CTIA - The Wireless Association® Blog - FCC

CTIA Statement on Testifying Before the FCC's Distracted Driving Staff Workshop

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:25:00 -0500

Today, I issued the following statement after appearing on a panel at the FCC's Distracted Driving Staff Workshop:

"We appreciated the opportunity to discuss this important issue at the FCC.

"Over the last few months, CTIA and our members have participated in several Congressional hearings, developed a teen-focused anti-texting and driving campaign, and spoken with numerous stakeholders to discuss ways our industry can help stop distracted driving.

“I want to reiterate our support of bans on manual texting and emailing while driving. We also believe in mobile device restrictions for teen and novice drivers so they can better focus on learning how to be better drivers.

"We support technological advancements, but caution that they cannot be based on inflexible mandates that could stifle innovation. They must also be affordable and consumer-friendly.

"Finally, we will continue our focus on educating drivers of all ages about safe driving and responsible wireless use. Most recently, CTIA partnered with the National Safety Council this year to release our teen-focused ‘On the Road, Off the Phone’ campaign with a TV public service announcement and Web site.

“CTIA and our members look forward to working with the FCC as well as other policymakers and stakeholders at all levels to address the dangers of distracted driving."

For more information about the CTIA and NSC "On the Road, Off the Phone" campaign, please visit: www.onroadoffphone.org.

CTIA Statement on the FCC's Approval of a "Shot Clock" for Tower Siting

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:52:00 -0500

Today, I issued the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to approve a "shot clock" for tower siting applications:

"On behalf of CTIA and the wireless industry, I would like to thank the Commission for moving ahead with this item. The Chairman's leadership and the efforts of the other Commissioners have given us a foundation for our continued deployment of wireless broadband.

"Tower siting is a vital piece of our industry. It enables mobile services, including voice and broadband, for consumers, public safety, and businesses. Both Congress and the Supreme Court recognized the importance of taking concrete steps to ensure that the zoning process does not become a barrier to the reasonable deployment of, and competition among, diverse wireless networks.

"In early October at our International CTIA WIRELESS I.T. & Entertainment Show, the Chairman declared his support for CTIA’s request for a tower siting 'shot clock' that would require state and local zoning authorities to act within a reasonable, fixed timeframe on wireless tower siting requests. Fast forward to today's meeting when the Commission provided much-needed certainty to the process by setting a reasonable review period and clarifying that a zoning authority may not deny an application filed by one provider based on the presence of another wireless provider in the area. We sincerely appreciate the Commission and the Chairman for quickly acting to fulfill this promise.

"CTIA and the wireless industry look forward to continuing to work with the Commission, state and local zoning authorities and others involved in tower siting to provide more Americans with the most advanced wireless services and technology on the planet."

Smart Grids: Another Example of Wireless Technology Benefits

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:30:00 -0500

When Congress tasked the FCC with developing a National Broadband Plan that includes “a plan for the use of broadband infrastructure and services in advancing . . . energy independence and efficiency,” we were pleased that the Commission identified “smart grids” – the integration of information and communication applications with the electric power grid – as a promising way to achieve these objectives.

Then, late last month, President Obama announced $3.4 billion of stimulus grants that will be allocated to 100 smart grid projects tasked with modernizing America’s energy efficiency and increasing reliability on renewable resources (e.g. wind and solar power).

Clearly, smart grid technology has captured the nation’s attention for its numerous benefits and promising potential.

In our comments to the FCC last month, we highlighted wireless communications as a critical component of smart grid deployments. Commercial wireless networks can satisfy, and are currently satisfying, the communications requirements of smart grid applications.

The benefits of smart grid technology can be profound, and wireless is an important part of the equation. A joint report by Accenture and Vodafone found that wireless technology can be used to:

Reduce carbon emissions in European Union (EU) member countries by 113 metric tons per year in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).
Cut energy cost by £43 billion (approximately $70 billion), with more than 80% of these savings attributable to machine-to-machine communications.

