“Bringing the Ingredients Together for America’s Connectivity Future”
Remarks of Commissioner Olivia Trusty
WTA Spring Educational Forum
The Royal Sonesta New Orleans
April 13, 2026

Good morning.  Thank you for that kind introduction and thank you to WTA for the opportunity to speak with you today.
WTA has long been synonymous with rural broadband.  The priorities that guide my work at the FCC align closely with the work that each of you does every day serving communities across the country.  Those priorities include the following:
First, achieving universal connectivity.  This goal is foundational to the FCC’s responsibilities under the Communications Act, and essential to ensuring that all Americans can fully participate in our modern, digital economy.
Second, restoring U.S. leadership in advanced communications technologies.  Fostering innovation drives a marketplace that improves communications and advances the broader public interest.  And strong U.S. leadership strengthens our global competitiveness while promoting our values around the world.
And third, enhancing public safety and national security.  This includes protecting consumers from scams, strengthening our emergency communications systems, and securing our networks from domestic and foreign threats.
As I prepared to speak here in Louisiana, it struck me that these priorities have something in common with many of the things that make New Orleans famous.
Let’s start with universal connectivity.  When people think about the benefits of broadband, they might imagine something simple and sweet, like a beignet.  But when I think about broadband, I’m reminded more of jambalaya.  Jambalaya isn’t just one good thing.  It’s many good things brought together into a single dish – fluffy rice, chicken, seafood, sausage, and the famous “holy trinity” of celery, peppers, and onions, along with a variety of other vegetables and spices. 
The benefits of broadband work much the same way.  It’s not just about entertainment. Broadband supports economic development, telehealth, education, public safety, small businesses, and so much more.  Indeed, it brings together the essential ingredients needed to succeed in today’s economy. 
When I think about broadband deployment, particularly in the rural areas served by WTA’s members, I’m reminded of another Louisiana specialty: crawfish.  Crawfish takes work. They can be hard to gather, and they are quick escape artists.  Not to mention, even after you catch them, then comes the real work – you still have to peel the shell to get to the meat.  And, if you’re new to crawfish, someone eventually has to give you the classic Louisiana tutorial: twist, peel, and don’t forget the tail.  But as anyone who has ever attended a crawfish boil knows, the reward is absolutely worth the effort.  In much the same way, bringing broadband to the hardest-to-serve rural communities requires determination, ingenuity, and persistence.  But when WTA members overcome those geographic challenges, the payoff for your communities is tremendous and can truly transform people’s lives. 
My second priority – U.S. leadership in advanced communications technologies – depends heavily on marketplace innovation.  And when it comes to innovation, New Orleans offers more examples than I could possibly name.  But two stand out to me. 
In February, this city celebrated Mardi Gras, a tradition that has been around for generations.  Yet year after year, the people of New Orleans find new ways to celebrate, new ways to build floats, and, if my understanding is correct, new ways to accumulate beads.
In addition to Mardi Gras, in just a few weeks, the city will host the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.  Jazz was born right here in New Orleans, and improvisation is its defining feature.  Musicians take a familiar melody and build something new in the moment. 
Innovation in communications works much the same way. Sometimes it builds on longstanding foundations.  Other times it creates entirely new possibilities.  But either way, innovation expands opportunities to connect – and those new connections often become the platform for even more innovation. 
That brings me to my third priority: national security and public safety.  New Orleans’ location has played a major role in shaping its culture and history.  But that same geography also presents risks that must be addressed carefully and responsibly.  This city understands that reality well.  Its levees and flood walls stand as reminders of the importance of preparation, resilience, and vigilance. 
Communications networks face similar challenges. The connectivity they enable through the exchange of communication, information, and ideas, also makes them attractive targets for foreign adversaries, cybercriminals, and scammers. That means providers and regulators must remain vigilant in protecting the security and reliability of these networks.
The FCC is actively working on all three of these priorities and more.
Our work on universal connectivity begins with the Build America Agenda.  A key part of that effort is reducing the delays and costs that can slow down broadband deployment. That includes streamlining the FCC’s own processes, improving access to utility pole infrastructure, and addressing permitting delays and costs at the state and local level that can hold back broadband deployment.
The Build America Agenda is also about modernizing our regulatory framework. Through the Delete, Delete, Delete proceedings, we have been working to simplify rules, reduce unnecessary burdens on businesses, and ensure our policies reflect today’s technological and marketplace realities.
