FCC Budget Aids Wireless Broadband

Two programs funded under the 2014 budget show the Obama Administration is moving forward with plans to free up more airwaves for wireless broadband as Americans’ demand for wireless devices grows.

Next year, the Federal Communications Commission plans to begin the process of auctioning television airwaves that have been voluntarily relinquished by station owners. The Administration’s 2014 budget allocates $500 million for broadcasters as they rework their infrastructure during that process. Wireless carriers are expected to be the major bidders at the auction, which hasn’t been scheduled yet, so they can provide customers with better service for smartphones, tablets and other devices. The budget also provides $7.5 million in funding for a spectrum-monitoring program at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which oversees spectrum used by federal agencies and is within the Commerce Department. Under the program, NTIA would study usage patterns in 10 major metropolitan areas. The goal, according to the budget document, is to find ways to potentially repurpose some of the airwaves currently used by government agencies or the military for commercial uses.