STATEMENT OF
ACTING CHAIRWOMAN JESSICA ROSENWORCEL

Re: 	Spectrum Requirements for the Internet of Things, ET Docket No. 21-353.

It’s still early days in the Internet of Things.  But by the end of the decade, we expect to have more than 20 billion connected devices in the world around us.  Already we are seeing IoT devices enhancing the performance and safety of our power grid.  We have IoT sensors monitoring everything from water levels in soil for rural agriculture to traffic in cities to reduce congestion.  Closer to home, we’ve got video systems to keep watch on our homes, thermostats you can control with your mobile phone, and intelligent air purifiers to help combat allergies and asthma.

This is exciting, but again, it’s only the start.  Because as 5G wireless systems and low Earth orbiting satellites expand the availability of high-speed and high-capacity networks, we can expect the pace of innovation to increase.  Of course, for this to happen we need to make sure that adequate spectrum is available for all of this activity.  That is because most IoT devices connect wirelessly, whether over licensed or unlicensed airwaves or terrestrial or space-based systems.  

Congress saw this very clearly and in the National Defense Authorization Act directed us to open an inquiry into the spectrum required to support the growth of IoT technologies.  This is what we do here today.  We ask how we can ensure spectrum availability keeps pace with demand.  We seek comment on addressing regulatory barriers that may inadvertently impede access to spectrum for IoT deployments.  We also ask about the role licensed and unlicensed operations play in the growth and development of IoT.  These are important questions and I hope and expect the record will produce thoughtful answers.  

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