Pentagon, telecom industry’s battle over spectrum symptomatic of a troubled system

For decades, the Department of Defense (DoD) has had relatively unquestioned access to a large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum — a critical resource that enables capabilities like radars, satellite communications, and navigation systems. However, a number of leaders at the Pentagon are concerned that access may soon be taken away. There has been a years-long battle between the DoD and the commercial telecommunications industry over access to the 3.1-3.45 GHz S-band. That portion of spectrum has been solely designated to the DoD for decades. But telecommunications companies are arguing that obtaining access to it is crucial for them to meet the rising demand for 5G wireless technology. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is on the cusp of releasing a highly anticipated congressionally mandated study — which the Pentagon participated in — discussing potential impacts to the DoD if it had to give up parts of the spectrum to commercial companies. The study is also examining the feasibility of both 5G providers and the DoD sharing the spectrum, requiring additional technical and scheduling agreements between both parties. However, experts told DefenseScoop the conflict is symptomatic of an outdated spectrum management system plagued by policy, legal and technological guardrails. At the same time, freeing up spectrum for commercial use could be considered a national security interest.