FCC Chair Julius Genachowski

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced today that he  will be stepping down from his post in the coming weeks. Nominated by President Obama and  confirmed by the Senate in 2009, Genachowski has led the FCC during a time of rapid growth  and transformative change in the Technology, Media & Telecommunications sector, particularly  around broadband – high-speed Internet.

Chairman Genachowski made his announcement in remarks to FCC staff this morning. During  his remarks he said:

“Over the past four years, we’ve focused the FCC on broadband, wired and  wireless, working to drive economic growth and improve the lives of all Americans.  And thanks to you, the Commission’s employees, we’ve taken big steps to build a  future where broadband is ubiquitous and bandwidth is abundant, where  innovation and investment are flourishing.

“To connect all Americans to broadband, we adopted a landmark overhaul of multi- billion dollar universal service programs, modernizing them from telephone to broadband  and creating the Connect America Fund and the Mobility Fund, an unprecedented  commitment to broadband infrastructure.

“To unleash the enormous opportunities of mobile, we pioneered incentive auctions and  other cutting-edge spectrum policies.

“To fuel America’s innovation economy, we put in place the first rules to preserve  Internet freedom and openness.

“To drive competition and empower consumers, we opposed and modified transactions  where necessary, deployed technology to drive transparency, and took unprecedented  enforcement actions.

“We helped harness the power of digital technologies to give students a better chance,  people better health care, and make Americans safer in their homes and communities,  while also guarding against digital threats and strengthening cybersecurity.

“Today, America’s broadband economy is thriving, with record-setting private  investment; unparalleled innovation in networks, devices and apps; and renewed  U.S. leadership around the world.

“While there are challenges ahead in this fast-moving, globally competitive sector, a  revitalized FCC is prepared to continue taking them on. I’m deeply grateful to President  Obama for his vision, friendship, and the opportunity to serve our country.

“I’m proud of what we’ve done together to harness technology to advance the American  dream for the 21st century. I know you’ll continue to fight hard to fulfill this agency’s  vital mission, and I look forward to continuing to work together until my last day at the  agency, and to count you as family and as an inspiration for long after that.”

Please find here a document highlighting developments in the broadband economy and FCC  actions over the past four years:  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-319728A1.pdf.