Podcast - The Intersection Ep. 23

Federal Telecommunications Policy and Its Impact on Utilities

Rusty Williams, President and CEO of UTC, interviews FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington. Simington, confirmed in 2020, shares insights into his role at the FCC and its impact on utilities and critical infrastructure.

Meet the Speakers

Rusty Williams

Your Host
Jimmy R. (Rusty) Williams is President and CEO of the Utilities Technology Council (UTC.)Williams, a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Alabama, has more than three decades of extensive utilities industry experience.

Nathan Simington

Special Guest
Nathan Simington was nominated to serve as a Commissioner of the FCC by President Donald J. Trump. He was confirmed by the United States Senate in 2020. Commissioner Simington brings both private and public-sector experience to the Commission. Previously, he served as Senior Advisor at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA.) 

About this episode

    In Episode 23 of UTC's The Intersection Podcast, titled "Federal Telecommunications Policy and Its Impact on Utilities," host Rusty Williams, President and CEO of UTC, interviews FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington. Simington, confirmed in 2020, shares insights into his role at the FCC and its impact on utilities and critical infrastructure. The discussion covers various topics, including the FCC’s primary role, its support for utilities, and the ways utilities can engage with the FCC.

    Key issues discussed include:

    • Cybersecurity: Simington's concerns about cyber threats in telecom and their impact on utilities.
    • Broadband Access: The FCC's role in expanding broadband, especially in underserved areas, and how utilities contribute to this effort.
    • Spectrum Allocation: The challenges of spectrum availability and its importance for modernizing utility communications and ensuring grid reliability.

    Simington also highlights additional critical issues related to infrastructure industries.