STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN JULIUS GENACHOWSKI Re: Amendment of Part 90 of the Commission’s Rules, Implementing a Nationwide,Broadband, Interoperable Public Safety Network in the 700 MHz Band, ServiceRules for the 698-746, 747- 762 and 777-792 MHz Bands, WP Docket No. 07-100, PS Docket No. 06-229, WT Docket No. 06-150, Fourth Report and Order and Fifth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (June 13, 2012) When an emergency hits, efficient, effective, state-of-the-art communications is critical. That’s why one of our central missions has been enabling our nation’s first responders to have the communications tools they need to do their jobs effectively. So I’m pleased that we are acting today to modify and update the rules governing the 4.9GHz band to accelerate its use for public safety wireless broadband services. This will enable the public safety community to take full advantage of the band’s significant potential. The actions we are taking today are important for four basic reasons. First, our action is designed to unlock the potential of 4.9 GHz for public safety use. This is a contiguous block of 50 megahertz of broadband spectrum dedicated to public safety and well-suited for both fixed and mobile uses over short distances. The band hasn’t met its full potential. Today’s item puts us on a path to change that. The changes we are proposing have the potential to reinvigorate the band, to harness it for better and more efficient use, and bring it more fully into the overall thinking about public safety communications. Second, our action today is designed to foster innovation and the development of exciting new communications technologies for public safety – like cutting-edge mobile, temporary mesh networks that can support data, voice, and video communications, networks that support remote real-time video monitoring in sensitive locations, and networks that support city-wide Wi-Fi networks to give first responders dedicated broadband access. The gap between functionality of public safety communications devices and commercial communications devices is growing, so is the gap in price. We’ve heard from many in the public safety community that public safety too often gets less for more. We’re committed to working with the public safety community to ensure that our first responders have communications devices that provide everything technology is capable of, while meeting first responders’ unique needs. Our action in this band is one of several steps showing our commitment to innovation in public safety communications. Third, our action today may enable mutually beneficial relationships between public safety and commercial users. The primacy of public safety is protected, and there is more flexibility to strike sensible arrangements with commercial providers that provide multiple benefits. Fourth, our action today is another step forward in our ongoing regulatory reform agenda – in this case, modifying or removing outdated or unnecessary rules to ensure spectrum is used as fully and efficiently as possible. I would like to thank everyone in the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and in the Office of Engineering and Technology for all their work on this item. I appreciate all their efforts and dedication.