*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 32993* Remarks of Jonathan S. Adelstein Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission Rural Wireless ISP Showcase and Workshop Federal Communications Commission Washington, DC November 4, 2003 [As prepared for delivery] I want to thank all of you for attending and participating in today’s workshop. I also want to commend the OSP staff for organizing this excellent event. Most importantly, it’s obvious that the delay caused by Hurricane Isabel has not dampened the enthusiasm of the folks in this room. Your stories truly are inspiring – as policy makers, we need to take your presentations to heart and develop policies that continue to allow your spectrum-based services to flourish. That’s why this next panel is particularly appropriate and unique – you know it’s so rare to see this many senior FCC officials in one place when there isn’t some type of free food available. But these folks are drawn here today by a much higher cause – the opportunity to engage in a dialogue with you about how the Commission can help facilitate the deployment of wireless internet services in Rural America. So please, don’t hold back. At our past few monthly meetings, we’ve highlighted the Commission’s ongoing efforts to support the deployment of basic and advanced telecommunications services to Rural America. Today’s workshop then is particularly key because it is the people in this room who are on the front lines of rolling out spectrum- based broadband services to Rural America. Also, it isn’t very often that I can hear not only one, but two, companies talk about their broadband deployments in my home state of South Dakota. It really is a thrill for me to have Monet Mobile and Sioux Valley Wireless represented here today. As I am fond to say, once again, South Dakota is leading the nation. Accelerating the deployment of broadband services is a central focus of many of us at the Commission. I personally believe that broadband services have the power to transform the lives of individuals and the future of communities. I think we already have heard some of those stories today. The Commission must do our best to extend the benefits of these latest technologies to all Americans – whether they live in the inner city, the suburbs, or rural areas. Of the many challenges Congress has charged the Commission with, spectrum management is a top priority. As some of you may know, I’ve set out an approach for spectrum policy in what I have called a “Framework for Innovation.” In dealing with spectrum, I believe the Commission has a responsibility to establish ground rules for issues such as interference and availability, but 1 2 to the greatest extent possible should let innovation and the market place drive the development of spectrum- based services. So I take very seriously a number of the suggestions made already about ways the Commission can facilitate rural broadband deployment efforts through spectrum management. We need to look at power levels and spectrum band plans and other ideas to see if there are opportunities for us to enable you to expand your deployments and provide even more advanced services. That’s why I’m also particularly supportive of the Commission’s work with the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Telecommunications Program. I had the privilege of working on legislation authorizing and providing funds to the RUS for deployment of broadband services in rural areas when I was a staffer in the Senate as part of last year’s Farm Bill. It truly was a landmark piece of legislation as it was the largest rural broadband deployment initiative in U. S. history, and it is so worthwhile to explore the wireless applications of this legislation. I am confident that telecommunications in Rural America will thrive in the end. The people of Rural America have the right commitment to drive deployment to each and every community in this country. It is our job at the Commission to help providers, such as those in the room, get the support they need to accomplish that mission. Again, thank you very much for attending today’s workshop. Let’s now move on to this excellent panel. - FCC - 2