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 STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONER  DEBORAH  TAYLOR  TATE 
 Re:  Implementation  of  Section  6002(  b)  of  the  Omnibus  Budget  Reconciliation  Act  of  1993;  Annual  Report  and  Analysis  of  Competitive  Market  Conditions  With  Respect  to 
 Commercial  Mobile  Services,  Eleventh  Report 
 Congress  requires  the  Commission  to  report  annually  on  the  state  of  competition  in  Commercial  Mobile  Radio  Services  (CMRS),  and  I  believe  that  today’s  report  shows  a  healthy 
 and  competitive  wireless  industry.  Wireless  technology  has  become  a  vital  part  of  the  world  economy.  According  to  CTIA,  in  the  first  six  months  of  2006  alone,  more  than  $10  billion 
 dollars  was  invested  in  the  wireless  industry.  U.  S.  consumers  have  adopted  wireless  technologies  at  a  breathtaking  pace.  As  today’s  report  indicates,  as  of  December  2005,  there  were 
 approximately  213  million  mobile  telephone  subscribers,  which  translates  into  a  nationwide  penetration  rate  of  approximately  71  percent. 


 Wireless  telephones  are  becoming  even  more  versatile.  For  instance,  several  companies  have  recently  partnered  with  cellular  carriers  to  provide  news,  sports,  and  entertainment  television  clips 
 to  your  cell  phone.  Others  have  announced  special  phone  services  for  kids  so  that  parents  can  track  their  child’s  location.  Consumers  continue  to  increase  their  use  of  mobile  telephones  for 
 voice  and  data  services.  The  average  amount  of  time  U.  S.  mobile  subscribers  spend  talking  on  their  mobile  phones  rose  to  740  minutes  per  month  in  the  second  half  of  2005,  an  increase  of 
 more  than  120  minutes  from  a  year  earlier. 
 I  also  am  particularly  pleased  that  this  report  highlights  the  growth  of  broadband  data  services  provided  by  wireless  providers.  With  the  recently  auctioned  advanced  wireless 
 spectrum,  I  know  that  this  trend  will  only  compound.  I  am  also  intrigued  by  the  developments  in  creating  mesh  broadband  networks  using  unlicensed  portions  of  the  spectrum.  It  is  important  to 
 see  that  wireless  broadband  continues  to  develop  in  order  to  present  an  additional  viable  option  to  consumers,  not  only  in  core  “lead”  markets,  but  across  the  entire  nation. 


 Finally,  I  would  like  to  provide  some  feedback  to  the  wireless  industry.  My  colleagues  and  I  are  keenly  aware  of  how  important  communications  technologies  are  when  public  safety  or 
 homeland  security  concerns  become  paramount.  I  commend  the  wireless  industry  for  the  role  it  has  played  regarding  public  safety  and  encourage  CMRS  carriers’  to  continue  to  work  with 
 federal  and  state  entities  on  these  critical  matters.  Moreover,  I  am  pleased  that  wireless  informal  complaints  have  decreased  from  4,616  in  the  first  quarter  of  2006  to  4,050  in  the  second  quarter 
 of  2006,  but  encourage  that  more  consumer  friendly  policies  be  examined.  As  an  FCC  Commissioner,  I  encourage  the  wireless  industry  to  continue  to  innovate  and  create  the  next  great 
 new  product.  In  particular,  I  hope  the  industry  continues  to  play  a  role  in  the  deployment  of  broadband  to  more  consumers.  Wireless  providers  will  be  critical  to  getting  broadband  out  to  that 
 last,  most  difficult  mile. 
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