But when thinking about deploying wireless communications for smart grids, we ask policymakers to consider these two points:

If net neutrality rules were applied to wireless, it is an open question regarding how a non-discrimination regulation would impact devices like smart meters or supervisory control and data acquisition (“SCADA”) system equipment. Further, if a provider or vendor devises an innovative smart grid communications technology or transmission algorithm to limit the impact of network congestion, would such a technology be permissible under new rules? If so, must the details be fully disclosed? It also is entirely plausible that certain communications in a smart grid solution will require prioritization. An overreaching network management policy may jeopardize the innovation for smart grid development and deployment.
With the increasing demand for more spectrum, it would be inefficient to dedicate spectrum for smart grid-specific networks when commercial networks can and are already satisfying smart grid systems.

FACT: The U.S. is the Leader for Innovation and Investment, Means Consumers Win - Continued

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:12:00 -0500

In my blog post yesterday, I mentioned the misleading OECD Mobile Communications Outlook report that claimed U.S. consumers pay some of the highest prices for mobile services in the world. While we clearly explained what the problems were with the study, we were pleased to see others engage and refute its findings.

Another telecommunications expert who debunked the study is the Phoenix Center’s Chief Economist, Dr. George Ford. Dr. Ford commented on the OECD’s mobile price metrics in a recent policy perspective report.

Here are some of Dr. Ford’s recommendations to improve the OECD’s analysis:

At a minimum, the OECD should expand the number of pricing baskets to reflect usage levels across countries. The high-usage basket should be at least 2,000 total voice minutes per month.
To the extent possible, the OECD should incorporate the full distribution of usage (or usages) in Member Countries rather than looking at a few customer types.
The OECD should include a sufficient number of carriers to adequately represent the best prices available in a given country for all usage levels, instead of its current practice of limiting only to a few arbitrarily selected carriers in each Member Country.
The OECD should explicitly recognize the complexities of comparing mobile prices across countries, including economic, cultural, and regulatory differences that affect demand and prices. As Dr. Ford explains, for “the data to be used wisely and effectively, the report should clearly disclose the limitations of reported statistics to enable accurate interpretation.”
Finally, Dr. Ford recommends that the OECD should primarily document the variety of pricing plans offered in each country, “rather than create price indexes of dubious merit.” In so doing, the OECD can “serve as a useful and policy-relevant provider of data, rather than a purveyor of ‘filtered’ data of questionable credibility.”

CTIA agrees with Dr. Ford’s conclusion that Americans do not pay higher prices for wireless service.

As avid readers of this blog know, we’ve written numerous posts using information from well-respected third party influentials and organizations on how the U.S. wireless industry is the world’s leader in overall satisfaction, value, competition and innovation. We’re pleased everyone from Former Vice President Al Gore to Consumer Reports magazine has recognized the industry’s numerous benefits. To learn more about what others are saying about us, check out this independent assessment.

FACT: The U.S. is the Leader for Innovation and Investment, Means Consumers Win

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:16:00 -0500

In yesterday’s blog post, I summarized our FCC reply comment filing on the wireless industry’s continued innovation and investment.

Despite overwhelming evidence from independent organizations that clearly prove the U.S. wireless industry is a worldwide leader in innovation, investment and meeting consumer demands, there are still some naysayers out there. So for those critics, today’s post is for you.

You may recall the flawed OECD Communications Outlook report released in August by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that claimed U.S. wireless consumers have the highest mobile phone costs. We issued a statement that outlined why the OECD figures are wrong.

But don’t just take our word for it. Check out this Forbes.com article by former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs James Glassman, who simply states: “Don’t believe it.”

Mr. Glassman continues saying that the OECD report is "deeply flawed" and "its startling conclusion essentially worthless."

He concludes his piece with, “Despite the findings of the flawed OECD study, what European consumers need is more rigorous, American-style competition in telecommunications.”

We couldn’t agree more, Mr. Glassman.

