EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY – OFFICIAL VERSION TO BE RELEASED BY FCC
STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER GEOFFREY STARKS

Re:	Amendment of Section 15.255 of the Commission’s Rules, ET Docket No. 21-264.

It’s astonishing how quickly cutting-edge technology can move from the drawing board to become part of our daily lives.  Like many technologies that have come before it, from the automobile to the smartphone, advancements in field disturbance radar technology have the potential to transform how consumers interact with their environments and each other on a regular basis.  

Field disturbance radars have already been approved to detect children left unattended in the backseat of a vehicle.  Once deployed, this technology could save dozens of young lives each year.  As this technology advances, moreover, it has the potential to contribute to other innovative lifesaving and life-enhancing functions, including the monitoring of vulnerable medical patients, increasing home automation, the creation of accessible interfaces for persons with disabilities, and the development of new personal safety devices.

The Commission is responsible for ensuring that our regulations encourage innovation while protecting the interests of consumers and existing services.  These proposed rules do just that, allowing broader use of the 60 GHz band for the development of mobile radar with the assurance that it won’t disrupt existing spectrum users.  I look forward to reviewing the comments in response to this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which will hopefully pave the way for additional innovation and technological radar developments that can make consumers’ lives safer and easier.

Thank to you the staff of the Office of Engineering and Technology for their work on this item.