WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) announced that Cliff Jones will join the office as Associate Chief and Chief of the Laboratory Division.
Jones brings more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning engineering, operations, customer service, research, and equipment‑build and compliance roles across major telecommunications and media providers to the new role, the agency said.
Most recently, he led operations for Verizon’s private‑cloud infrastructure and the applications supporting Verizon’s 5G network, overseeing core‑network modernization and large‑scale cloud deployment.
“Cliff brings the supervisory strength, technical authority, compliance expertise, and transformational leadership essential for this role,” explained Andrew Hendrickson, Chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology. “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 served as a technology executive in the private sector, amassing 33 years of telecommunications experience across multiple domains. His technical expertise includes radio‑frequency (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 both traditional and Voice over Internet Protocol telephony.
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. During his tenure at Comcast, Jones contributed to major technical advances in cable television over the past three decades. Spanning hybrid fiber‑coaxial networks, digital encoding and transmission, Emergency Alert Systems, and cable modems, he played a pivotal role in modernizing traditional facilities into state‑of‑the‑art video data centers.
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 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.
