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 STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONER  MICHAEL  J.  COPPS 
 September  10,  2003 
 RE:  Annual  Report  on  the  Commercial  Satellite  Industry. 
 First,  I’d  like  to  thank  the  International  Bureau  for  their  presentation.  I  appreciate  the  effort,  and  found  the  information  useful. 


 I  believe  in  the  satellite  industry.  I  think  that  it  has  incredible  things  to  offer,  for  innovative  consumer  services,  business  services,  international  communications,  national 
 security,  and  rural  America.  I  also  understand  that  the  satellite  business  is  different  from  the  terrestrial  wireless  industry.  Its  time  lines  are  different,  challenges  on  funding  are 
 different,  and  the  technology  is  far  different.  But  sometimes  big,  long,  more  difficult  investments  yield  immense  value  in  the  long  run. 


 But  if  FCC  tries  the  shoe-  horn  the  satellite  industry  into  a  one-  size-  fits-  all  regulatory  ideology  the  industry  and  consumers  will  suffer.  I  hope  that  the  FCC  will  give 
 satellite  innovators  the  regulatory  certainty,  time,  and  critically,  adequate  spectrum  to  make  their  hard  work  pay  off  for  all  of  us. 
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