And, of course, as WTA members know well, the Commission’s universal service programs play a critical role in achieving universal connectivity.  A bipartisan, bicameral working group in Congress is currently evaluating how to modernize the Universal Service Fund and place it on a financially sustainable foundation.  The FCC is supporting those efforts.
In the meantime, the Commission has a responsibility to be a good steward of its existing universal service programs.  That starts with guarding against waste, fraud, and abuse.  But it also requires making sure that support goes where it is truly needed.  That means continuing to improve the accuracy of the National Broadband Map and taking a thoughtful approach to how that map is used when making universal service policy decisions. 
It also means ensuring that the FCC’s universal service programs work efficiently alongside other federal initiatives like BEAD.  To connect all Americans, we must avoid unnecessary duplication or overbuilding while still ensuring predicable and sufficient support flows to the communities that need it most, as directed by section 254.
Just as New Orleans brings together many great things in one place, my priorities often overlap in communications policy as well.
Take spectrum policy, for example.  Spectrum policy brings together universal connectivity and technology innovation – something like eating a bowl of jambalaya while celebrating Mardi Gras.  Making sure spectrum is put to its highest and best use supports American innovation and leadership in wireless services and the growing space economy.  That innovation can help expand connectivity through fixed wireless, mobile broadband, Wi-Fi, and satellite solutions where those technologies make the most sense.
There’s also a strong connection between U.S. technological leadership and national security.  Following Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans adopted what is often called a “living with water” design philosophy, adapting infrastructure to address the city’s unique environmental conditions. 
Likewise, innovation and security can go hand in hand in communications networks. Securing the communications supply chain and maintaining a strong U.S. presence in international standards bodies helps guard against risks posed by foreign adversaries while positioning American innovators to succeed globally.  Moreover, strong public-private partnerships on cybersecurity allow providers to continue innovating while addressing the risks unique to their own networks and business models. 
Sometimes, connectivity, innovation, and public safety come together in a single initiative.  New Orleans provides a great example through its use of 5G-connected flood sensors. Using sonar technology, the sensors provide fast and precise water-level measurements. Combined with 5G connectivity, they give the city another powerful tool to strengthen disaster preparedness.
In communications policy, we see a similar convergence in the ongoing IP transition. Innovation in advanced communications technologies is driving the transition away from legacy TDM networks to all IP networks.  That transition will bring significant benefits to consumers and providers alike. 
In addition to supporting public safety and national security, end-to-end IP networks enable the full implementation of authentication technologies used to combat robocalls.  They also have the potential to be more flexible and resilient than legacy systems, and they are essential for Next Generation 911, which promises improved location accuracy, greater interoperability, and the ability to transmit more types of data during emergencies. 
Notwithstanding these benefits, our mission to achieve and sustain universal connectivity must remain central to this transition. As we update our rules and policies to support the IP transition, it is imperative that we preserve the connectivity gains Americans have relied upon. And as we evaluate reforms in cost recovery models for all-IP networks, we need to remain mindful of both the financial sustainability of these networks and the affordability of services for the consumers who depend on them. 
In my travels to places like Mississippi, Alaska, and Kansas, I’ve seen first-hand the challenges of serving rural communities.  I’ve also seen the tremendous progress made by providers like WTA’s members. Those experiences reinforce how important economic predictability is when providers are making long-term investment decisions.
That is why WTA and its members must continue to play a role in the work ahead.  Your companies have adapted through decades of technological and marketplace change while continuing to serve your communities.  And today, you remain on the frontlines delivering and maintaining broadband connectivity in some of the hardest-to-serve areas in the country.
We also need WTA and its members to continue helping inform communications policy debates.  Keep reminding policymakers about the realities of serving rural America, the geographic challenges, the weather, and the difficult economics of providing service across sparsely populated areas.  And keep highlighting the unique connectivity needs of rural communities, where broadband not only connects homes and businesses, but also innovations like precision agriculture.
Finally, continue working together to pool your expertise, experiences, and resources to address the challenges that come with scale.  Educational forums like this one are an excellent example of how collaboration strengthens the entire industry.
When I look at the communications marketplace today, I see both challenges and tremendous opportunities.  And just like a good New Orleans recipe, success depends on getting the ingredients right:  innovation, investment, smart policy, and collaboration.  With strong leadership from President Trump, the FCC, and partners across industry – including all of you in this room – I believe we can build America and usher in a New Golden Age of Communications that holds so much promise for a prosperous and secure future.  
Thank you again for the opportunity to speak with you this morning.