Obama administration looks to Defense Department airwaves for commercial use

In its quest to make more airwaves available for consumer wireless devices, the Obama administration said it is evaluating a chunk of spectrum currently being used by the Defense Department and federal law enforcement for possible commercial uses.

The Nation Telecommunications and Information Administration said the swath of airwaves, totaling 95 megahertz in the 1755 to 1850 band, will be evaluated for its technical properties and costs to repurpose into commercial mobile broadband networks. The move is part of the White House's push to free up more public and other airwaves -- such as those held by television broadcasters -- to be used for a next generation of smart phones, tablets, appliances and Internet-connected machines. Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Lawrence Strickling, said the NTIA and Federal Communications Commission will work together to evaluate the airwaves currently being used for satellite, surveillance, and aeronautical operations. The agency plans to compete the analysis by Sept. 30, 2011.