CTIA's FCC Reply Filing Summary on Wireless Industry's Innovation and Investment

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:43:00 -0500

Last Thursday (11/5), CTIA filed reply comments to the FCC on the wireless industry’s innovation and investment.

As we have seen in the last 18 months, the U.S. wireless ecosystem has experienced tremendous change. The industry has embraced the evolution of networks to 3G and now 4G technologies, the explosion of innovative devices, the emergence of application stores, and new machine-to-machine communications.

Specifically, we’ve seen:

3G technology has been deployed to more than 92% of the U.S. population;
At least 33 companies manufacture wireless devices for the U.S. market, and consumers can choose from nearly 630 wireless devices.
More than 85% of all devices on carriers’ networks are Web-capable and 20% of new devices are equipped with Wi-Fi capability. According to Nielsen, the percentage of consumers actively using mobile Internet capabilities in the U.S. is higher than any other country.
Well over 100,000 mobile-specific applications have come to the market from six different stores;
Reported minutes of use (“MOUs”) amounted to 1.16 trillion for the six months ending in June 2009, which is the highest minutes-of-use per month and the lowest price-per-minute of service of the 26 OECD countries tracked by Merrill Lynch.
Reported SMS messages for the six-month period totaled more than 740 billion, nearly doubling the 385 billion reported for the same period in 2008;
For the twelve months ending June 2009, providers reported making capital investments totaling $19.5 billion;
Providers added over 25,000 new cell sites, up 11.5% over the prior year.

CTIA’s most recent data confirms that, despite these challenging economic times, wireless carriers continue to invest and innovate in their networks while consumers adopt and demand the latest wireless services, devices, and applications. This aggressive consumer adoption only serves to fuel the continued virtuous cycle of the wireless ecosystem.

Policymakers Say It's Time for a Tower Siting Shot Clock

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:56:00 -0500

While we have a fierce net neutrality debate within the wireless telecom and technology industries, the one thing we all agree on is that America’s appetite for mobile broadband services is increasing at a rapid pace. At CTIA, we like to call it the “virtuous cycle” where the multiple players within our ecosystem (such as a device manufacturer or network provider or app developer) are constantly investing, innovating, and competing in order to keep up with consumer demand.

But, all of the cool apps, faster speeds, new devices and other innovations from the wireless industry are in jeopardy unless we get more spectrum and improve the tower siting process.

We’ve heard a lot about the brewing spectrum crisis, but why is tower siting just as important? To expand their service offerings and meet consumer demand for “always-on” broadband, wireless carriers need to be able to build out their networks, which involves constructing new towers or adding new equipment to already existing structures.

Today, there is no timeframe for local zoning authorities to act on tower siting applications. CTIA surveyed our members and found that they collectively had more than 3,300 wireless siting applications pending before local jurisdictions. Of those, approximately nearly a quarter have been in queue for more than a year, and more than 180 such applications have been awaiting final action for more than 3 years. That’s just silly in a country that wants to expand broadband access and put people to work.

To remedy this problem, the industry is asking for a common-sense, reasonable solution that would establish 45 and 75 day “shot clocks” for zoning authorities to act on tower siting applications. You can read our petition with the FCC on the matter here.

During FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s keynote remarks earlier this month at International CTIA WIRELESS I.T. & Entertainment 2009®, he pledged his support and commitment for getting the industry more spectrum and a tower siting shot clock. These are big – and complementary – steps that will help ensure that the U.S. maintains its world leadership in wireless.

Last week, U.S. Representatives Jay Inslee (D-WA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), Co-Chairs of the House Wireless Caucus, sent a letter to Chairman Genachowski commending his commitment to setting a shot-clock on tower siting and calling on the Commission to act as quickly as possible on this petition. We applaud Representatives Inslee and Radanovich for staking out this pro-broadband, pro-investment, pro-jobs position, and we look forward to working with them and Chairman Genachowksi to get it done.

