National Telecommunications and Information Administration to Seek Public Comment on Developing Spectrum Strategy

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will ask the public what spectrum should become available and for what purposes. The NTIA will develop a “spectrum strategy” designed to free up airwaves for a wide variety of uses. The NTIA will rely on multiple streams of public input, including a request for comment and public meetings to inform this strategy. When designing spectrum policy, the government balances the needs of the federal government – including the national security entities – with those of private industry and others. The NTIA administers radio spectrum for federal use while the Federal Communications Commission administers radio spectrum for non-federal use. The two agencies play a large role in shifting spectrum allocations from the federal government to other entities, which are often in the private sector.