Broadband Works: Our Focus for 2025 and Beyond

We are launching the New Year with a new focus for the Tennessee Broadband Association: “Broadband Works.”

These two words capture the evolving focus of our organization and the members we represent.

“Broadband Works” is not a mere slogan or campaign theme. It’s a lens through which we’ll examine and highlight those components of our society that depend on world-class broadband. These areas are flourishing where broadband is available, and it’s changing people’s lives across Tennessee.

Consider these examples:

Economic Development: When a company considers locating or expanding in a county, its list of demands begins with elements such as available land, adequate power and water supply, access to transportation—such as interstates, rail and waterways—and reliable broadband access. These are the basic requirements. An industry not only has connectivity demands for its own communications and operations, but its leaders also know that the presence of reliable broadband means its employees and their families will benefit from better schools, libraries, medical facilities and other such anchor institutions that contribute to the quality of life.

Workforce Development: New and existing employers need workers ready to step in and fill jobs. Many sectors report a shortage of employees, and groups such as trade associations, community colleges and tech schools are introducing and expanding programs to help prepare people for those jobs. Broadband is key to workforce development efforts, which do more than help employers meet their immediate and future needs—these efforts also create opportunities for local citizens to build a better life for themselves and their families.

Community Development: People want to live in communities that are thriving. As I mentioned above, they want access to quality health care. They want good schools and libraries. They want recreational opportunities, along with local shopping and dining experiences. These elements are difficult to foster in today’s society without a reliable broadband network.

Precision Agriculture: For many farmers, GPS coordinates and software are just as important today as soil and fertilizer. Row crops, dairy, hydroponics and more depend on information to increase efficiency, yield and quality. This is vital to meeting the food and fiber needs of the world, and broadband is a necessary ingredient in the process. We are excited to welcome students from Tennessee’s 4-H programs—tomorrow’s agricultural leaders—to our association conference in June, where they will provide support, learn about the industry and meet broadband leaders and elected officials from across the state.

Cybersecurity: While this has long been an important field of study, the dangers to America’s critical systems have increased exponentially. We aren’t simply concerned with hackers entering computer systems and stealing business and financial records. Today’s threats extend to electric grid operations, water supply, banking systems, public infrastructure and, of course, broadband networks. Building a reliable broadband network also means securing that network to the greatest extent possible. It’s also important that our local anchor institutions have access to the knowledge and tools to protect their digital assets and systems from cyberattacks.

Digital Literacy: The most reliable broadband connection in the country is of little use to a person who doesn’t know how to use it. Just as traditional literacy, the ability to read and comprehend the written word, is vital to functioning in our society, so is digital literacy. Interacting with health care providers, accessing government services, communicating with colleagues, applying for jobs and so much more require an understanding of how to use a broadband connection.

These are the areas TNBA will focus on in the months and years ahead, along with supporting small businesses, light manufacturing, community groups, emergency responders and more.

Lastly, your broadband association remains focused on monitoring and providing input to our state and federal elected officials and agencies to ensure that policies are in place to support broadband that works. This includes everything from bills brought before the Tennessee legislature to the fight over preserving the Universal Service Fund, a case that the U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear.

Of course, our members will never slow their commitment to connecting Tennessee. Over the past few years, our member service providers have invested millions of dollars to connect hundreds of thousands of households across our state. As a result, much of Tennessee is connected with reliable, high-speed broadband. But as long as there is work to be done to connect the unserved and underserved of Tennessee, our member telcos will continue working hard to close that gap. Because for our communities, for our future, and for all Tennesseans—#BroadbandWorks.