Five Principles for Spectrum Policy: A Primer for Policymakers

Spectrum policy takes engineering and technical realities as inputs to a decision-making process that is driven by normative principles. While many competing principles have had their heyday, these five are enduring guides to making spectrum work in the public interest:

1. Spectrum’s value comes from how people use it, so spectrum policy should maximize productivity rather than maximizing auction revenue or minimizing interference.
2. Markets are the best way to drive spectrum to its most productive use, so spectrum policy should enable well-functioning markets for flexible licenses.
3. There are important federal missions that require spectrum, but policymakers should account for its value in the appropriations process.
4. Public and private research into new radio technologies is key to increasing the availability of spectrum through developments such as sharing systems and uses for higher frequencies.
5. Unlicensed spectrum contributes to productivity when combined with proper technical rules and limited propagation, but calls for more unlicensed spectrum deserve close scrutiny.

[Joe Kane is director of broadband and spectrum policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.]