Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

As the FCC prepares to rightfully restore internet freedom with Title I internet rules, it’s good to know that these powerful commissions are working together to protect consumers from any unfair or anticompetitive practices. The FTC has successfully provided those essential protections for decades, and we are confident they will continue to do so. Today’s announcement from the FTC and FCC is a positive move for consumers and the internet ecosystem.

“I applaud Chairman Pai for personally coming down to the committee to brief us on his Notice of Proposed Rulemaking rolling back the FCC’s reclassification of broadband as a common carrier. I remain hopeful that all parties involved can come together in a bipartisan fashion and work with one another on a solution that not only protects consumers but the future of the internet."

The incentive auction’s conclusion with more than $19 billion in bids marks the end of the second largest auction and years of successful work in bringing market forces to bear on spectrum use policy. The broadcast incentive auction revolutionized the way that our nation makes spectrum allocation decisions by empowering broadcasters, businesses, networks, and consumers alike. Not only did the auction successfully encourage investment and competition by bringing 70 MHz of licensed and 14 MHz of unlicensed spectrum to meet our nation’s wireless broadband needs, but also generated $7 billion for deficit reduction. We thank the broadcasters and wireless bidders that ensured the auction was a success and are looking forward to the FCC working expeditiously to repack the remaining broadcasters without disruption to consumers. We will continue to work together to free up our airwaves and usher in the future of wireless broadband.