NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th 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: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
January 15, 2009 Robert Kenny: (202) 418-2668
Email: robert.kenny@fcc.gov  
CHAIRMAN KEVIN J. MARTIN ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION
EFFECTIVE JANUARY 20th
Washington DC – Today FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin announced his resignation from 
the Federal Communications Commission, effective January 20, 2009.  The Chairman said he 
leaves the office with great pride in the FCC’s accomplishments and with deep gratitude for 
having had an opportunity to serve the American public.
Chairman Martin stated that his philosophy during his tenure at the FCC “has been to 
pursue deregulation while paying close attention to its impact on consumers and the particulars 
of a given market, to balance deregulation with consumer protection.”  He stated that he 
“approached his decisions with a fundamental belief that a robust, competitive marketplace, not 
regulation, is ultimately the best protector of the public interest and the best method of delivering 
the benefits of choice, innovation, and affordability to American consumers.”
During his tenure at the FCC, the Commission has focused on establishing the 
appropriate regulatory environment that achieves the right balance between two competing 
interests: (1) to encourage investment in communications infrastructure and (2) to make sure 
consumers and innovation are not unintentionally or intentionally disadvantaged by the owners 
of that infrastructure.  Under Chairman Martin, the Commission acted to level the playing field 
so that all entrants could fairly compete, facilitating increased investment in the next generation 
of communications infrastructure. At the same time Chairman Martin was able to push for more 
open platforms to spur innovation on the edges of these networks and deliver lower prices, 
improved services and greater choice to consumers.
In his letter of resignation to President Bush, Martin wrote, “I have had the privilege of 
serving at the Federal Communications Commission for almost 8 years, including 4 years as the 
agency’s Chairman.  During this period, we have seen a telecommunications industry undergoing 
rapid and unprecedented change. As a result of the market-oriented and consumer focused 
policies we have pursued the American people are now reaping the rewards of convergence and 
the broadband revolution including new and more innovative technologies and services at ever-
declining prices.”
Upon his departure from the Commission, Chairman Martin will serve as a Senior Fellow 
at the Aspen Institute in Washington, D.C.
-- Attached are Highlights from Chairman Martin’s tenure at the Commission --
PRINCIPAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE FCC UNDER 
CHAIRMAN KEVIN J. MARTIN
(March 2005 – January 2009)
FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin’s accomplishments during his tenure at the FCC were guided by 
the philosophy of pursuing deregulation while focusing on what is best for the consumer. He has 
focused on establishing the appropriate regulatory environment that achieves the right balance 
between two competing interests: (1) to encourage investment in communications infrastructure 
and (2) to make sure consumers and innovation are not unintentionally or intentionally 
disadvantaged by the owners of that infrastructure. His efforts took many forms, ranging from 
the promotion of more competition across technology platforms to making sure consumers have 
access to broadband services without arbitrary blocking or delays. Fostering broadband 
deployment was a top policy priority because it affects nearly every aspect of consumers’ lives.
Promoting Broadband Deployment
Eliminating Legacy Regulations and Encouraging Infrastructure Investment
1. Broadband Growth – Under Chairman Martin, the Commission achieved a careful 
balance of promoting investment in broadband infrastructure and innovation, while 
expanding affordable access and sustaining an open Internet. Under these policies, 
broadband prices decreased while speeds increased, and there was a dramatic growth in 
the number of high-speed lines available in the United States. Since 2001, the price of 
wireline broadband has decreased 50%while consumers can now purchase service that is 
over ten times faster than what was offered in 2001. The number of high speeds lines has 
grown from just over five million in 2000 to over 100 million lines. 
2. Broadband Investment Incentives – During Chairman Martin’s tenure, the Commission 
removed regulatory obstacles that discouraged broadband infrastructure investment and 
slowed deployment. It classified Digital Subscriber Line (“DSL”), Broadband over Power 
Lines (“BPL”) and Wireless Broadband as “information services” not subject to legacy 
regulations such as tariffs and price controls. The Commission removed legacy 
regulations such as tariffs, price controls and wholesale unbundling on new fiber 
investment to encourage carriers to invest in infrastructure in an environment free of 
economic regulation. Additionally, the Commission streamlined the state and local cable 
franchise process to encourage the entry of new broadband competitors and eased 
obstacles to competitive entry in apartment buildings so broadband services could be 
more accessible to consumers. 
