STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN TOM WHEELER Re: Amendment of Part 15 of the Commission’s Rules for Unlicensed Operations in the Television Bands, Repurposed 600 MHz Band, 600 MHz Guard Bands and Duplex Gap, and Channel 37; Amendment of Part 74 of the Commission’s Rules for Low Power Auxiliary Stations in the Repurposed 600 MHz Band and 600 MHz Duplex Gap; Promoting Spectrum Access for Wireless Microphone Operations; and Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions, ET Docket No. 14-165, GN Docket No. 14-166, GN Docket No. 12-268. As the Commission continues its preparations for next year’s Incentive Auction, we are committed to laying the foundation for an efficient, effective and timely auction that serves the public interest. This week, we adopt two companion items important for achieving these objectives: the Part 15 Report and Order and the Wireless Microphones Report and Order. These items contain important components that must be in place before the Incentive Auction. We establish clear rules for unlicensed devices and wireless microphones in the 600 MHz band, including the duplex gap and guard bands, that also protect and create certainty and protections for the licensed users – including broadcasters and future 600 MHz band licensees. We provide for continued operation of the various stakeholders following the incentive auction in the 600 MHz band, Channel 37, and the television band. Wireless medical telemetry devices and radio astronomy services will continue to have interference protection on Channel 37, while unlicensed users gain access to the channel in areas where WMTS and RAS are not using it. Wireless microphones, both licensed and unlicensed, will be able to operate in the 600 MHz band duplex gap and guard bands, and continue to operate in the 600 MHz wireless band during the post-auction transition period. We fulfill our commitment to ensure unlicensed use of the 600 MHz and TV bands nationwide. Unlicensed spectrum has been a powerful platform for driving innovation, investment, and economic growth. Breakthroughs like Wi-Fi, which relies on unlicensed spectrum, have generated hundreds of billions of dollars of value for our economy and consumers. This item will benefit consumers in the form of increased investment and innovation in unlicensed products and services. We continue our work to accommodate the long term needs of licensed microphone users by increasing the utility of bands where they already have access and expanding access to other spectrum bands. Added to the steps we took last year to allow more microphone users to become licensed, today’s item solidifies our commitment to address the important needs of microphone users. No party gets everything it wants in these items. The results of auctioning 600 MHz spectrum means the 600 MHz band operating parameters will be new to everyone after the auction. For this reason, today’s Part 15 item lays out a number of steps that must be taken before unlicensed operations may begin. It also provides common sense procedures that stop harmful interference if it were to occur. Collectively, the actions we take in these two Orders promote efficient use of our nation’s spectrum resources, address the important needs of the unlicensed and wireless microphone communities, and protect other licensed users in these bands – all of which are critical as we move toward the Incentive Auction next year.