Chairman Walden Unveils Jumpstarting Opportunity with Broadband Spectrum Act

House Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) unveiled the Jumpstarting Opportunity with Broadband Spectrum (JOBS) Act of 2011.

The JOBS Act will advance wireless broadband service, spur billions of dollars in private investment, create thousands of jobs, help bring interoperable broadband communications to public safety officials, and reduce the deficit by approximately $15 billion. The legislation is the culmination of five hearings and extensive bipartisan negotiations to use voluntary incentive auctions to make more efficient and effective use of the public’s airwaves and support establishment of a nationwide, interoperable, broadband public safety network.
The legislation authorizes incentive auctions, creating the contiguous, 20-MHz block of spectrum public safety officials say they need for broadband by reallocating the 700 MHz D Block and providing for the return of 700 MHz narrowband spectrum, making up to $6.5 billion in grants available for the construction of an interoperable public safety network, and creating a governance structure for construction and operation of the network. The legislation also addresses the relocation of federal government incumbents to make additional spectrum available for commercial services. Following the experiences of the AWS-1 band (1710-1755 MHz), the legislation adopts changes to the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act to streamline the existing relocation process, including providing NTIA with funding for spectrum planning prior to relocation auctions, permitting incremental updates to government systems through the relocation process, improving processes for the creation of relocation plans, and improving accountability.