3. Broadband Data Collection – The FCC in 2008 greatly improved the quality and 
precision of the broadband subscribership data that it collects. These changes will enable 
the Commission to better identify and analyze broadband deployment throughout the 
nation. The Commission now requires broadband providers to give more detailed 
information about subscribership on a geographic basis and also to share more 
information on the download and upload speeds they offer consumers. The agency 
proposed to better direct resources to rural and other “underserved” areas by obtaining 
and mapping information about broadband availability in those areas. 
Ushering In an Era of Wireless Broadband
Oversaw Two Most Successful Auctions in Commission History and Opened Up 
“White Spaces”, Increasing Availability for Broadband
1. Putting Spectrum for Wireless Broadband into the Marketplace – All told, the 
Commission has made over 354 MHz of spectrum available over the last four years for 
mobile wireless broadband services through auction and flexible use policies, which 
nearly triples the approximately 200 MHz of spectrum that had previously been 
available for such services in the Cellular, Specialized Mobile Radio (“SMR”) and 
Broadband PCS bands.
The 700 MHZ spectrum auction, the largest auction in FCC history, raised a record 
$19.6 billion in 2008. The auction advanced open platform policies and created what 
will be a new wireless broadband provider to compete with incumbent telephone and 
cable companies in nearly every home in the United States. The auction allows 
spectrum once used for analog television broadcasting, to be used by various 
communications providers—be they incumbents, new entrants, small businesses or 
rural companies—so they have access to additional spectrum to deploy next generation 
wireless networks.
Both nationwide incumbents that participated in the 700 MHz auction have announced 
they will deploy the very latest generation of wireless broadband services using this 
spectrum, which will operate at speeds competitive with the latest DSL and cable 
modem services. To encourage infrastructure investment in the 700 MHz spectrum 
auctioned in 2008, Chairman Martin successfully opposed the application of mandatory 
unbundling or wholesale requirements to these valuable new wireless networks. 
Further, Chairman Martin supported some of the most stringent buildout requirements 
the Commission has ever imposed on the licensees of this spectrum, ensuring swift 
rollout of services to all areas of the country.  
The 2006 Advanced Wireless Services auction (“AWS-1”) grossed nearly $13.9 billion 
for licenses to offer a wide array of innovative broadband services over third generation 
(“3G”) wireless networks. The auction allowed telecommunications providers to 
provide new, creative services over spectrum once used for other purposes. 
2. Innovative use of Unlicensed Spectrum – The FCC’s 2008 initiative to use television 
“white spaces” spectrum handed consumers a significant victory. Chairman Martin 
championed this initiative to make more spectrum available to improve wireless 
broadband connectivity and inspire an ever-widening array of new Internet-based 
products and services for consumers. 
Fostering Innovation and Open Technology Platforms
Protecting the Vibrant Nature of the Internet
1. Adopted Network Neutrality Principles, Ensuring Consumer Access to the Internet
– Ensuring consumers’ unfettered access to lawful content on the Internet was a high 
priority for Chairman Martin. The Commission protected this access by adopting an 
Internet Policy Statement containing four principles. It said consumers are entitled to 
access the lawful Internet content of their choice; to run applications and use services of 
their choice, subject to the needs of law enforcement; to connect their choice of legal 
devices to networks as long as they do not harm the networks; and have the benefits of 
competition among network providers, application and service providers and content 
providers. 
 
2. More Open Wireless Networks – Following new rules that governed the 700 MHz band 
spectrum auction in 2007, major wireless carriers have made their networks more open to 
devices and applications provided by their customers. Chairman Martin pushed for 
adoption of an open platform in the 700 MHz spectrum band to spur innovation and 
consumer choice. The auction rules required winners of the C-Block portion of the 700 
MHz band to ensure their networks are compatible with the applications and devices of 
the customer’s choice. The popularity of open platforms has encouraged other wireless 
carriers to follow suit with a more open and friendly policy toward customers. 
