WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT CHAIRMAN PAI’S PROPOSAL TO EXPAND BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY IN RURAL AMERICA THROUGH TV WHITE SPACES -- Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA): “Using innovative technologies like TV white space devices is KEY to closing the digital divide. To beat China and compete in a global economy, America can’t afford to leave rural communities behind in broadband deployment and coverage. Thank you, @AjitPaiFCC.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA): “Chairman Pai’s plan would change the FCC’s rules on white spaces, enhancing the ability of innovators to use them for broadband delivery. More investment and greater flexibility to use white spaces will help connect rural areas. … The FCC under Chairman Pai has shown a true commitment to closing the digital divide, and I applaud their efforts.” (Newsletter, 2/7/20) Former FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell: “This is a terrific development and builds on the #bipartisan & #unanimous votes under 3 other @fcc chairs going back to 2004. Quite simply, people who do not have #broadband now will get it as a direct result of today’s #leadership by @AjitPaiFCC & his colleagues.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) American Telemedicine Association: “We commend @FCC & Chairman @AjitPaiFCC for today’s #TVWS NPRM & the commitment to eliminating #digitaldivide. We implore the full commission to adopt the proposed rulemaking & help underserved communities access care when & where they need it.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) App Association: “Our members’ innovative applications and services—from smart agriculture to connected health— require the high speed, reliable broadband connections TVWS can provide to their businesses and customers. The NPRM brings us one step closer to realizing a connected future for all Americans no matter where they live. We thank the FCC for continuing to pursue all options to close the digital divide and look forward to working with the Commission and its staff.” (Statement, 2/5/20) Archive360: “Thank you @FCC Chairman @AjitPaiFCC for proposing new rules that will expand #TVWhiteSpace to close the #digitaldivide. This is great news for #rural communities and all Americans.” (Tweet, 2/6/20) Citizens Against Government Waste: “@AjitPaiFCC’s proposal to update TV white space rules is a big step forward in connecting rural Americans to the internet.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Committee for Justice: “Great job, @AjitPaiFCC! This will do a lot to help the 13 million rural Americans living without access to broadband internet services while protecting against broadcast interference.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Connect Americans Now: “We applaud Chairman Pai for his leadership on this rulemaking which can help to unleash the full potential of TV white space technology as a critical tool to help bridge the digital divide. … Reducing costs and increasing the pace of deployments are critical for the millions of Americans stuck on the wrong side of the digital divide.” (Statement, 2/5/20) Consumer Technology Association: “Great to hear that @FCC Chairman @AjitPaiFCC will put @Microsoft’s white spaces proposal up for a vote later this month. @CTATech members are developing new technologies that have the potential to bring better broadband to rural America.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Consortium for School Networking: “@CoSN applauds @AjitPaiFCC for his leadership on this rulemaking which can help to unleash the full potential of TV white space technology as a critical tool to help bridge the #digitaldivide.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Dynamic Spectrum Alliance: “#GreatNews: Chairman @AjitPaiFCC proposed to update #TVWS rules. This proposal will facilitate deployments and accelerate the movement towards rural #connectivity. The DSA @DynamicSpectrum is a proud supporter of this movement and welcomes its positive impact!” (Tweet, 2/5/20) For All Abilities: “Thrilled to hear that the @FCC took action to close the #digitaldivide in rural areas with the draft NPRM on #TVWS. A strong #appeconomy relies on a strong and reliable broadband connection. I’m proud to have advocated for this important issue.” (Tweet, 2/6/20) Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy Distinguished Fellow Gigi Sohn: “The TV White Spaces have been underutilized & I support this @FCC initiative to improve #broadband connectivity to rural America.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Heritage Action: “The FCC under @AjitPaiFCC continues to lead in expanding broadband internet access in rural areas. With this new proposed rule, more Americans will have access to high speed internet, improving their educational and employment opportunities.” (Tweet, 2/6/20) Information Technology & Innovation Foundation: “This sounds like great news. … TV white spaces are a real opportunity to improve rural access. ITIF has long supported rule tweaks that would hopefully enable more productive use of TV white spaces.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Lincoln Network: “This is good. We need more efforts like this to expand wireless broadband across America.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Microsoft: “Thank you @FCC and @AjitPaiFCC for your work on TV white space technology and rural broadband. Today’s notice is an important step forward towards bringing broadband to more people in rural America.