At this year’s SCTE TechExpo25, policymakers and regulators from across the federal landscape voiced a clear and consistent message: smart, balanced spectrum policy is essential to keeping America at the forefront of broadband innovation.
From the rollout of Wi-Fi 7 to continued collaboration between agencies and industry, leaders agreed that protecting and efficiently managing spectrum remains vital to sustaining the nation’s digital leadership.
Momentum for Wi-Fi 7 and shared spectrum innovation
Leaders across agencies underscored how America’s success in spectrum policy fuels the connected economy.
FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty captured that forward momentum, noting that, “the future for Wi-Fi 7 is really exciting … The north star is putting spectrum to the highest and best use to advance the public interest.”
- With faster speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity, Wi-Fi 7 represents the next leap forward for consumers and businesses alike, underscoring how strategic spectrum policy powers America’s connected economy.
NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth reinforced that point, emphasizing the United States’ long-standing leadership in unlicensed innovation: “Born in America, led by America, Wi-Fi remains an area where we dominate, and we must continue to invest in this important technology.”
- Roth added that the global race for wireless leadership is already underway, and maintaining America’s edge will require continued focus and investment in open, shared spectrum.
At NCTA’s Continuum exhibit during TechExpo, White House Adviser Robin Colwell reflected on the hard-won progress that enabled unlicensed spectrum access in key bands: “We fought tooth and nail to get that spectrum, and it was so that we could become the worldwide leader in Wi-Fi.”
- Her remarks highlighted the administration’s recognition that unlicensed spectrum, and the innovation it enables, has become the backbone of the modern internet.
Congressional push for balanced spectrum policy
During a conversation with Punchbowl News, Chairman of the House E&C Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC) stressed the importance of balancing innovation with careful oversight:
“CBRS is a band where a lot of innovation is happening right now. A lot of folks are pushing the envelope and coming up with new ways to do this … we definitely want to make sure Chairman Carr is taking into account what is happening in that band, [and] is very careful as he makes decisions about what to make available for auction and not.”
Hudson also co-signed a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr with more than a dozen Subcommittee members, urging the agency to protect key spectrum bands such as 6 GHz Wi-Fi and CBRS while identifying 800 MHz for new commercial use under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The letter emphasized that:
- Wi-Fi carries nearly 90% of Americans’ data traffic, underscoring its critical role in connectivity.
- It drives hundreds of billions of dollars in annual U.S. economic value and fuels significant private investment.
- The FCC should avoid disrupting or displacing existing commercial services that have driven innovation and broadband growth.
In the Senate, lawmakers issued a parallel letter reinforcing that call, urging the FCC to honor prior spectrum decisions and safeguard ongoing operations in the CBRS and 6 GHz bands. Together, these bipartisan efforts underscore a growing consensus across Congress on the need for balanced, forward-looking spectrum policy.
Keeping America connected and competitive
Across government and industry, the message is clear: smart spectrum policies drive innovation, expand opportunity, and strengthen America’s global competitiveness.
As leaders continue to align on how best to use this finite resource, let’s make sure any spectrum policy keeps America connected and competitive for what comes next.
