Federal Communications Commission

[Speech] I know that today’s Expo is specifically focused on technological solutions to the robocall challenge. But if there’s an overarching theme, it’s the need for collaborative solutions. Thanks in large part to technology that makes it incredibly easy and cheap to make large numbers of spoofed robocalls, this is a difficult problem to solve, and everyone needs to play their part in getting the job done. That's why it’s important that Congress is actively engaged. That’s why it’s important that the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission are working together.

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.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the following items are tentatively on the agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 10, 2018:

[Speech] Over the last three-plus years, the Commission has rightly focused its time and energy to ensure that next-generation, or 5G, networks come to fruition. Why is this so important? It’s about a global race to be the first among many competing nations to 5G. Leading the world in 5G will allow U.S. companies to help shape its future growth, standards, and capabilities – all of which have a tremendous impact on our future economic success.

[Speech] It’s no secret that I’m a native of small-town Kansas. I know how great it is to grow up in rural America. And I want future generations to be able to have that same experience—to see small towns as a place where they can start a family and build a career. This isn’t just nostalgia. It’s about our economy and national competitiveness. In a connected global economy, we can’t leave millions of Americans sitting on the sidelines. Some say we can’t afford to bring high-speed connectivity to places like rural Kansas. I say we can’t afford not to.