Federal Communications Commission FCC 13-92
STATEMENT OF 
COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI
Re: Applications of SOFTBANK CORP., Starburst II, Inc., Sprint Nextel Corporation, and Clearwire 
Corporation for Consent to Transfer Control of Licenses and Authorizations, IB Docket No. 12-
343; Petitions for Reconsideration of Applications of Clearwire Corporation for Pro Forma 
Transfer of Control, ULS File Nos. 0005480932, et al.
With our action today, SoftBank can consummate its $21.6 billion acquisition of Sprint, and 
Sprint’s $3.7 billion acquisition of the outstanding shares in Clearwire can move forward.  That’s good 
for America’s wireless consumers, who stand to benefit from an invigorated company better able to 
deliver advanced wireless products and services.  That’s good for American companies, as we’ve now 
shown that regulation need not impede access to the international financial markets and foreign capital.  
And that’s strong evidence that the American wireless market is competitive—were it otherwise, an 
investment of this magnitude in a non-dominant competitor would give new meaning to the term “risk 
capital.”
I’m pleased that today’s order rejects conditions that aren’t transaction-specific.  That result is 
especially meaningful here, where the total amount of mobile broadband spectrum attributed to Sprint did 
not change as a result of the transaction.  This will be an important precedent as we consider other 
spectrum-related transactions.
A point on process.  In under a week, the proposed order was circulated, my colleagues 
graciously accommodated my suggested changes, and we adopted the final order.  Our prompt disposition 
of this matter underscores the importance of codifying the 180-day shot clock in our rules.  Even though 
we quickly reviewed this order and rendered judgment, we still exceeded our self-imposed deadline by 35 
days.  Codifying the deadline would help us meet it, which in turn would give the parties and the public 
more confidence that the agency is acting with dispatch.