STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER BRENDAN CARR
Re: Amendment to Harmonize and Streamline Part 20 of the Commission’s Rules Concerning 
Requirements for Licensees to Overcome a CMRS Presumption, WT Docket No. 16-240.
The United States leads the world in wireless.  One of the reasons for this success is the 
FCC’s decision to embrace a flexible use policy for spectrum.  Instead of mandating that a 
particular spectrum band be used with a specific type of wireless technology or service, we 
generally leave that choice to the private sector, which has a much better sense of consumer 
demand.  This approach has enabled wireless networks in the U.S. to evolve with technology and 
to do so much more quickly than if operators had to obtain government sign-off each step of the 
way.  Our leadership in 4G is just one example of how this policy has worked to the benefit of 
consumers.
Today, we carry that approach forward by eliminating 20-year-old rules that reflect a 
different approach to spectrum policy—one that required providers operating in particular 
spectrum bands to obtain FCC permission before innovating or bringing certain service offerings 
to market.  This change will not only help level the regulatory playing field for wireless 
providers, but it will also result in more timely and efficient use of spectrum.  The flexibility we 
provide today will be particularly important as we look to extend our global leadership in wireless 
as 5G and Internet of Things offerings come online.  I support the Order and hope that we 
continue the agency’s efforts to identify and eliminate outdated and unnecessary regulatory 
burdens.