Federal Communications Commission FCC 11-103
CONCURRING STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER ROBERT M. McDOWELL
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 Mobile 
Wireless, including Commercial Mobile Services, WT Docket No. 10-133.
The record in this proceeding, and the report itself, contain a wealth of facts that 
demonstrate the important role the mobile industry plays in the lives of everyday Americans, not 
to mention in the U.S. economy.  The wide-ranging and competitive wireless sector has and 
continues to deliver innovative services at low cost, all the while exhibiting some of the most 
impressive capital expenditure numbers of any industry in the world.  The greatest beneficiaries 
of these investments are American consumers who have steadily incorporated advanced wireless 
technologies into their daily lives.
 
I vote to concur because we have not identified new or particularly revealing information 
that would prevent us from opining as to “whether or not there is effective competition,” as the 
statute requires.  In fact, the report states, “[i]t would be overly simplistic to apply a binary 
conclusion or blanket label to this complex and multi-dimensional industry.”  Nonetheless, this is 
what Congress asked us to do.
Yet, at its core, the report shows that the wireless sector is dynamic, ever-improving and 
responsive to consumer demand.  With respect to mobile broadband service providers, the 
percentage of the population served by four or more providers increased from 58 percent in 
November 2009 to 68 percent in August 2010.  And, the percentage served by three or more
providers increased from 76 to 82 percent.  In rural areas, 69 percent have a choice of two or 
more providers and 38 percent have a choice of three or more providers.  
To put this progress in a historic context, for 2008, these numbers were 62 and 29 percent 
respectively.  That said, we can and we must do better.  Bringing the benefits of mobile 
broadband to rural America is an important priority.  At the same time, given these examples of 
good news, we all should tread cautiously lest we jeopardize the compelling consumer benefits 
associated with the ongoing rollout of mobile broadband services.        
I thank outgoing chief Ruth Milkman, incoming chief Rick Kaplan, and the entire team of 
the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.  This is a tremendous body of work and we are 
grateful for your efforts.