STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN AJIT PAI Re: Accelerating Wireless Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment, WT Docket No. 17-79; Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment, WC Docket No. 17-84 Perhaps the defining characteristic of the communications sector over the past decade is that the world is going wireless. The smartphone’s introduction in 2007 may have seemed an interesting novelty to some at the time, but it was a precursor of a transformative change in how consumers access and use the Internet. 4G LTE was a key driver in that change. Today, a new transition is at hand as we enter the era of 5G. At the FCC, we’re working hard to ensure that the United States leads the world in developing this next generation of wireless connectivity so that American consumers and our nation’s economy enjoy the immense benefits that 5G will bring. Spectrum policy of course features prominently in our 5G strategy. We’re pushing a lot more spectrum into the commercial marketplace. On November 14, for example, our 28 GHz band spectrum auction will begin, and after it ends, our 24 GHz band spectrum auction will start. And in 2019, we plan to auction off three additional spectrum bands. But all the spectrum in the world won’t matter if we don’t have the infrastructure needed to carry 5G traffic. New physical infrastructure is vital for success here. That’s because 5G networks will depend less on a few large towers and more on numerous small cell deployments—deployments that for the most part don’t exist today. But installing small cells isn’t easy, too often because of regulations. There are layers of (sometimes unnecessary and unreasonable) rules that can prevent widespread deployment. At the federal level, we acted earlier this year to modernize our regulations and make our own review process for wireless infrastructure 5G fast. And many states and localities have similarly taken positive steps to reform their own laws and increase the likelihood that their citizens will be able to benefit from 5G networks. But as this Order makes clear, there are outliers that are unreasonably standing in the way of wireless infrastructure deployment. So today, we address regulatory barriers at the local level that are inconsistent with federal law. For instance, big-city taxes on 5G slow down deployment there and also jeopardize the construction of 5G networks in suburbs and rural America. So today, we find that all fees must be non-discriminatory and cost-based. And when a municipality fails to act promptly on applications, it can slow down deployment in many other localities. So we mandate shot clocks for local government review of small wireless infrastructure deployments. I commend Commissioner Carr for his leadership in developing this Order. He worked closely with many state and local officials to understand their needs and to study the policies that have worked at the state and local level. It should therefore come as no surprise that this Order has won significant support from mayors, local officials, and state legislators. To be sure, there are some local governments that don’t like this Order. They would like to continue extracting as much money as possible in fees from the private sector and forcing companies to navigate a maze of regulatory hurdles in order to deploy wireless infrastructure. But these actions are not only unlawful, they’re also short-sighted. They slow the construction of 5G networks and will delay if not prevent the benefits of 5G from reaching American consumers. And let’s also be clear about one thing: When you raise the cost of deploying wireless infrastructure, it is those who live in areas where the investment case is the most marginal—rural areas or lower-income urban areas—who are most at risk of losing out. And I don’t want 5G to widen the digital divide; I want 5G to help close that divide. In conclusion, I’d like to again thank Commissioner Carr for leading this effort and his staff for their diligent work. And I’m grateful to the hardworking staff across the agency who have put many hours into this Order. In particular, thanks to Jonathan Campbell, Stacy Ferraro, Garnet Hanly, Leon Jackler, Eli Johnson, Jonathan Lechter, Kate Matraves, Betsy McIntyre, Darrel Pae, Jennifer Salhus, Dana Shaffer, Jiaming Shang, David Sieradzki, Michael Smith, Don Stockdale, Cecilia Sulhoff, Patrick Sun, Suzanne Tetreault, and Joseph Wyer from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau; Matt Collins, Adam Copeland, Dan Kahn, Deborah Salons, and John Visclosky from the Wireline Competition Bureau; Chana Wilkerson from the Office of Communications Business Opportunities; and Ashley Boizelle, David Horowitz, Tom Johnson, Marcus Maher, Bill Richardson, and Anjali Singh from the Office of General Counsel.