FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr

We know the need for broadband in rural America. And we know the lost productivity and the lost job opportunities when fast connections are lacking.

We are in the midst of a global race to 5G. There is a lot at stake in winning this race. Being first to 5G could mean three million new jobs, half a trillion dollars added to the GDP, and $275 billion of private sector investment—all without a penny of new taxes. We want that. But our friends and competitors in Europe and Asia want that too. So how are we going to win this race? The good news is that we don’t need to invent a new strategy—we already know the winning playbook. Just as we did with 4G, we have to focus on two things: spectrum and infrastructure.

As a policymaker, I am committed to seeing the US win the 5G race. As with 4G, we have to focus on two things: spectrum and infrastructure. At the Federal Communications Commission, we have already assigned more high-band spectrum for 5G than any country in the world—we’re more than four gigahertz ahead of second-place China.  Cutting regulatory red tape is a big deal because it can flip the business case for thousands of communities. Communities that might have been uneconomical for the private sector to serve, will now get their shot at next-gen networks.

Commissioner Clyburn has been a strong and dynamic member of the Commission. I would like to thank Commissioner Clyburn for her many years of dedicated service to the FCC. In my time as a Commissioner, I have been consistently struck by her passion and commitment to the work of the FCC, her professionalism, and her willingness to reach across the aisle to get things done. It has been a privilege to serve with her, and I wish her all the best on her future endeavors.

[Speech] As the media marketplace evolved, the Federal Communications Commission failed to keep pace. Rather than removing regulations that became outdated, the FCC demonstrated a tendency to tack on yet another regulation or filing requirement. These outdated rules have taken up too many dollars and too much manpower—resources that could be going to newsgathering or upgrading facilities so broadcasters can better serve their local communities.

Commissioner Brendan Carr of the Federal Communications Commission announced a new plan to advance 5G deployment in the U.S. A key obstacle is our country’s outdated infrastructure regulations, which were written for previous generations of wireless technology. To ensure the U.S. is 5G Ready, he announced that the FCC will vote at its March 22 Open Meeting on a plan to streamline the federal historic and environmental review procedures that apply to wireless infrastructure deployments. 

The Plan

It is great to be joined by the innovators, educators, and advocates on the roundtable—all of whom are focused on developing a strong tech workforce here in Mississippi. I welcome the chance to participate in today’s event and learn from their perspectives.  When I think about broadband, I think about the jobs and opportunities it creates for millions of Americans around the country. It’s one of the reasons I’m focused in my role at the FCC on policies that will promote broadband deployment.

Chairman Pai: "The report maintains the same benchmark speed for fixed broadband service previously adopted by the Commission, which we earlier proposed to retain: 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload. The report also concludes that mobile broadband service is not a full substitute for fixed service. Instead, it notes there are differences between the two technologies, including clear variations in consumer preferences and demands.

Wanting to lead in 5G is not enough to get the transition across the finish line. The key is to update our regulatory structures so that they are what I call “5G Ready.” This means taking concrete steps to reform our regulations and ensure that they incentivize the massive private sector investments necessary to build the networks of the future. I want to highlight three steps that I think regulators must take to get 5G Ready.

In responde to a National Security Council memo urging the Trump administration to consider extraordinary efforts to clear the way for 5G, FCC commissioner responded: