Federal Communications Commission	FCC 19-108


STATEMENT OF 
CHAIRMAN AJIT PAI
Re:	Improving Public Safety Communications in the 800 MHz Band, WT Docket No. 02-55.
2004 was a notable year in many respects.  For example, it was the last year the Expos franchise would play in Montreal before relocating to become the Washington Nationals.  It was also the year the FCC embarked on reconfiguring the 800 MHz band to alleviate harmful interference by Sprint’s commercial “Enhanced” Specialized Mobile Radio System to public safety radio systems using this spectrum.
Now, just as the Nationals’ quest to win the World Series is tantalizingly close to success, our 800 MHz rebanding journey is nearing a successful conclusion as well.  Both of these efforts have taken a lot of time and hard work.  It took the Nationals over 2,000 games over 15 seasons to reach the World Series.  And over the last fifteen years, 2,088 public safety licensees have successfully completed physical reconfiguration of their radio systems.  The Nationals now need only two more wins to capture the championship.  And only 19 licensees, all in the Mexican border region, still need to complete rebanding.
So today, as the Nationals gear up for Game 3 of the World Series, we take action to expedite the completion of the rebanding process.  By streamlining our processes, I’m confident that we’ll be able to bring this 15-year project to a swifter resolution, which will be good for all involved.  
And while the Nationals have stars like Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto who have helped bring the National League pennant to Washington, we have our own stars who have worked hard on the 800 MHz rebanding effort and this item.  In particular, I’d like to thank Emily Talaga from the Office of Economics and Analytics; Deborah Broderson, David Horowitz, and William Richardson from the Office of the General Counsel; John Evanoff, David Furth, Brian Marenco, Roberto Mussenden, Renee Roland, and Michael Wilhelm from the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; and Scot Stone from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.

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