Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information Arielle Roth

Congratulations to Adam Cassady on his confirmation as Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy. As the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Deputy Administrator, Adam was critical to many of the agency's most significant achievements in advancing America’s technology leadership and protecting our interests abroad. His experience makes him exceptionally well-suited to represent America’s strength on the world stage. It has been a genuine privilege to work alongside Adam.

In today's broadband debate, fiber has often been described as “future-proof” and “the gold standard” while other technologies, such as low-Earth orbit satellite systems have been dismissed as temporary solutions. Fiber is unquestionably one of the greatest communications innovations ever developed. It is expected to continue playing a key role in supporting AI, cloud computing, advanced manufacturing, and wireless networks. But 250 years of communications history teach us that no technology should be insulated from competition or presumed to be the final word in innovation.

I welcome the Federal Communications Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on reforms to the E-Rate program to better protect children, including by addressing excessive screen time in schools. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration was grateful for the opportunity to work closely with the FCC on this important effort. In December 2025, NTIA convened a public listening session on the drivers and consequences of excessive screen use in schools, bringing together parents, educators, and child development experts from across the country.

In a prior spectrum speech, I compared spectrum reallocation to my packed minivan—everyone fighting over seats, a struggle to balance competing needs, and someone in the back dramatically announcing they never wanted to go on this trip to begin with. And as a mom of six, I can tell you—my eight-seater minivan is truly at capacity. No amount of rearranging is going to create a ninth spot. Spectrum is different. We’re not stuck with a fixed number of seats. We can reconfigure, modernize, and make more room.

I commend the House of Representatives for passing legislation to reauthorize the First Responder Network Authority, or FirstNet, including critical reforms that will strengthen the network for the benefit of our nation’s first responders.

Assistant Secretary for Telecommunications and Information Arielle Roth wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr to request that the FCC seek public comment on new or updated Knowledge Database guidance to ensure protection of the ensure protection of the GPS L1 signal at 1575.42 MHz.

For the past few weeks, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration has received an extraordinary level of interest and feedback concerning our approach to using the $21 billion in savings achieved through the Benefit of the Bargain reforms to the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program. We appreciate the voluminous and passionate responses to our call for input. Across three listening sessions, we had more than 1,700 attendees and 175 speakers participate. We also received 188 written comments from industry, state officials, and broadband advocates.

The Global Coalition on Telecommunications' '6G Security and Resilience Principles' establishes a strong foundation—and a clear statement of shared values—for the reliability and security of next-generation networks. I am proud of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's contributions to this important work and of our close collaboration with our GCOT partners.

Congratulations to Adam Cassady on his nomination as Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy. Adam has been a phenomenal Deputy Administrator at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, providing effective, strategic leadership across spectrum, broadband, digital policy, and commercial space. He has been a tireless champion of America First technology leadership—ensuring the United States strengthens its competitive edge and protects its interests.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration applauds the approval of SpaceX’s Gen2 Version 3 application by the Federal Communications Commission, a decisive step toward expanding satellite connectivity and strengthening U.S. leadership in next-generation communications technologies. NTIA led the interagency coordination of this application, working closely with federal partners to deliver a rigorous and timely review that protects critical government missions while clearing the path for innovation.