Stay connected:
Make More Spectrum Available
A recommendation to:
Administration
Policy Change:
In April 2011, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration reported that a vast majority of Federal agencies are meeting their original relocation timeframe and cost estimates. NTIA expects the five remaining agencies to complete their relocation from the 1710-1755 MHz band by April 2013. Specifically, the Department of Defense, Tennessee Valley Authority, United States Department of Agriculture, and most of the Department of Energy systems will relocate by April 2011. The remaining Department of Energy systems will relocate by April 2013. The Department of Interior will complete its relocation effort by April 2013.
In April 2011, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration published a Progress Report pursuant to the Presidential Memorandum issued on June 28, 2010, which directed the Department of Commerce, working with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to identify and make available 500 megahertz of spectrum over the next ten years for expanded wireless broadband use. Since the issuance of the Presidential Memorandum, NTIA has completed two initiatives in support of the 500 megahertz goal, while the FCC has initiated several rulemakings. President Obama also has proposed the Wireless Innovation and Infrastructure Initiative that reiterates the Administration’s support for freeing up 500 MHz of spectrum for commercial purposes through voluntary incentive auctions and more efficient use of government spectrum.
Congress
Legislation Introduced:
S 455 RADIOS Act
Updates
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03/28/2012
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03/27/2012
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10/17/2011
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04/12/2011
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04/05/2011
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04/05/2011
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03/09/2011
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03/08/2011
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03/02/2011
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02/10/2011
Details
Recommendation #31
FCC Chapter: 5.8
Status: In progress
The Federal Communications Commission should make 500 megahertz newly available for broadband use within the next 10 years, of which 300 megahertz between 225 MHz and 3.7 GHz should be made newly available for mobile use within five years.
This spectrum would be made available for a variety of licensed and unlicensed flexible commercial uses, as well as to meet the broadband needs of specialized users such as public safety, energy, educational and other important users. Of this amount, 300 megahertz between 225 MHz and 3.7 GHz should be made available for mobile flexible use within five years.
The FCC has a number of tools at its disposal to make spectrum usable for broadband, including changing allocations and modifying service, technical and auction rules. For some bands, reallocation may be the appropriate action. However, for others, reallocation may not be practical given international agreements and other constraints. In these situations, making spectrum available for broadband means taking steps appropriate to the specific circumstances of individual bands. It means working within the authority of the FCC or NTIA to remove legacy constraints that limit the usefulness of a band for appropriate broadband services and applications.
Increasing spectrum availability does not necessarily imply a traditional spectrum auction. In instances where the government is able to reclaim spectrum, a traditional auction will be the most appropriate and efficient method of reallocation. In other cases, the most expedient path to repurposing spectrum to broadband may be to use incentive auctions or to take other steps to energize the secondary markets for a particular band.
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