3. Non-Proprietary Set-Top Boxes – In 2007, the FCC acted to implement a nearly 10-
year old statutory requirement to create a competitive market for set-top boxes. The 
Commission no longer allowed cable operators to integrate proprietary security elements 
into their set-top boxes. As a result, consumers may purchase a box of their choice 
instead of having to lease equipment from their cable providers.  Enforcing the 
Commission’s separable security requirement provided consumers electronics 
manufacturers the opportunity to develop and market innovative, feature-rich, state-of-
the-art products. Chairman Martin’s goal of a competitive set-top box market will give 
consumers greater choice and the benefits of innovation.
Promoting Competition in the Video Marketplace
1. Video Franchise Reform – As telecommunications companies upgraded their networks to 
provide video services in competition with cable providers they encountered roadblocks 
when they applied for franchises from local and county boards. Under Chairman Martin, 
the FCC reformed the video franchise process by adopting rules that limit unreasonable 
requirements and delays by franchise boards, thus speeding the delivery of new video 
services to consumers.
2. Apartment Building Access – All consumers, regardless of where they live, should enjoy 
the benefits of competition. Exclusive contracts between owners of apartment buildings 
and incumbent cable or telephone operators posed a significant barrier to entry by 
competing companies. Consumers who lived in apartment buildings often were locked into 
one video or telephone service provider, effectively foreclosing competitive choice for 
these residents. The FCC encouraged competition from other providers by barring these 
exclusivity contracts for service in “multiple dwelling units.” During Chairman Martin’s 
tenure, the Commission also made it easier for competitive telecommunications and cable 
companies to gain access to “inside wiring” in these apartment buildings in a consistent 
fashion, further ensuring that all consumers - - including those in apartment 
buildings - - benefit from competition in the provision of communications services.
3. Greater Consumer Choice – New rules were adopted to give consumers more choice in 
the cable market. Leased access reform adopted in late 2007 sought to foster the 
development of independent programming channels on cable systems. An expedited 
complaint process and a more rational method of determining leased access rates were 
designed to make it easier for independent programmers to gain carriage from cable 
operators. New program access rules, on the other hand, assure that competitive video 
operators have access to critical programming on a nondiscriminatory basis. Finally, the 
FCC voted to cap the number of customers a single cable television company may serve 
nationwide. The order set a 30% limit on horizontal ownership nationwide, meeting 
Congress’s mandate that no cable operator should be so large that it can impede the flow of 
video programming to consumers.
Protecting Consumers from Harm
Issued Over $150 Million in Fines, Most Ever Under Any Chairman
1. Protecting the Open Internet – Responding to complaints from broadband subscribers, 
the FCC in 2008 ordered Comcast to stop arbitrarily delaying subscribers’ downloads and 
blocking their uploads. The Commission found that Comcast’s network management 
practices were arbitrarily focused on specific applications rather than on the amount of 
congestion in the network or size of a particular file. It required Comcast to change its 
network management practices and to start disclosing these practices to the FCC and 
customers.  The action, spearheaded by Chairman Martin, affirmed the Commission’s 
willingness to enforce its 2005 Internet Policy Statement that outlined consumers’ rights 
to access any content or application on the Internet. The Commission announced its 
intention to adjudicate future disputes regarding federal Internet policy on a case-by-case 
basis, using an established framework.  Specifically, if legal content is arbitrarily 
degraded or blocked, and the defense is “network management,” the broadband operator 
must show that its network management practice is reasonable.  The Commission will 
look at whether it furthers an important interest and is carefully tailored to serve that 
interest.  Finally, the Commission concluded that network management practices should 
be disclosed to consumers so that they can make informed decisions when purchasing 
broadband service.
2. Protecting Consumer Privacy – During Chairman Martin’s tenure, the FCC 
strengthened safeguards against unauthorized disclosure of consumers’ private calling 
records. Alarmed by breaches in the privacy of “customer proprietary network 
information,” the Commission prohibited carriers from releasing sensitive personal data 
over the phone without a customer-provided password and ordered providers to notify 
customers in the event of a breach of confidentiality. The FCC required consumer 
consent even when phone records are being shared with a carrier’s joint venture partners 
or independent contractors for marketing purposes, a move that changed an “opt-out” 
approach to consumer consent to an “opt-in” requirement. 
