December 17, 1998 PRESS STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN WILLIAM E. KENNARD ON THE ADOPTION OF THE 3650 - 3700 MHz NPRM AND ORDER Our spectrum management policies must promote competition wherever possible. As I mentioned at the Personal Communications Industry Association (PCIA) Convention last September, this Notice carries with it tremendous promise because of its potential to assist us in fostering local telephone competition and the deployment of advanced telecommunication services. I am very pleased that we are fulfilling the commitment that I made at PCIA. Because I view this proposed allocation as having great potential to promote wide-spread competitive local telephone service and wireless Internet access for residential and small businesses consumers, I will be especially interested in commenters' views on the viability of fixed wireless access service in the 3650-3700 MHz band, and whether the proposal contained in this Notice will be effective at helping to realize this potential. -FCC-