*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 22803.doc*
 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  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). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  News  Media  contact:  November  7,  2002  Paul  Margie  at  (202)  418-  2000 
 TWO  SPECTRUM  PRIORITIES  OF  COMMISSIONER  MICHAEL  J.  COPPS  SUPPORTED  BY  SPECTRUM  POLICY  TASK  FORCE  REPORT 
 But  Copps  states  Report  not  endorsed  by  Commission;  will  work  for  rural  spectrum,  unlicensed  spectrum,  and  “harmful  interference”  reform 
 At  an  open  meeting  at  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  today,  a  task  force  created  to  advise  the  FCC  on  spectrum  policy  presented  its  report  to  the  full 
 Commission.  Commissioner  Michael  J.  Copps  stated:  “I  want  to  congratulate  the  Spectrum  Task  Force  for  its  extremely  hard  work  in  the  preparation  of  this  report.” 


 The  report  addresses  a  two  spectrum  policy  issues  that  Commissioner  Copps  has  been  arguing  should  be  higher  Commission  priorities  since  he  was  appointed  to  the 
 Commission,  namely  improving  the  Commission’s  understanding  and  treatment  of  “harmful  interference”  and  promoting  unlicensed  spectrum  technologies  such  as  Wi-  Fi 
 and  other  innovative  services. 
 Copps  therefore  continued:  “Addressing  harmful  interference  and  supporting  unlicensed  spectrum  should  top  our  priority  list.  I  think  it  is  important  for  the  country 
 and  also  for  the  credibility  of  the  Commission  for  us  to  quickly  take  some  demonstrable  action  on  these  two  priorities  in  the  near  future.” 


 Finally,  Copps,  who  has  argued  that  the  Commission  must  give  higher  priority  to  rural  spectrum  accessibility  and  has  questioned  the  policy  of  encouraging  spectrum 
 trading,  stated  that  “The  Commission  has  not,  of  course,  endorsed  any  part  of  this  report  as  yet  and,  if  history  is  any  guide,  there  may  be  vigorous  debate  ahead  on  some  of  the 
 concepts  and  ideas  in  the  report.  Some  Commissioners’  priorities  may  be  different  than  others’.  But  this  Report  is  extremely  useful  in  energizing  the  debate.” 


 -  FCC  - 
1