NTIA Identifies Federal Spectrum For Reallocation

The head of the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration said that his agency has recommended that 115 megahertz of spectrum now controlled by some federal agencies be reallocated for commercial mobile broadband use.

During a speech at the Federal Communications Bar Association, NTIA Director Lawrence Strickling said the recommendation is included in a report for freeing up spectrum that is being reviewed by Obama administration officials. The plan is aimed at helping the administration meet a five-year goal, included in the FCC's national broadband plan, for freeing up 500 megahertz of spectrum for wireless broadband technologies. Director Strickling said the report, which will provide more detail on freeing up spectrum to meet the administration's goal, is working its way through the interagency evaluation process and would be released "soon."

If the NTIA recommendations are accepted, it will be up to the FCC to implement them, Strickling noted. After the speech, Strickling told reporters that "more and more" federal spectrum users will have to find new ways to share spectrum, saying the days when big chunks of prime spectrum could be auctioned off for commercial use are gone. He also stressed the need for research and development into ways to make better use of existing spectrum.

• 100 megahertz is held by the Department of Defense and used primarily for radar systems for naval vessels.
• 15 megahertz is held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and used for weather balloons and satellites.