3. Children’s Programming – Under Chairman Martin’s tenure, the FCC made clear that it 
takes seriously the public interest obligations of broadcasters. While reviewing a planned 
transfer of Univision to Broadcasting Media Partners in 2007, it came to the 
Commission’s attention that Univision was not properly meeting a requirement that it air 
programs to educate and inform children. The programs Univision had aired to meet this 
requirement on 24 of its stations for more than two years were telenovelas similar to teen 
soap operas and not educational in nature. In the largest consent decree in Commission 
history, Univision agreed to make a contribution of $24 million to the U.S. Treasury and 
follow a compliance plan designed to ensure that the needs of children and families are 
better served in the future. 
4. Violence Report – During Chairman Martin’s tenure, the Commission released a Report 
on the issue of excessively violent television programming and its impact on children. 
The Report found that evidence indicates exposure to violence in the media can increase 
aggressive behavior in children, at least in the short term. The Commission offered 
several recommendations to Congress, including ways in which the industry could 
address violent programming, such as providing consumers greater choice in how they 
purchase their programming so that they can avoid violent programming.
5. Enforcement of Indecency Rules – Families have a right to expect that broadcasters will 
not expose children to harmful programming by carrying indecent, obscene or profane 
material at times when children are likely to be watching or listening. The law therefore 
prohibits stations from airing indecent or profane programming at any time between the 
hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The Commission has taken significant steps both in its own 
decisions and in the courts to enforce this law. Responding to hundreds of thousands of 
viewer complaints about more than fifty television programs, the Commission took action 
against several broadcast licensees for airing material that was deemed indecent. 
Specifically, the Commission has issued an Omnibus Television Order (deciding forty-
eight separate cases) and orders imposing fines relating to the broadcast of several shows 
including Without A Trace, Super Bowl XXXVIII, NYPD Blue and Married by America. 
6. Childhood Obesity Taskforce – During Chairman Martin’s tenure, the FCC used its 
expertise in children’s television issues to examine the impact of the media on the rise in 
childhood obesity. To build consensus on voluntary steps to combat childhood obesity, 
the Commission, along with Senators Tom Harkin and Sam Brownback, formed the Joint 
Task Force on Media & Childhood Obesity. Members of the Commission take part in the 
task force, which also is composed of representatives from the media, advertising, food 
and beverage industries, along with consumer advocacy groups and health experts. The 
Task Force succeeded in producing some significant voluntary commitments aimed at 
reducing the negative impact of the media on children’s eating habits and increasing its 
positive influence on their behavior. For example, fifteen of the nation’s largest food and 
beverage manufacturers including Kraft Foods and Kellogg agreed to curtail advertising 
of “unhealthy food” to children under age twelve and others are reformulating current 
products. 
7. Payola Consent Decree – The Commission in 2007 reminded broadcasters that it won’t 
tolerate violations of its sponsorship identification rules because it believes the public 
should know when someone is seeking to influence them. As a result of an FCC 
investigation into possible payola violations, four broadcast companies agreed to make 
significant contributions to the U.S. Treasury totaling $12.5 million and institute business 
reforms to insure their stations and employees do not violate the sponsorship 
identification laws in the future. 
8. Greater Choice in Packaging and Sale of Video Programming Services – Since 
Congress enacted the 1996 Telecom Act, cable rates have increased every year, while the 
prices for other services the Commission regulates have decreased. The Commission has 
challenged cable and satellite operators to offer more cost effective alternatives, 
encouraging them to make family-friendly programming packages available and to offer 
networks in a more a la carte manner. The Media Bureau’s 2006 Further Report on 
Packaging and Sale of Video Programming Services to the Public found that themed tiers 
and a la carte could provide consumers the opportunity to reduce their cable bills by 
purchasing fewer channels or smaller packages. Moreover, the Media Bureau found that 
some type of a la carte option could prove better than today’s bundling practices in 
fostering diverse programming responsive to consumer demand. 