CTIA Statement on the FCC's NPRM on Net Neutrality

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:03:00 -0500

I issued the following statement today in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) on net neutrality:

“We are pleased that Chairman Genachowski and the Commission acknowledge that ‘wireless is different,’ and that as part of the NPRM, the Commission will investigate ‘how, when, and to what extent’ the rules should apply to the mobile wireless broadband platform.

“We agree wireless is different, and believe that whatever the case may be for applying rules to other platforms, applying these rules to mobile wireless broadband services during a period of dynamic innovation and change in the wireless ecosystem could have significant unintended consequences. Consumers benefit when innovation can occur BOTH at the edge and in the network. Rules that could impact the ecosystem from continuing to evolve, such as the ability of wireless carriers, device makers, and applications developers to optimize their devices, applications, and networks to work together will stifle innovation and harm consumers.

“Further, the imposition of net neutrality rules will degrade the value of unencumbered licenses purchased in the most recent auctions and threaten the integrity of the auction process. The FCC considered ‘openness’ requirements in the 700 MHz auction and chose to apply those requirements to a single block of spectrum. To extend that requirement, and more, now would raise serious legal issues and threaten the integrity of future auctions.

“We appreciate the extended comment period established by the Commission and its commitment to improving its understanding of the complex process of managing networks. Our member companies work every day to provide customers with a positive mobile broadband experience. We look forward to working with the Chairman and the Commission to ensure that Commission policies do not unintentionally harm the mobile wireless ecosystem and wireless consumers.”

CTIA's FCC Filing Summary on Competition in the Wireless Industry

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:04:00 -0500

In a Hillcon Valley blog post on Monday, Ruth Milkman, FCC's Wireless Bureau chief said, "There is tremendous agreement that wireless is vibrant and contributes to the economy. It’s a phenomenal set of services and applications."

We couldn't agree more. While we may be a bit biased, I think all of us have been impressed by some wireless app, device, technology, etc. As I mentioned in yesterday's post on our filing to the FCC on innovation and investment, this is an industry that is responsive to consumers and fiercely competes with one another for each customer.

In CTIA's wireless competition filing to the FCC , we highlight numerous examples of how the wireless ecosystem (made up of carriers, infrastructure suppliers, device manufacturers, operating system providers, and applications developers) remains competitive at every level.

This means that consumers and businesses are benefiting from the lowest prices, highest minutes of use, most innovative services and devices, most robust mobile broadband networks, and least concentrated wireless market among our global competitors.

But this fiercely competitive state of the mobile industry was no accident: it emerged from long-standing, market-driven policies, embraced on a bipartisan basis, favoring flexibility over command-and-control and competition over economic regulation.

Finally, we also highlighted additional steps (starting on page 77) that the Commission can take to facilitate on-going competition and ensure that consumers will continue to reap tremendous benefits from the mobile wireless sector.

After all, as John Donovan, AT&T’s CTO said in his keynote at CTIA WIRELESS I.T. & Entertainment Show last week, “It’s a customer’s world; we’re just a part of it.”

CTIA's FCC Filing Summary on Wireless Innovation & Investment

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:31:00 -0500

To say CTIA's Regulatory Affairs team has been busy is certainly an understatement! Since September 29th, they've submitted nine filings to the FCC on various issues.

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll summarize the ones that have received the most attention and/or interest. Today's blog post is on the FCC's NOI wanting more information on the innovation and investment in the wireless industry (GN Docket No. 09-157).

First, the filing discusses the industry's virtuous cycle, with innovation and investment happening within each of the five groups and putting pressure to the other groups to innovate and invest. It's a constant evolution with consumers as the winners.

But as readers of this blog know, the wireless industry needs more spectrum. When the FCC Chairman was at International CTIA WIRELESS I.T. & Entertainment 2009®, he pledged his support and commitment to providing the industry with more spectrum and approving a tower siting shot clock. This is a vital key to the industry's ability to continue innovations whether it's new phones, new capabilities, new applications, faster Internet speeds, etc.

