FCC Chairman Brendan Carr outlines his “Build America Agenda” to a South Dakota audience, emphasizing deregulation, broadband expansion, and reforms aimed at protecting America’s telecommunications workforce. A video of Carr’s presentation is available to view below.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr returned to familiar ground last week in Sioux Falls, South Dakota—both literally and politically—to unveil what he’s calling the “Build America Agenda,” a sweeping deregulatory policy initiative aimed at accelerating infrastructure deployment, restoring U.S. leadership in wireless and space, and reforming the labor environment for America’s telecom workforce.
Carr delivered the speech at VIKOR’s tower climber training center, a symbolic and strategic venue that’s become a recurring touchpoint during his tenure. His remarks, steeped in personal anecdotes and policy critiques, signal an aggressive shift from the previous administration’s regulatory posture and embrace President Trump’s second-term ambitions for telecom dominance.
It’s obvious whose side FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s support is on, as he sports a “Make Towers Great Again” hat. (Photo: Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
“Let’s Build”: Carr’s rallying cry for a deregulatory sprint
The “Build America Agenda” leans heavily on themes Carr has championed since his early days at the FCC—cutting red tape, empowering local deployment, and eliminating outdated policies. Now, with a Trump-aligned FCC and a more politically permissive climate, Carr is promising to turbocharge these efforts.
Among his headline initiatives:
- Permitting Reform: Carr announced that the FCC will vote this month to begin modernizing copper-to-fiber transitions, redirecting billions from legacy systems into next-generation broadband. He also previewed updates to the FCC’s pole attachment rules aimed at speeding up fiber deployments.
- Spectrum Expansion: Citing economic and national security benefits, Carr said the FCC will vote this month on measures to auction long-stalled AWS-3 spectrum licenses and push forward with mid-band and mmWave proceedings, including the Upper C-Band and 37 GHz band.
- Satellite Streamlining: Carr called for “rocket fuel” in satellite licensing by standardizing reviews and freeing up more than 20 GHz of satellite spectrum. This aligns with the growing private investment in LEO constellations and the United States’ strategic competition in space.
- Mass Deregulation: In what Carr dubbed the most significant deregulatory effort in FCC history, he announced the “In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete” initiative. It begins with a July vote to eliminate 40 outdated rules—some of which govern telegraphs and rabbit-ear antennas.
Workforce reform: A subtle shot at “fly-by-night” crews
Carr’s remarks struck a more resounding chord with the wireless workforce—especially tower technicians and their employers—by explicitly acknowledging industry concerns over unsustainable pricing and the rise of unvetted 1099 and foreign crews.
“There are a lot of folks out there that take our country’s communications infrastructure for granted,” Carr said, while praising providers for “putting new values” on tower tech labor. He noted that carriers are “changing their approach to 1099 crews” and said upcoming reforms will “make it harder for foreign and fly-by-night crews to sweep in and undercut the safety and security of our networks.”
The comment, which drew online applause from some industry stakeholders, may hint at forthcoming regulatory or enforcement actions aimed at reining in questionable subcontracting practices—a long-running issue among U.S. contractors who claim they’re being squeezed out by price-gouging labor brokers and foreign nationals operating without proper certifications.
Verizon, in collaboration with NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, will allow NATE members to report suspected misuse of undocumented labor and identify non-compliant 1099 crews working on their sites. This agreement went into effect on July 1, 2025. It is expected that AT&T and T-Mobile, which are also meeting with NATE representatives to address contracting issues, will also enact a similar reporting structure.
A well-deserved shout-out to the workforce
“So I think it is appropriate for you to realize the value of your work. And I am pleased to see that we are already making progress on this front. Providers are now committing to a range of workforce reforms that will result in a more sustainable environment for America’s tower and telecom crews. Carriers are putting new values on your work—ones that better reflect current marketplace realities—and those changes are starting to take effect. Providers are changing their approach to 1099 crews, too, helping to ensure that experienced, well-trained crews get the job at fair prices,” said Carr, whose agency is actively assessing carrier contracts that leave no room for contractor profits.
Internet reaction: Cheers, jeers, and questions
Online reaction to Carr’s speech was polarized along familiar industry and political lines.
Supporters, including broadband expansion advocates and many telecom contractors, lauded Carr’s call for cutting regulatory friction. “This is the boldest FCC agenda we’ve seen since 2018,” one LinkedIn commenter wrote, noting the specific inclusion of pole attachment reforms and workforce sustainability.
Industry advocates and media representatives were on hand when FCC Chairman Brendan Carr unveiled his “Build America” agenda.
Todd Schlekeway, President and CEO of NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, commended Carr for unveiling a forward-looking agenda that addresses many of the key priorities of the association’s contractor firms and technician workforce.
“The Build America agenda’s focus on workforce development, telecommunications infrastructure investment and innovation, streamlining NEPA processes and cutting burdensome regulatory red tape, expanding access to spectrum, advancing 5G deployment, and protecting our communications networks from foreign threats aligns with the mission of NATE and directly supports the small businesses and technicians leading America’s connectivity buildout,” said Schlekeway.
Critics, however, argue the agenda is heavy on political theater and light on actionable protections for underserved areas.
Still, even skeptics acknowledged the speech’s strategic inventiveness by tying deregulation, workforce reform, and rural innovation to a feel-good South Dakota narrative as Carr effectively reframed telecom policy as blue-collar infrastructure populism, which is sweeping across the country.
With regulatory authority now realigned under Trump, and industry momentum shifting, Carr appears eager to build fast—and build big.
EDITORIAL CORRECTION:
A previous version of this article included a quote incorrectly attributed to Blair Levin, former FCC chief of staff and current analyst at New Street Research. The statement has been removed. In a December Wall Street Journal article, Levin described what he viewed as a significant shift in FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s approach to agency leadership—from that of a traditionally neutral regulator to one more aligned with political advocacy.