Fostering Facilities-Based Competition
1. Competitive Networks Order -- During Chairman Martin’s tenure, the Commission saw 
that long-term exclusive contracts between owners of residential multi-tenant buildings 
and incumbent cable or telephone operators posed a barrier for new entrants in the 
provision of video and voice services. The Commission’s Competitive Networks Order
recognized the importance of eliminating barriers to infrastructure investment while 
creating regulatory parity among entities seeking to provide communications services in 
residential multiple tenant environments (MTEs), such as apartment buildings, 
condominiums, and co-operatives.  
2. Incumbent LEC Inside Wiring Order -- The Commission also made it easier for 
competitive telecommunications and cable companies to gain access to “inside wiring” 
owned incumbent LECs in these apartment buildings in a consistent fashion, further 
ensuring that all consumers – including those in apartment buildings – benefit from 
competition in the provision of communications services. 
3. Local Number Portability -- The Commission also acted to remove a roadblock that had 
been inhibiting many consumers from switching telephone service providers. Local 
Number Portability (LNP) gives telephone customers the ability to keep their telephone 
number when changing service providers. The availability of LNP thus eliminates a 
major disincentive to switch carriers, helping to facilitate the successful entrance of new
service providers and competition between such new service providers and existing 
wireline and wireless carriers. Consumers have ported more than 78 million phone 
numbers from one carrier to another during Chairman Martin’s term. In 2007, the 
Commission took steps to facilitate greater competition among telephone providers by 
extending LNP obligations to interconnected VoIP providers. This measure ensures that 
interconnected VoIP customers have the same ability as customers of traditional 
telephone service to keep their telephone numbers when changing telephone service 
providers. Enabling customers to port their numbers reliably and expeditiously when 
changing carriers – whether that carrier is a traditional wireline provider, wireless carrier, 
or interconnected VoIP provider – gives customers flexibility in the quality, price, and 
variety of services they can choose to purchase, which in turn enhances competition. 
4. Interconnection Issues -- The pro-competitive framework that Congress established in 
the 1996 Act provides that the state commissions shall arbitrate any disputes that arise 
when telecommunications carriers request interconnection agreements with incumbent 
carriers. In the Time Warner Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau addressed a 
situation in which state commissions had issued conflicting interpretations of federal law 
in arbitrating interconnection agreements between local phone companies and requesting 
telecommunications providers seeking to provide services wholesale to other service 
providers, specifically VoIP providers. Acting on delegated authority, the Bureau 
affirmed the Commission’s existing policy that “telecommunications service” can be 
either a wholesale or retail service. The Bureau went on to make clear that regardless of
whether a third-party provider’s retail VoIP service is considered an information service 
or a telecommunications service, the wholesale common carrier has the right under 
section 251 of the Act to interconnect with the incumbent local phone company. 
5. Localized Regulatory Relief -- As a result of increased competition for voice services 
between telephone companies and cable companies, the Commission has been able to 
scale back some of its regulations in targeted locations where such “intermodal” 
competition is most pronounced. Most notably, the Commission conditionally forbore 
from applying certain network unbundling requirements and dominant carrier rules that 
apply to the incumbent wireline carrier, but not the incumbent cable operator, in portions 
of the Anchorage study area and the Omaha Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The 
Commission granted even more regulatory relief in Terry, Montana in recognition of the 
unique factual circumstances there. 
6. Regulatory Relief for Long Distance -- In the Section 272 Sunset Order, the 
Commission established a new framework to govern the provision of in-region, long 
distance services by the Bell Operating Companies (BOCs) and their independent 
incumbent LEC affiliates. This framework, which is consistent with the relief granted 
Qwest in the Qwest Section 272 Sunset Forbearance Order, replaced unnecessarily 
burdensome regulation with less intrusive measures that protect important customer 
interests while allowing AT&T, Qwest, and Verizon to respond to marketplace demands 
efficiently and effectively. This framework has increased the BOCs’ ability to develop 
and deploy innovative long distance services that meet their customers’ needs. 
