Qtnngr.ess nf tll .e Nnit.eh §tat.es 1!lllaslfington, BQr 20515 426 May 30, 2018 The Honorable Ajit Pai Chairman Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Pai: We write today to urge you to finalize expeditiously the pending Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks to modify the license and technical rules for operations in the 3.5 GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band. 1 The Federal Communications Commission under your leadership appropriately opened a rulemaking last year to explore ways of ensuring this valuable swath of spectrum is put to its highest and best use. It is imperative that the FCC act quickly to conclude this proceeding and open the band for innovative technologies to serve American consumers. As the FCC is aware, wireless data usage is skyrocketing. In 2016, U.S. consumers used a record 13.7 trillion megabytes of mobile data, amounting to 35 times the volume oft raffic in 2010. By the end of this year, smartphone data is expected to surpass fixed broadband use for the first time. Data usage trends are expected to continue upward as our nation deploys the next generation of wireless, known as 5G. With 5G, consumers and businesses can expect higher speeds and more responsive networks; connecting nearly every aspect of our lives, adding billions to our economy and supporting millions of new jobs. Mid-band spectrum such as the 3.5 GHz band is quickly becoming critical to the portfolio of frequencies needed to support 5G connectivity and bring broadband services to more people across the U.S., including those living in rural areas. Countries across the globe are targeting mid­ band spectrum because it can meet both the coverage and capacity requirements needed to bolster 4G LTE and support next-generation networks. Unfortunately, recent reports indicate that the U.S. is falling behind in 5G-readiness as other nations modernize their infrastructure policies and make more spectrum available for 5G use. Indeed, by the end of this year the United States will rank 1 See Promoting Investment in the 3550-3700 MHz Band, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 32 FCC Red 8071 (FCC 2017). PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER sixth out of the ten most 5G-ready nations in mid-band spectrum availability, joining only two other countries that have not announced plans to allocate mid-band spectrum on an exclusive basis to mobile broadband by the end of2020.2 Given the international focus and potential for global harmonization in this band to promote investment and innovation, it is imperative that the FCC quickly make available additional mid­ band spectrum - and the 3.5 GHz band in particular - for wireless use. We therefore urge you to finalize promptly the rules in the CBRS proceeding so that innovative products and services can be deployed in this spectrum to the benefit of American businesses and communities. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your ongoing efforts to ensure next­ generation broadband connectivity is available to consumers across the United States. Sincerely, /.__, a .. " "' "1- /....... c o Leonard Lance Member of Congress ~Member of Congress 2 David Abecassis, Chris Nickerson and Janette Stewart, Global Race to 5G - Spectrum and Infrastructure Plans and Priorities, ANALYSYS MASON (Apr. 2018).