WIA Board Chair Cathy Piche Delivers Keynote at New York State Wireless Association Conference

Keynote Remarks As Delivered

 Cathy Piche, WIA Board Chair and

Executive Vice President and COO – Towers, Crown Castle

Times Center, New York, NY

October 29, 2025

 

Good evening! It is great to be here with you in the heart of New York City.

There’s something about standing here, in a place that is instantly recognizable around the world, that reminds us of the power of connection.

Every year, millions of people gather right outside these doors to celebrate the New Year. And when the ball drops, families and friends across the globe watch the moment in real time—streamed, broadcast, and shared instantly thanks to the wireless networks that all of you help to build and maintain.

I’m so honored to speak on behalf of the Wireless Infrastructure Association and thank you to New York State Wireless Association hosting this event.

New York has always been a trailblazer. More than a century ago, in 1920, the NYPD became the very first police department licensed by the federal government to use wireless spectrum.

Back then, the technology was primitive by today’s standards—wireless telegraphy and experimental voice radios. But the spirit was the same: to harness wireless communications to serve and protect people.

Fast forward to today, and that pioneering spirit is alive and well. Public safety agencies rely on cellular networks every single day to coordinate emergency response.

And when members of the public dial 9-1-1, almost 85% of those calls now come from mobile devices. That’s not just a statistic—it’s a lifeline.

The work you do—building and maintaining infrastructure—literally saves lives. Wireless is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s the foundation of modern life.

Today’s Growth

Let’s turn to where we are today.

Americans used 132 trillion megabytes of mobile data in 2024. That represents a 3,000 percent increase in data usage compared to a decade earlier.

To make that real: 132 trillion megabytes is equivalent to streaming 44 billion HD movies. Imagine if everyone on Earth watched five movies in one day—that’s the kind of scale we’re talking about.

What’s behind this surge? We all know: video. Streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and TikTok dominate mobile data usage. A single hour of HD video can consume up to 3 gigabytes. Multiply that by millions of users, and you see why networks are straining to keep pace.

But there’s another shift happening that’s just as important: the rise of user-generated content. People aren’t just watching anymore—they’re broadcasting. Whether it’s posting from a Taylor Swift concert or a small business owner promoting products on Instagram Live, consumers are uploading almost as much as they’re downloading.

And now, add AI to the mix. Early AI tools already rely on massive data processing. Soon, AI assistants, real-time translation apps, and immersive AR experiences will become everyday. We are already seeing this with the wide adoption of Meta AI glasses by consumers and factory workers.

These tools won’t just demand more bandwidth—they’ll demand low latency and reliable uplink capacity. That’s why the networks of tomorrow will need to be more balanced, more resilient, and more intelligent than ever before.

For consumers, the investment in 5G wireless to keep up with current demand is already visible. Ookla reports that 5G download speeds in the U.S. are approaching 300 Mbps in many markets, and even higher in some urban centers. That’s transformative—but it’s just the beginning.

 

Tomorrow’s Opportunities & Challenges

So, what does this mean for our industry? Infrastructure is a necessity.

The U.S. is supported by more than 155,000 towers, along with countless small cells and indoor wireless systems. These aren’t just steel and concrete—they’re the backbone of digital life.

Carriers invested more than $32 billion in capex for wireless networks last year, and projections show steady growth in the years ahead.[1]

But staying ahead of demand requires foresight. Here are four big dynamics to watch:

• Spectrum Pipeline. Consistent with our advocacy in Washington, Congress has directed that 800 MHz of new spectrum be cleared for commercial use over the next decade, including at least 100 MHz of upper C-band spectrum by July 4, 2027. That’s a game-changer—but it won’t happen overnight. Federal agencies need to reallocate, test, and coordinate. It could take years, but when it arrives, it will fuel the next wave of growth.

 

• Federal Funding & Fixed Wireless Access. The BEAD program is moving forward with a technology-neutral approach, and Fixed Wireless is in the mix. With nearly 40 state final proposals submitted, about 12 percent of locations will be served by fixed wireless. Already, 13 million Americans are connected via 5G Fixed Wireless Access—a number that could hit 20 million by 2028. For rural and suburban areas, FWA is offering real choice and broadband access for these unserved and underserved communities.

 

• Edge Computing. As demand for low-latency services grows, carriers are pushing compute closer to the user. In the future, a tower site isn’t just a connection point, but a micro data center powering AI applications in real time. It’s already starting.

 

• AI: This is the wild card. From predictive healthcare to autonomous logistics, AI will transform industries—and networks. But it comes with uncertainty: how much data will AI devices consume? How will we support billions of connected sensors? The answers are still unfolding, but major carriers are projecting double digit increases in data consumption over the next five years, partly due to real-time AI applications.[2]

Conclusion

The path ahead will bring challenges—whether it’s keeping up with data demand, preparing for AI-driven networks, or navigating permitting and spectrum policy. But it will also bring extraordinary opportunities.

I’m looking forward to further digging into these topics here in a moment during a Q&A with Rob.

By the end of this event, I know we will all walk away certain that the wireless industry is not standing still—it’s growing, evolving, and reshaping how Americans live, work, and connect.

Thank you all for being here for these important conversations and thank you again to NYSWA for bringing us all together.

 

[1] Inside Towers estimates the market will grow at a 4% through 2028, reaching $38.5 billion for wireless only. Digital Infrastructure Industry Market Analysis Report 2025 Volume 1

[2] “As we move into what I’d describe as the AI hypergrowth phase, we expect data consumption to accelerate by another 80%, over the next five years.” AT&T CEO John Stankey, Brunswick Review July 2025