Addressing Public Safety Needs
1. Consumer Access to Emergency Services – Early in Chairman Martin’s tenure, the 
Commission set regulations and deadlines to make sure consumers using Internet-based 
telephones had adequate access to enhanced 911 emergency service. Concerned about 
reports that some VoIP providers weren’t properly connecting subscribers to 911 
emergency operations, the Commission said interconnected VoIP providers must deliver 
all 911 calls to the customer’s local emergency operator as a standard feature of the 
service, and should provide the same level of service that other phone companies 
provide. The Commission has also made strides toward enhanced location accuracy for 
wireless E911 calls, including commitments from the three largest wireless carriers to 
deliver greater accuracy to public safety providers by measuring compliance on a county 
basis. Chairman Martin has also aggressively enforced the Commission's E911 
obligations in order to ensure the safety of consumers, proposing significant fines for 
violations of the Commission's handset penetration rules including fines of $2.85 million 
in 2007 against three major carriers. The Commission also adopted rules to ensure that 
911 calls made by individuals with hearing or speech disabilities over Internet-based TRS 
are routed directly to appropriate emergency services authorities, along with location 
information. This gives Internet-based TRS users access to the same kinds of enhanced 
911 protections that voice telephone customers enjoy. 
2. The WARN Act – To implement the Warning Alert and Response Network (“WARN”) 
Act, the Commission cleared the way for development of an emergency alert system that 
mobile providers will use to transmit messages to cell phones and other mobile devices. 
The Commercial Mobile Alert System addresses one of the Commission’s strategic goals 
under Chairman Martin - -to ensure that all Americans have the capability to receive 
timely and accurate alerts and information about emergencies. The FCC set deadlines for 
deployment, allowed participating carriers to recover costs and said mobile providers 
opting not to participate in the system must notify their customers. Eventually consumers 
will be able to receive emergency alerts wherever the go.
3. Hurricane Katrina – As broadcasters, telecommunications providers and others 
struggled to restore communications service in the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s 
devastation, the FCC under Chairman Martin moved quickly to cut bureaucratic “red 
tape” so disaster relief officials could communicate and companies could quickly restore 
services in the Gulf Coast region. The agency waived numerous rules so telephone 
companies could reroute traffic, disconnect and reconnect lines and switch consumers’ 
long distance providers so their calls could get through. Rules were waived to enable 
non-commercial broadcast stations to transmit local commercial programming so critical 
emergency information could get to the public. The FCC granted more than 100 
temporary frequency authorizations for emergency workers, organizations and companies 
to provide communications service in the affected areas. Less than a month after the 
August 29, 2005, hurricane, Chairman Martin established an independent panel of experts 
to recommend ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability and 
communications among first responders such as police, fire fighters and medical 
personnel. The Commission has continued to respond swiftly to industry and consumer 
needs in times of disaster, deploying personnel to the field, waiving certain rules and 
granting special temporary authority to carriers during subsequent hurricane seasons 
including the devastation caused by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008. 
4. New Bureau Created – Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Chairman 
Martin recommended forming a new Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau to 
consolidate public safety, national security and disaster management policy making and 
outreach into a single central hub. Since its inception in 2006, the Bureau has coordinated 
efforts with the public safety community, other government agencies and industry. It has 
worked to promote reliability, interoperability, redundancy and rapid restoration of the 
nation’s critical communications infrastructure in emergencies, becoming a clearinghouse 
for critical planning and response information and an effective point of contact for public 
safety entities and industry during crisis. 
Overseeing the Digital Transition
1. Consumer Education –Chairman Martin guided the FCC through one of the most 
massive projects the agency has faced, that of preparing consumers for the nationwide 
transition from analog to digital broadcasting on February 17, 2009, as mandated by 
Congress. FCC staff traveled the country for months to spread the word to consumers. 
Agency staff met with local governments and grassroots organizations gave speeches, 
manned booths at community events, set up phone banks and reached out to those with 
special needs such as senior citizens, non-English speakers and minorities and people 
with disabilities. In an unprecedented public-private partnership, the Commission joined 
the Commerce Department and representatives of the nation’s broadcasters, cable 
operators and the consumer electronics industry to facilitate a smooth transition. 
2. Broadcaster Readiness – In preparation for the transition, the Commission adopted 
procedures and rules to guide broadcasters, including new channel assignments, 
interference standards and build-out schedules. The agency tracked broadcasters’ 
progress, requiring each station to file and update the status of construction of the new 
DTV facilities. Today, 98 percent of broadcasters are on track to make the transition 
successfully.