The virtuous cycle and spectrum needs are closely intertwined. By having network reliability, coverage, and capacity, carriers are able to compete and attract customers in the competitive industry. This also means carriers are constantly investing in their networks. In fact, over the past twenty years, wireless carriers committed more than $264 billion in capital expenditures -- a combined average carrier investment of more than $22.8 billion per year to expand and upgrade networks from 2001-2008.

In addition, we've seen an explosion of wireless making a positive impact on other industries such as health care management (mHealth), smart grids, mobile learning (mLearning), "green" innovative wireless technologies, etc.

While we have a tendency to focus on these "new" technologies that rely on wireless to make a difference, we frequently forget about the non-technical innovations. It's hard to believe it was only eleven years ago when the first "bucket" plan was offered. And now think about how the industry has evolved to now offer rollover minutes, family plans, nights and weekends, etc. Carriers also offer extended trial periods, detailed coverage maps, prorated early termination fees, prepaid plans, etc.

This is an industry that is responsive to consumers and fiercely competes with one another for each customer.

Finally, CTIA closed with some regulatory suggestions, including:

Facilitating the timely deployment of wireless infrastructure by adopting CTIA’s petition on tower siting.
Improving the process for identifying spectrum for future reallocation and, particularly the need for greater information, transparency and coordination between Federal and commercial entities in future relocations under the CSEA.
Seeking input from the Technical Advisory Committee on technical issues.
Taking steps to streamline equipment and special temporary authorizations.
Exercising care to ensure that the Commission does not hamper efforts by the wireless industry to develop industry-wide standards for challenging issues.

I think the Regulatory team summed the wireless industry's innovation and investment best when they closed their summary by saying, "We are living in a period of intense innovation and investment in the mobile wireless communications marketplace. American consumers and businesses are reaping daily the innovation that results from a robust and competitive mobile ecosystem, and the FCC should take the necessary steps to ensure that the virtuous cycle of innovation and investment continues to advance."

CTIA Response to Internet & Tech Companies CEOs & Founders on Net Neutrality

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:57:00 -0500

In response to a letter from 24 CEOs and founders from some of the leading Internet and technology companies to the FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, I issued the following statement:

"This morning, 24 CEOs and founders from some of the leading Internet and technology companies sent a letter to FCC Chairman Genachowski on net neutrality.

"In their letter, they said, 'Entrepreneurs, technologists, and venture capitalists have previously been able to develop new online products and services with the guarantee of neutral, nondiscriminatory access by users, which has fueled an unprecedented era of economic growth and creativity. Existing businesses have been able to leverage the power of the Internet to develop innovative product lines, reach new consumers, and create new ways of doing business.'

"I do not believe we could have said it any better than the way that they did when they closed their letter by saying, ’America’s leadership in the technology space has been due, in large part, to the open Internet.’

"The wireless industry could not agree more. The FCC should preserve the existing wireless Internet that has fostered tremendous innovations, provided broadband for more people, and enabled new businesses. We should all be mindful of the dangers of unintended consequences coming from new rules implemented for the wireless Internet. The fact is that wireless is different than wireline and there's no need to change what these CEOs acknowledged is working well."

CTIA asks FCC: More Spectrum Please

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:03:00 -0500

It’s been a busy time for us at CTIA this week with FCC filing deadlines, Hill activities, Distracted Driving Summit and of course, our International CTIA WIRELESS I.T. & Entertainment show next week.

But on Tuesday, we submitted a very important ex parte filing to the FCC requesting more spectrum because, to put it simply, it is the backbone of our industry.

It’s not something that most people think about, but it’s what allows the wireless industry to create and develop the great things that you and I take for granted everyday. As Steve said in his statement about the filing, spectrum drives the innovation and competition.

In our filing, this was the first time we had suggested a specific amount of spectrum to be identified and allocated. We said that the goal should be at least 800 MHz of additional spectrum over the next six years. We also requested policymakers to meet short-term spectrum needs by pairing and allocating readily-available spectrum.

To read the filing, please click here.

