STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER MICHAEL J. COPPS Re: Amendment of Part 27 of the Commission’s Rules to Govern the Operation of Wireless Communications Services in the 2.3 GHz Band, WT Docket No. 07-293; Establishment of Rules and Policies for the Digital Audio Satellite Service in the 2310-2360 MHz Frequency Band, IB Docket No. 95-91, GEN Docket No. 90-357 Our action today has been very long in coming. The issues we resolve here were actually pending before this agency prior to my arrival in 2001. I won’t go into the entire painful history of this proceeding—we all know enough about that—preferring to focus instead on the positive outcomes we reach today. But we should note first that this Order is important not only unto itself but because it represents yet another important step in implementing the National Broadband Plan—bringing the power of wireless broadband to the four corners of the land and to all places in between. Today’s Order brings much-needed regulatory clarity to the range of services operating in the 2.3 GHz spectrum band. Without question, it has been a difficult challenge to address the needs of all the affected operators—and, more importantly, the consumers—of satellite radio, flight testing and future wireless broadband services. I believe that our decision today can provide a workable pro-consumer framework—one that brings innovative wireless broadband technologies to American consumers and one that protects important incumbent services upon which existing customers rely. I want to thank our FCC team for working through—in such a balanced and reasoned way—the incredibly complicated technical challenges this item presented. It was truly a team effort, involving the Office of Engineering and Technology, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the International Bureau. Staff went above and beyond—including conducting field tests in Ashburn, Virginia—to make sure we struck the right balance, protecting against interference and safeguarding consumers, while making more of the public spectrum resource available to meet our growing wireless broadband needs. I want particularly to cite and to compliment the efforts of Julie Knapp and his inter-Bureau colleagues to keep me apprised with regular briefings and updates every step of the way. Julie’s personal dedication to serving as an honest broker to break through the logjam of issues over much of the past decade provides a sterling example of what dedicated public service can accomplish. I am also grateful to my colleagues, their staffs and the Bureaus for their willingness to strengthen the item to help assure consumers of today’s services that they can continue to rely on interference-free operations into the future. Finally, let’s recognize the efforts and participation from so many individuals and groups from the private sector. None of them may be endorsing every crossed “t” or dotted “i” in today’s item, but their expertise and judgments were essential ingredients in guiding us to what I think may be an agreement we will look back upon with more than a little pride.