WASHINGTON—The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) announced that Cliff Jones has joined the agency as associate chief and chief of the laboratory division.
Jones joins the regulator from Verizon Communications, where he led operations for the telco’s private cloud infrastructure and the applications supporting its 5G wireless network, overseeing core-network modernization and large-scale cloud deployment.
He brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in engineering, operations, customer service, research, equipment build and compliance roles with major telcos and media companies, the FCC said.
“Cliff brings the supervisory strength, technical authority, compliance expertise, and transformational leadership essential for this role,” Oiffce of Engineering and Technology Chief Andrew Hendrickson said. “His telecommunications experience, regulatory grounding, and RF background position him exceptionally well to support the Laboratory Division’s mission. He will be an outstanding addition to OET, bringing operational excellence, a customer‑first mindset, and the leadership needed to support the Commission and advance its agenda. I look forward to welcoming him to the team.”
Jones’ private-sector career as a technology executive spans some 33 years and includes expertise in RF technologies, point-to-point microwave, satellite, hybrid fiber‑coaxial, fiber to the premises, fiber‑optic transport, Internet Protocol streaming, private branch exchange systems and traditional and Voice over Internet Protocol telephony, the FCC said.
As an associate director at Verizon, Jones was instrumental in managing domestic and international core cloud infrastructure and operationalizing the 5G core network. He also led Verizon’s nationwide Fios Video Offices, where he directed large‑scale network operations and oversaw the super headend and video hub office architecture.
At Comcast, Jones contributed to major advances in hybrid fiber-coaxial networks, digital encoding and transmission, Emergency Alert Systems and cable modems, the regulator said. He was pivotal in Comcast’s efforts to modernize traditional facilities into state‑of‑the‑art video data centers, the FCC added.
One of OET’s missions is to manage spectrum resources and provide leadership to create new opportunities for competitive technologies and services for the American public, the FCC said. The office maintains the U.S. Table of Frequency Allocations, manages the Experimental Licensing and Equipment Authorization programs, regulates the operation of unlicensed devices and conducts engineering and technical studies.