3. Ensuring Stations are Viewable to Consumers – Chairman Martin led the Commission 
in taking action to make sure cable operators continued to make signals of all broadcast 
stations viewable after the transition, as the statute required. Specifically, under Chairman 
Martin’s leadership, the Commission ensured that all Americans with 
cable - - regardless of whether they are analog or digital subscribers - - are able to 
watch the same broadcast stations the day after the digital transition that they were 
watching the day before the transition. In this manner, the Commission made sure analog 
cable subscribers weren’t shortchanged after the digital transition. Under the 
Commission’s “Viewability Order” cable operators must ensure that all “must carry” 
local broadcast stations carried are “viewable” by all cable subscribers. 
4. Established Successful Test Market in Wilmington -- On September 8th, Wilmington, 
North Carolina became the first market in the country to transition from analog to digital 
television. The early switch to digital in Wilmington was instrumental in helping the 
Commission identify, understand, and hopefully prevent some future problems when the 
rest of the nation transitions on February 17, 2009. The majority of Wilmington viewers 
were aware of and prepared for the transition. Importantly, the consumer education 
campaign that was conducted appears to have been effective. Prior to the transition on 
September 8th, NAB released a survey indicating that 97 percent of Wilmington residents 
were aware of the switch to digital. Consumer calls received by the Commission at its 
call center also indicated that the vast majority of the 400,000 television viewers in the 
Wilmington-area were aware of the transition and prepared for it. The measure of 
success in Wilmington is not what happened on September 8th, September 15th or October 
15th. Rather, it is how we are going to take what we learned in Wilmington and apply 
that knowledge to the rest of the country.
5. DTV Consumer Protections – To protect consumers from unwittingly buying out-of-
date televisions, FCC personnel inspected thousands of stores and dozens of websites to 
assess their compliance with rules requiring labels on analog-only television receivers. 
Based on these visits the agency issued hundreds of citations to retailers who failed to 
comply with labeling rules and consent decrees were released against about two dozen of 
them, totaling more than $4.74 million. Commission field agents also visited hundreds of 
retailers to assess how well their employees were trained in the DTV transition and the 
NTIA converter box program and the agency threatened fines if retailers didn’t measure 
up. 
Ensuring Access to Communications by All Citizens
1. Rural Health Care – At Chairman Martin’s initiative, the FCC in 2007 took a critical 
first step toward bringing more healthcare to rural areas that might lack the breadth of 
medical expertise available in urban areas. The Commission voted to make funding 
available for the deployment of broadband healthcare networks across the country. It 
dedicated more than $400 million over three funding years to the construction of 
broadband networks for state-wide and regional healthcare networks reaching over 6,000 
healthcare facilities. The creation of this pilot program will help bring specialty care to 
patients who otherwise would have to travel long distances for such care.
2. E-rate – The E-rate program has been instrumental in bringing telecommunications and 
Internet access to schools and libraries throughout the county, providing up to $2.25 
billion in universal service funds each year. This funding has enabled schools and 
libraries to increase their access to broadband services. In a 2007 study, the National 
Center for Education Statistics (“NCES”) found that access to the Internet is ubiquitous 
in public schools. NCES found that nearly 100%of public schools in the United States 
had Internet access, and 97%of these schools used broadband connections to access the 
Internet. 
3. Interim Cap on High-Cost Support – Changes in technology and increases in the 
number of carriers that receive high-cost universal service support have placed significant 
pressure on the stability of the Universal Service Fund. Growth in high-cost support was 
largely attributable to competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (“ETCs)”, who 
receive support based on the costs of the incumbent provider - - not their own 
costs - - even if their costs of providing service are lower. Their support grew from 
approximately $1.5 million in 2000 to well over $1 billion in 2007 (out of $4.3 billion in 
total high-cost support for 2007) while support for incumbent carriers remained flat. In 
May 2008, the FCC stemmed this explosive growth by imposing an interim cap on the 
amount of high-cost support available to competitive ETCs. The cap will contain the 
growth of universal service in order to protect rural consumers’ access to the network. In 
addition, the cap will help to prevent excessive contributions from consumers who 
support the Universal Service Fund.