Here are a few of the media stories on our filing:

mobihealthnews, CTIA to FCC: More spectrum for mHealth
WIRED, Wireless group tells FCC: Show us the spectrum
Broadcasting & Cable, CTIA wants more spectrum
WirelessWeek, CTIA Petitions FCC for More Spectrum
mocoNews.net, CTIA To FCC: Without More Wireless Spectrum, ‘Demand May Outpace Supply’

CTIA Statement on FCC Chairman Genachowski's Address on New Guidelines for the Internet

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:09:00 -0500

I issued the following statement today in response to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s address on new guidelines for the Internet:

“While we are waiting to read the contents of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), we welcome the Chairman's interest in wireless and his commitment to pose a series of detailed questions on how the Internet openness principles should apply to mobile broadband.

“As we have said before, we are concerned about the unintended consequences Internet regulation would have on consumers considering that competition within the industry has spurred innovation, investment, and growth for the U.S. economy.

“As a justification for the adoption of rules, the Chairman suggested that one reason for concern ‘has to do with limited competition among service providers.’ This is at the core of our concerns. Unlike the other platforms that would be subject to the rules, the wireless industry is extremely competitive, extremely innovative, and extremely personal. How do the rules apply to the single-purpose Amazon Kindle? How does it apply to Google’s efforts to cache content to provide a better consumer experience? How about the efforts from Apple and Android, Blackberry and Nokia, Firefly and others to differentiate the products and services they develop for consumers? Should all product and service offerings be the same?

“Regarding spectrum investment, the Commission need only look at the results of the 700 MHz auction to understand the impact on investment. The C Block rules, which included an open requirement, had only two bidders, and sold for significantly less. The other licenses, which sold for significantly more, were sold with the promise that the spectrum would not be subject to the open rules. Now the Commission is considering changing the rules after the auction -- impacting companies’ confidence in the auction process -- just as carriers are facing a brewing spectrum crisis.”

For more information on Net Neutrality/Internet Regulation, please click here.

CTIA Statement on FCC Open Commission Meeting

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:56:00 -0500

I issued the statement below in response to today’s FCC Open Commission Meeting:

“CTIA and the wireless industry appreciate the opportunity to respond to the Notices of Inquiry and to provide the Chairman and Commissioners, as well as other policy-makers, with information on the status of the evolving wireless ecosystem. Whether it be the almost 100,000 applications that are now available to consumers since the opening of the first applications store 14 months ago, or the launch in the United States of the newest smart phones, or the ability of more consumers in the U.S than anywhere else on the planet to access the highest speed wireless networks, or the lowest price per minute of the 26 countries tracked by Merrill Lynch, or the highest minutes of use of those same 26 countries, or the fact that we have the least concentrated wireless market on the planet, or the evolution in the way services are sold – we are excited to tell the industry’s story. The wireless ecosystem – from carriers, to handset manufacturers, to network providers, to operating system providers, to application developers – is evolving before our eyes and this is not the same market that it was even three years ago. In this industry, innovation is everywhere.”

For an independent review of the wireless industry, please click here.

CTIA Talks with Media on the New FCC

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:32:00 -0500

Over the last few weeks, I've been talking with reporters and bloggers about the new FCC and its focus on the wireless industry. As you've probably read, we are looking forward to educating the FCC (and policymakers) on the facts about the industry. We have a great story and we look forward to the opportunity to share this information with them.

Since the agenda for the August 27th meeting has been released, many of those interviews have touched on the three NOIs (notice of inquiry). Specifically, there are two that are focused on the wireless industry – one on innovation and investment and the other on competition. The third is focused on truth-in-billing across numerous industries, including wireless.

Here are a few of the stories that have been published based on these interviews:

8/24 - ComputerWorld -- Wireless industry defends itself against mounting criticism
8/21 - CNET -- FCC takes a closer look at wireless industry
8/21 - Forbes -- Telecom facing more active FCC
8/17 - GigaOM -- For better mobile broadband, the U.S. needs more spectrum