STATEMENT OF
CHAIRMAN AJIT PAI

Re:	Use of Spectrum Bands Above 24 GHz for Mobile Radio Services, GN Docket No. 14-177

Pushing more spectrum into the commercial marketplace is a key component of our 5G FAST plan to maintain American leadership in the next generation of wireless connectivity.  Currently, we’re conducting an auction of 28 GHz band spectrum, to be followed by a 24 GHz band auction.  And today, we are taking a critical step towards holding an auction of the Upper 37, 39, and 47 GHz bands in 2019.  These and other steps will help us stay ahead of the spectrum curve and allow wireless innovation to thrive on our shores.

Notably, we’re setting up the Upper 37, 39, and 47 GHz auction to be our second-ever incentive auction.  This incentive auction will be different from the broadcast incentive auction that Congress authorized years ago, but it’ll have the same worthy goal: clearing or repacking existing licensees to make spectrum as useful as possible, boosting competition and benefiting consumers.  

In this Order, we also take a number of steps to facilitate this auction.  First, we harmonize the block size to 100 megahertz for all three bands.  This will make it easier to both transition incumbents with mismatched license holdings and auction all of these bands together.  

Next, we enable incumbent licensees to rationalize their spectrum holdings and new licensees to gain meaningful access to millimeter-wave spectrum.  And at multiple steps along the way, we let incumbents choose how to relinquish or modify their existing rights, which ensures that they will be treated fairly.  

I’m pleased that the Commission is committed to making these bands available in 2019 to facilitate American leadership in 5G and provide additional opportunities for consumers across the country to access advanced wireless services.  It is part of an ambitious auction schedule that will push almost five gigahertz of spectrum into the commercial marketplace in late 2018 and 2019.

As always, I’d like to thank the staff who worked on this item: Simon Banyai, Steve Buenzow, Jonathan Campbell, Catherine Schroeder, Blaise Scinto, Dana Shaffer, Don Stockdale, Joel Taubenblatt, and Jennifer Tomchin from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau; Rita Cookmeyer, Evan Kwerel, Paul LaFontaine, Erik Salovaara, Martha Stancill, and Margaret Wiener from the Office of Economics and Analytics; and David Horowitz, Doug Klein, Bill Richardson, and Max Staloff from the Office of General Counsel.