STATEMENT OF
CHAIRMAN AJIT PAI
Re: Wireless Emergency Alerts, Amendments to Part 11 of the Commission’s Rules Regarding the 
Emergency Alert System, PS Docket No. 15-91, PS Docket No. 15-94.
Wireless emergency alerts (WEA) are one of several key tools to warn the public of imminent 
danger when disaster strikes.  That’s why the Commission has been working hard to make them more 
effective.  Today, for example, we reaffirm the schedule for all carriers to implement the geo-targeting of 
alerts to make them useful to consumers and local public safety officials.  We also reaffirm the deadline 
for the five largest wireless carriers to provide clickable embedded references.  However, we unanimously 
agree to give smaller carriers additional time for them to comply with the clickable reference requirement.  
In taking this action, we recognize the unique challenges that smaller carriers face and the value of 
keeping them in his voluntary program.  
But today’s Order on Reconsideration does not end our work on WEA.  Most importantly, we 
should be able to move forward soon on improving WEA’s capabilities for geo-targeting alerts more 
precisely.  The FCC’s staff has been carefully studying the record compiled in response to last year’s 
NPRM, and I intend to provide my colleagues with a proposal for action in the near future.  
My gratitude extends to the staff for all their efforts on this Order on Reconsideration.  Thanks to
Gregory Cooke, Lisa Fowlkes, Megan Henry, Nicole McGinnis, James Wiley, and Renee Roland from 
the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, and to David Horowitz, Bill Richardson, and Anjali 
Singh from the Office of General Counsel.