NTIA Publishes Federal Agency Spectrum Transition Plans

The US Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration has published the federal agencies’ transition plans for vacating or sharing spectrum bands set to be auctioned by the Federal Communications Commission in the fall of 2014.

The agencies’ transition plans provide information on the 1695-1710 MHz and 1755-1780 MHz bands, known as the “AWS-3” bands. The plans include timelines outlining when agencies will discontinue use of the bands or be ready to share them with non-federal users and provide estimates of the cost of relocating or sharing in these bands.

NTIA and the FCC will soon be releasing a joint public notice detailing the coordination procedures between AWS-3 licensees and the agencies following the FCC auction. The FCC’s auction of these bands along with the 2155-2180 MHz band is scheduled to begin on November 13, 2014.