The Questions That Will Shape Broadband’s Next Decade
TNBA’s 2026 Annual Convention & Showcase asked members to look toward 2036 while staying grounded in the work already happening across Tennessee. These are the questions members kept coming back to.
What advantage do local providers still have?
In his fireside chat with Karen Jackson-Furman, NTCA CEO Mike Romano pointed to the ground local providers have already gained: network investment, local brand recognition, customer trust and service experience. Competition is growing, but those strengths are hard to copy.
How do we prove broadband’s impact?
Mike also reminded members that the ribbon cutting is not the end of the story. The real test is who gets served, how the network performs and what people can now do because the connection is there.
Where can AI actually help?
The AI panel stayed close to practical use cases: customer service, internal knowledge tools, contract review, employee training and security. The point was not to chase every new tool. It was to start learning where AI can help, while putting clear guardrails around how it is used.
What does rural Tennessee need broadband to make possible?
Rep. Rusty Grills and Trevor Bonnstetter tied broadband back to everyday rural life: agriculture, telemedicine, quality of life and the ability for families to stay in the communities they call home.
How do we build for 2036 without losing what works today?
BEAD adoption, affordability, compliance and competition will all shape the next decade. Taylre Beaty, director of broadband for the state department of Community and Rural Development, also noted the relationship has grown between the state and Tennessee’s broadband providers. That collaboration will matter as providers keep building, improving service and preparing for what comes next.