Commissioner Carr Remarks at Wireless Workforce Development Workshop

Ensuring that we have the skilled workforce in place to deploy, maintain, and upgrade our nation’s communications infrastructure is one of the keys to ensuring that all Americans have access to advanced broadband networks. Importantly, the shift to 5G will require an enormous investment in both wired and wireless infrastructure. In fact, this transition could result in $275 billion in network investment, three million new jobs, and half a trillion dollars added to the GDP.  

FCC Chairman Pai has asked me to take the lead on the FCC’s wireless infrastructure proceeding, and the agency is already making progress. Earlier in Nov, we voted on an order that streamlines the regulatory review process that applies when a provider seeks to swap out a utility pole for the purpose of adding wireless equipment. And next month, we’ll be voting on a proposal that, if adopted, would exempt a category of towers known as “Twilight Towers” from routine historic preservation review. This action will open up potentially thousands of existing towers for the deployment of new wireless equipment.