4. Universal Service Fund – Under Chairman Martin, the FCC in 2007 adopted measures 
to safeguard the Universal Service Fund from waste, fraud and abuse as well as measures 
to improve the management, administration and oversight of the multi-billion-dollar 
Fund. The agency strengthened and expanded its debarment rule for parties convicted of 
criminal violations, expanding its application to cover all four of the universal service 
programs supported by the Fund. It also strengthened oversight of the contributions and 
filing process and increased penalties for late payments. It strengthened the audit process 
and adopted performance measures to improve the management and administration of the 
programs. 
5. Communications for People with Disabilities – During Chairman Martin’s tenure, the 
FCC took several steps to improve communications capabilities for individuals with 
disabilities, bolstering the agency’s long-time commitment to this goal. The Commission 
adopted a ten-digit numbering system for Internet-based TRS enabling users to make and 
receive calls like voice telephone users, and improved emergency call handling 
procedures for Internet-based TRS calls. The Commission also ruled that Internet 
Protocol (“IP”) captioned telephone service is eligible for reimbursement from the TRS 
Fund. IP captioned telephone service allows a broader range of individuals to 
communicate as it permits users to initiate telephone calls from any Internet-enabled 
device. The FCC also expanded the reach of the TRS Fund by agreeing to compensate 
video relay service translations between spoken Spanish and sign language and imposed 
speed of answer and hours of service requirements on video relay service. In addition, in 
2008, the Commission adopted significant revisions to update the hearing aid 
compatibility requirements applicable to wireless handsets. 
6. Localism and Diversity in Broadcasting – The Commission took action to maintain 
the three long-standing core goals of Commission media ownership 
policy - - competition, localism and diversity. Chairman Martin led the Commission in 
taking steps to increase diversification of ownership in the broadcast services by 
promoting opportunities for new entrants. In addition, the Commission completed a long-
standing initiative to study localism in broadcasting and made proposals to ensure that 
local stations air programming responsive to the needs of their service communities. 
7. Access to Capital Conference – The Commission held an en banc hearing and 
conference on overcoming barriers to communications financing. This conference was 
designed to enhance the knowledge of the Commission and attendees about: (i) the 
present state of capital markets as those markets impact ownership diversity in the media 
and telecom industries and, particularly, the success of minorities and women 
entrepreneurs; (ii) how financing is secured for new, diverse, resource-limited ventures, 
focusing on actual problems encountered by women and minorities attempting to secure 
financing for media and telecom deals; and (iii) potential ways the Commission can help 
facilitate financing opportunities for minorities and women.
International Accomplishments
1. Supporting US Policy at World Radio Conference (WRC) – During Chairman 
Martin’s tenure, the Commission has advocated for international spectrum allocations 
and provisions that enhance opportunities for U.S. wireless and satellite operators to 
make the most effective and innovative use of spectrum at home and abroad and to 
protect them from interference. At the WRC in 2007, major achievements included the 
identification of additional International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum for 
3G technologies, including WiMax, and protecting U.S. wireless broadband deployment 
in the 2.5 GHz band from foreign satellite interference. 
2. Additional Satellite Capabilities – In order to bring the benefits of technology to all 
Americans, including those living in rural and remote communities, the FCC has 
advanced deployment of satellite-based broadband services. In 2007, the FCC adopted 
flexible service rules for the 17/24 GHz band, which holds the promise of bringing a new 
generation of broadband services, including a mix of local and domestic video, audio, 
data, video-on-demand, and multi-media services to U.S. consumers. In addition, the 
Commission has issued licenses to Ka-band satellite operators at Contact and ViaSat, and 
has allowed a non-U.S.-licensed Ka-band satellite operator, Wildblue, to enter the U.S. 
market. Each is expected to provide advanced broadband connectivity. 
3. TV White Space Promotion – To further promote the potential of white spaces and the 
development of a international ecosystem for white space devices, Chairman Martin 
created the International TV White Spaces Fellowship and Training Initiative to provide a 
platform for the FCC to work with international regulators and their spectrum experts on 
technical issues associated with the use of TV white spaces, building on momentum in 
this area in the US.
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