Sen. Schatz Pushes for National Unlicensed Spectrum Plan

The Senate Commerce Committee is preparing consideration of a new bill, the Mobile Now Act, which would charge the federal government with finding new spectrum to free up for wireless broadband. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has introduced the Promoting Unlicensed Spectrum Act, a bill that would create a "National Unlicensed Spectrum Strategy" and would require the Federal Communications Commission to "establish a process that will ensure that future spectrum allocation and assignment actions produce a balance between licensed and unlicensed bands."

"As the Commerce Committee considers a strategy to expand a spectrum pipeline for the future, it is critical to ensure unlicensed spectrum is a central piece of our overall strategy," Sen Schatz said in announcing the bill.