Washington, D.C. (March 9, 2026) – Today, USTelecom – The Broadband Association launched America’s Connected Future, a new national public education initiative dedicated to helping consumers, businesses, civic leaders, and policymakers understand the benefits of the ongoing transition from aging copper telephone networks to modern, resilient digital infrastructure.
The data tells a clear story: Nearly 80 percent of Americans live in wireless-only households. Of those who still have a traditional landline, fewer than 5 percent of residential customers still use copper-based service, and less than 2 percent of Americans rely on it exclusively. Consumers have already made the transition. America’s Connected Future makes the case that public policy should recognize that reality.
“The future is calling. Americans have answered it,” said USTelecom President and CEO Jonathan Spalter. “America’s Connected Future is delivering the clear, fact-based message about what this transition means for real people: reliable voice service, stronger 911 capabilities, better protection from outages and theft, and smarter investment in the networks our communities depend on. We’re making progress but we have more work to do so that the rules catch up with reality – and no one will be left behind in the process.”
Spalter expanded on why this transition to newer, stronger, more secure networks is coming at the perfect time for America in his latest blog.
Policymakers across the country are reexamining telecom regulations built for a different era. The Federal Communications Commission is taking steps to help accelerate the shift to modern digital networks, joining more than two dozen states that have made progress by prioritizing this pro-consumer modernization. A central target of reform: decades-old state rules such as “Carrier of Last Resort” (COLR) mandates that require providers to spend billions maintaining outdated copper infrastructure instead of investing in the faster, stronger networks Americans actually use.
America’s Connected Future is focused on:
- Consumer benefits of transitioning to modern networks, including stronger reliability, resilience, and faster recovery after storms and outages
- Enhanced public safety features, including more precise 911 location data and better protections against robocalls and caller ID spoofing
- The strong consumer protections in place at every step of the transition, including a commitment that no customer will be left without voice service
- How updating outdated regulatory requirements can unlock billions in investment for the modern infrastructure that powers economic growth and innovation
The campaign is grounded in a core principle: copper retirement can only move forward where reliable modern voice service is available. That covers the more than 95 percent of Americans with access to 5G wireless or wired high-speed broadband. In areas where modern alternatives are not yet available, legacy networks will remain in place.
Visit the website at americasconnectedfuture.org.
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About America’s Connected Future
America’s Connected Future (ACF) is an initiative backed by USTelecom – The Broadband Association dedicated to educating consumers and policymakers about the transition to modern digital networks. ACF provides clear, fact-based information about the consumer benefits of network modernization, the innovation and investment it enables, and the case for updating outdated rules to reflect today’s competitive marketplace. Learn more at AmericasConnectedFuture.org.
About USTelecom
USTelecom | The Broadband Association is the national trade association representing technology providers, innovators, suppliers, and manufacturers committed to connecting the world through the power of broadband.
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