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Midwest Food Products Association: “We are gratified that Chairman Pai has decided to move ahead in improving the use of unlicensed spectrum to provide broadband service to rural areas. Food manufacturers in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois employ many people in rural markets. … This proposed rule is a substantial step toward providing real broadband access to their communities.” (Statement, 2/5/20) National Grange: “The move is another in a growing list by the Chairman and FCC to bridge the digital divide and ensure all Americans have access to broadband. … This proposal would allow for fixed white space devices that would take signals greater distances and better carry signal through various obstacles, a huge move to reduce two of the most vexing pieces of the broadband expansion puzzle for rural Americans – the varied landscape and distance between consumers.” (Statement, 2/5/20) New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute: “Chairman Pai’s proposal is a significant step toward bridging the broadband divide in rural, tribal, and unserved areas. The Chairman’s proposal acknowledges that more efficient sharing of vacant or underused spectrum is an importance source of infrastructure for enabling more high-capacity and affordable internet access in rural America. Under the proposal, farms, schools, and rural internet providers will be able to harness the power of unused TV spectrum to extend Wi-Fi and other unlicensed wireless technologies, helping to narrow the homework gap, fuel precision agriculture, and extent connectivity to less populated parts of the country.” (Statement, 2/5/20) Next Century Cities: “Clearing regulatory barriers to innovative solutions like TV white space technology can help bridge the #digitaldivide. @AjitPaiFCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking released today is a welcome step for rural America that should be adopted on 2/28.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Pelican Institute for Technology and Innovation: “White spaces can reach greater distances and penetrate thick tree cover, two of the largest impediments to delivering broadband speeds to rural and underserved areas. However, in order to be able to accomplish these critical functions, the rules must be updated as proposed by the FCC. The Pelican Center for Technology and Innovation applauds this proposal and recommends it be adopted with great haste.” (Blog, 2/6/20) Public Knowledge: “Despite enormous leaps in wireless technology and dramatic changes to the broadcast band as a result of the 2016 spectrum auction, the TVWS rules have remained stuck in the past. … Chairman Pai’s proposed changes could allow thousands of wireless internet service providers in rural America to provide real broadband access to their communities. We look forward to working with the Commission to modernize the TVWS rules as part of our national 5G strategy.” (Statement, 2/5/20) R Street Institute Technology & Innovation Manager Tom Struble: “Amazing things happen when innovators are free to tackle the pressing challenges facing consumers. Connecting all rural Americans to high-speed broadband won’t be easy, but TV White Spaces could be a key solution to that intractable problem.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition: “By proposing to remove barriers to TVWS broadband deployment, Chairman Pai is empowering anchor institutions to address the digital divide and connect their users where they are. School districts in Halifax County and Charlotte County, Virginia are already using TVWS technology to provide internet service to underserved students so that they can do their homework. This proposal could open the door for even more anchors to do the same.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Sigao Studios: “Thank you to the @FCC for their action on #TVWS. This draft NPRM is an important step in closing the digital divide and will empower #smallbusinesses like mine in the #appeconomy.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council: “There are folks in Washington who talk about what they are going to do, and those who do. More action from @AjitPaiFCC to bring broadband to #rural #smallbiz by updating TV white space rules — a move supported by @SBECouncil. Thank you Mr. Chairman!” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Taxpayers Protection Alliance: “@AjitPaiFCC is taking huge steps to ensure rural Americans aren’t left behind. #WhiteSpaces will allow for broadband to expanded in underserved areas. Huge news! (Tweet, 2/5/20) Third Way: “We need to connect all Americans to broadband and give everyone a fair shot at participating in the 21st century economy. Interesting to see @FCC exploring an approach to get to that goal.” (Tweet, 2/5/20) University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Director of Patient Care Delivery Innovation and Technology Hy Simhan: “Closing the #digitaldivide is essential to reduce healthcare disparities. Such an important effort overall and critical for #maternalhealth!” (Tweet, 2/5/20) Voices for Innovation: “Our nation can make great strides in closing the digital gap if the FCC moves forward with a rulemaking that helps spur increased private-sector deployment of broadband services using White Spaces technology. In undertaking the rulemaking, the FCC can improve broadband connectivity by advancing proposals to enable scenarios such as connected school buses and combines and IoT including precision agriculture.” (Letter, 2/21/20) WifiForward: “Companies and communities around the country — and the world — are making the unused TV spectrum available on an unlicensed basis to deliver super-fast broadband connections and the U.S. can soon join them. WifiForward commends the Chairman for his move to make the most efficient use of our spectrum resources for public benefit.” (Statement, 2/5/20) Wireless Internet Service Providers Association: “Good spectrum policy seeks to squeeze as much juice as possible from the limited spectrum we have, making it more broadly useful for others. That’s why today’s action by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai … must be commended. … Innovation will abound, as a new ecosystem of hardware, software and Internet providers will develop due to the band’s more attractive propagation characteristics. … Quite simply, better TVWS services will bring more rural Americans online and participating in our digital economy.” (Statement, 2/5/20) ### Office of Chairman Pai: (202) 418-1000 / Twitter: @AjitPaiFCC / www.fcc.gov/leadership/ajit-pai 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. Cir. 1974).