National Telecommunications and Information Administration Chief David Redl resigned on Thursday, officials confirmed to The Hill. Redl has been at the helm of the NTIA, the body tasked with advising the Trump administration’s telecom policy within the Department of Commerce, since November 2017.
Diane Rinaldo will take over as acting administrator, according to an NTIA spokeswoman.
Rinaldo is a former staffer with the House Intelligence Committee who has been Redl’s deputy at NTIA for the past year.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai thanked Redl and wished him, “all the best in his future endeavors,” in a statement. Pai called Redl, “a longtime colleague, who served with distinction during his 18 months at NTIA. He was a vocal advocate within the Department of Commerce for repurposing federal spectrum for commercial use and fostering the private sector’s lead in 5G deployment.”
Redl most recently addressed the Satellite Industry Association leadership dinner Monday evening. He said the era of easy spectrum decisions is “over,” Inside Towers reported.
Prior to NTIA, Redl was an adviser to Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) when Walden chaired the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross also thanked Redl for his work and wished him well, reported The Hill.
Claude Aiken, president and CEO of the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, said: “David’s work at the Department of Commerce with the NTIA, and elsewhere in government, has had a profound and positive effect on the U.S. communications landscape. He was passionate about getting affordable broadband deployed to all Americans and advancing U.S. leadership in new technologies.”
Redl was the assistant secretary for communications and information at the Department of Commerce. President Trump nominated Redl to the position in May 2017. The NTIA, a federal agency within the Department of Commerce, is the White House’s primary adviser on telecom policy, including broadband access and spectrum.
May 10, 2019
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