about recent changes in broadband regulation. Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) then shared his commitment to broadband deployment in rural America in our fireside chat and expressed an appreciation to NTCA members for the important work they are doing to connect more communities. Just prior to breaking into state caucuses we were treated to a panel discussion about the future of the USF with Pamela Arluk, vice president and associate general counsel at NCTA–The Internet and Television Association, and Caroline Boothe Olsen, director of communications and legislative affairs at INCOMPAS. There is always a huge value in having NTCA members hear from those who have opposing policy views. Whew! It was a busy but extremely worthwhile day.
Our second morning kicked off bright and early with our Congressional breakfast, where we were joined by U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Ben Cline (R-Va.) and celebrated our Advocate of the Year Roger Nishi, vice president of industry relations at Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom (Waitsfield, Vt.). Roger has long been an avid supporter for NTCA members, and I was delighted that we were able to honor such a deserving member of our community.
As the Legislative + Policy Conference wound down, our Smart Rural Community℠ providers were getting ready for the first-ever Smart Communities in Conversation event held in Washington. This half-day program examined the important role community-based providers and their partners play in building, sustaining and advancing rural communities. The room was packed as we shared success stories and ideas to help grow more Smart Rural Communities across the country. I was honored to present Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) our inaugural Smart Rural Community℠ Champion Award for being a passionate advocate for connecting small communities across Minnesota and our entire country for more than a decade. FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks followed with some perspectives on broadband affordability and universal service—both very timely topics as Congress is considering a few different measures. As you know, our Smart Communities program means a great deal to me so having this inaugural event be so impactful and successful was gratifying. I loved the willingness of our Smart Rural Community providers to share what they are doing on the ground in terms of digital inclusion, senior online safety, engaging their communities in broadband deployment and how their work is changing lives for the better.
As if all that wasn’t enough, we also had members over at the FCC discussing broadband maps, participating in a roundtable discussion about cybersecurity at the White House, meeting with officials at the U.S. Department of Commerce and actively engaging in committee and board meetings.
This is always an action-packed conference, but wow. What a week! I look forward to finding creative ways with our members and own team to ensure that the good work and constructive conversations this week carry through until Congress recesses later this fall and that smart policies for the rural broadband industry are adopted and set the course for the future.