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 NEWS  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  November  7,  2002  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT:  David  Fiske  at  (202)  418-  0513 
 PRESS  STATEMENT  OF  CHAIRMAN  MICHAEL  K.  POWELL  ON  SPECTRUM  POLICY  TASK  FORCE 


 The  foundations  of  our  current  spectrum  policy  are  cracking  beneath  the  weight  of  innovation  and  widespread  consumer  use  of  spectrum-  based  services.  This  is  no  surprise,  since  most  of  our  policies  date 
 from  the  1920s.  What  is  surprising  is  how  difficult  and  elusive  fundamental  spectrum  policy  change  has  been.  I  initiated  the  Spectrum  Policy  Task  Force  to  jump  start  spectrum  policy  reform.  Its  goal:  to 
 develop  a  spectrum  policy  worthy  of  today’s  spectrum-  based  services.  These  services  have  not  only  transformed  everyday  American  life,  but  have  also  served  as  a  catalyst  for  research  and  development  and 
 technological  investment.  Our  policies  must  focus  on  what  consumers  want  and  what  technology  can  deliver  –  not  on  old  models  of  command  and  control  regulatory  intervention. 


 Today’s  consumer  demands  access  to  interference-  free  spectrum  when  they  need  it.  When  we  turn  on  our  cell  phone,  we  expect  it  to  work.  When  we  flip  on  the  set  top  box,  we  expect  a  DBS  signal. 
 When  we  tote  our  laptops  onto  the  porch,  we  expect  WiFi  to  deliver  broadband.  We  know  what  interference  is  and  we  experience  it  virtually  everyday.  It  is  not  an  abstract  concept,  but  rather  a 
 hindrance  to  everyday  productivity  and  leisure.  In  contrast,  when  our  devices  are  not  on,  we  could  care  less  about  interference  or  whether  spectrum  is  available. 


 Spectrum-  based  technology  developers  know  this.  They  have  increasingly  developed  technologies  that  make  signals  more  vigorous  and  deliver  communications  when  and  where  people  need 
 them.  They  have  largely  crossed  over  to  digital  transmission  techniques  to  use  spectrum  more  efficiently.  They  have  developed  sensory  and  adaptive  technologies  that  allow  transmitters  and  receivers  to  interact 
 dynamically  with  the  environment  and  to  “find”  open  spectrum  for  use  only  when  they  need  it. 
 Unfortunately  our  spectrum  policy  is  behind  both  consumers  and  technology.  By  initiating  the  Task  Force,  I  hoped  to  begin  a  dialog  about  how  to  catch  up.  Consumers  and  technology  deserve  better. 
 Rather  than  waiting  for  these  technologies  to  become  widely  available  and  then  trying  to  catch  up  through  regulation,  the  Task  Force  report  represents  a  chance  to  get  ahead.  By  creating  policies  that  will  allow 
 these  technologies  to  be  commercially  deployed  as  soon  as  they  are  ready  –  rather  than  waiting  long  periods  of  time  for  regulatory  reform  –  we  hope  to  create  an  environment  in  which  innovative 
 technologies  will  prosper.  In  such  an  environment,  technologies  may  be  developed  faster,  deployed  more  rapidly,  and  thus  provide  desired  spectrum-  based  services  to  the  American  people. 


 The  Commission  is  chartered  to  serve  the  public  interest.  The  public  has  made  their  desire  for  interference-  free  spectrum-  based  services  quite  clear.  The  challenge  now  rests  with  us  to  deliver. 
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