Filling Gaps in US Spectrum Allocation: Reforms for Collaborative Management

With the rapid rise of wireless technology, the demand for access to the spectrum has increased in recent years. However, there are critical and interrelated gaps and failures in the process and policies used for efficiently allocating the spectrum in the US. Key takeaways from an analysis on this issue include the following:

• Spectrum allocation takes place within an established process defined by international standards, legislation, regulations, and norms. 
• There are gaps in this process, such as insufficient information gathering and sharing early in the process, lack of rigorous technical standards and analysis, and inadequate adherence to the process. 
• To prevent future breakdowns, spectrum users and regulators should improve their understanding of spectrum-using devices’ performance and take steps to enhance it with assistance from auction revenues.
• US government personnel should establish strong working relationships between agencies to better understand and resolve potential interference disputes collaboratively and at a technical, rather than political, level.
• Congress should ensure agencies have sufficient resources to conduct necessary technical analysis, and regulators should apply that analysis to impartially balance competing interests.
• All participants in the spectrum allocation process should adhere to the established interagency process, and the White House should vigorously support jurisdictional boundaries.