STATEMENT OF
CHAIRMAN AJIT PAI
Re: Amendment of Parts 1, 2, 22, 24, 27, 90 and 95 of the Commission’s Rules to Improve Wireless 
Coverage Through the Use of Signal Boosters, WT Docket No. 10-4
From Friday the 13
th
 to Red Eye to Wrong Turn 2: Dead End, frightening scenes of wireless calls 
failing due to poor coverage have become ubiquitous in horror films.  Indeed, there are entire meme 
videos devoted to the dozens of chilling movie moments when wireless calls were unsuccessful.
1
  
Thankfully, most wireless coverage difficulties don’t involve such frightening circumstances.  But poor 
coverage can nonetheless be a major problem for Americans seeking to conduct business or get in touch 
with loved ones.
In areas ranging from big-city basements to rural office cubicles, many Americans currently 
experience weak signal strength in areas where they spend much of their time.  Signal boosters, which 
improve wireless coverage by amplifying signals, can help address this problem.  And in 2013, the 
Commission took an important step forward when it authorized with certain conditions the use of 
consumer signal boosters (CSBs) for personal use.
However, more can be done to improve mobile coverage through the use of signal boosters.  Our 
current rules restricting boosters to personal use don’t allow small businesses and other organizations like 
public safety entities to take full advantage of these devices.  Based on the experience to date with signal 
boosters, these restrictions are no longer necessary.  So today, we take steps to provide additional relief.
Specifically, we eliminate the personal use restriction for provider-specific CSBs.  This will allow 
small businesses and other enterprise consumers to use boosters to improve signal strength, for the benefit 
of employees and the public.  We also seek public input on ways to increase the availability of signal 
boosters by, for example, eliminating the personal use restriction on wideband signal boosters, expanding 
the spectrum bands in which signal boosters may operate, and making it easier to label signal boosters 
embedded in vehicles.
Signal boosters are one tool in the toolbox for providing ubiquitous wireless coverage to the 
American people.  And with our action today, we aim to make that tool a more powerful means of 
meeting our goal of expanding wireless connectivity.  Someday, hopefully soon, failed calls can be 
relegated to the silver screen.
Thanks to the staff who worked on this item.  In particular, Steve Buenzow, Peter Daronco, Kathy 
Harris, Amanda Huetinck, Heather Moelter, Roger Noel, Tyler Park, Blaise Scinto, Don Stockdale, and 
Suzanne Tetreault from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau; Rashmi Doshi and Tim Harrington 
from the Office of Engineering and Technology; Erika Olsen and Michael Wilhelm from the Public 
Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Rizwan Chowdhry, Charles Cooper, Matthew Gibson, Jeremy 
Marcus, Kevin Pittman, and Michael Scurato from the Enforcement Bureau; Chana Wilkerson from the 
Office of Communications Business Opportunities; and David Horowitz and Keith McCrickard from the 
Office of General Counsel.
1
 No Signal, YouTube (Sept. 22, 2009), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIZVcRccCx0.