NTIA to develop national spectrum strategy in 2023

Alan Davidson, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, talked about the agency’s plan to advance open Radio Access Networks (open RAN). The NTIA manages federal spectrum use and serves as the President’s advisor on spectrum policy. This means that the NTIA works together with the Federal Communications Commission to manage spectrum when a federal user is involved. In 2023 NTIA will be working with federal agency partners to develop a national spectrum strategy, which will provide a long-term plan to meet both commercial and federal spectrum needs. Currently, there are myriad organizations lobbying for more spectrum. The most immediate concern is the 3.1-3.45 GHz band. Some companies — namely the big wireless carriers represented by the trade group CTIA — want this spectrum auctioned for exclusive, licensed use. While other organizations prefer spectrum-sharing schemes such as what the FCC and Department of Defense implemented for the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum. The agency is looking for broad input on the best way to catalyze the open RAN market.