Mar 16 -- The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce, seeks public comment on the development and implementation of a National Spectrum Strategy for the United States. Through this Request for Comments, NTIA seeks broad input from interested stakeholders, including private industry (specifically including developers and end-users of spectrum-based technologies and services, and contractors for federal missions), academia, civil society, the public sector, and others on three proposed pillars of the National Spectrum Strategy set forth below. Parties should file their comments no later than April 17, 2023.
NTIA serves as the President's principal advisor on telecommunications policies and manages the use of the radio-frequency spectrum by federal agencies. See 47 U.S.C. 902(b)(2). NTIA is seeking public input on the scope and content of a National Spectrum Strategy. These inputs will allow NTIA and other federal agencies to benefit from expertise and viewpoints outside the federal government. These views will be considered and may be reflected in the development of a National Spectrum Strategy document and ensuing implementation plan, which are needed to accelerate U.S. leadership in wireless communications and other spectrum-based technologies and to unlock innovations that benefit the American people.
America is increasingly dependent on secure and reliable access to radio frequency spectrum. Sufficient access to spectrum is vital to national security, critical infrastructure, transportation, emergency response, public safety, scientific discovery, economic growth, competitive next-generation communications, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Increased spectrum access will also advance U.S. innovation, connectivity, and competition, create high-paying and highly skilled jobs, and produce improvements to the overall quality of life. Access to more spectrum, in short, will help the United States continue to lead the world in advanced technology and enhance our national and economic security.
Spectrum access, however, must be managed responsibly and efficiently. NTIA jointly manages the nation's spectrum resources with the Federal Communications Commission. NTIA is requesting comments from interested parties to help inform the development of a national spectrum strategy, which is needed for the U.S. to plan effectively for its current and future spectrum needs. As part of this effort, and to support the need for greater spectrum access, NTIA—in collaboration with the Federal Communications Commission and in coordination with its other federal partners—endeavors to identify at least 1,500 megahertz of spectrum for in-depth study to determine whether that spectrum can be repurposed to allow more intensive use. The Department of Commerce is committed to developing a national spectrum strategy based upon collaboration with both federal and non-federal stakeholders, including Tribes, and on data-driven decision-making, to fully address the needs of spectrum reliant services and missions, including but not limited to:
• Fixed and mobile wireless broadband services;
• Next-generation satellite communications and other space-based systems;
• Advanced transportation technologies;
• Industrial and commercial applications, (i.e., manufacturing, agriculture, and utilities);
• Wireless medical devices and telemedicine;
• Internet of Things (IoT) and smart cities;
• National defense and homeland security;
• Safeguarding the national airspace and ports;
• Securing the Nation's critical infrastructure;
• Earth and space exploration and research; and
• Climate monitoring and forecasting, and other scientific endeavors.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) seeks broad input from interested stakeholders, including private industry (specifically including wireless broadband internet service providers, original equipment manufacturers and network vendors, developers and end-users of spectrum-based technologies and services, and contractors for federal missions), academia, civil society, the public sector, and others on three proposed pillars of the National Spectrum Strategy. NTIA will also confer with federal agencies with an interest in spectrum access.
Please provide any data you have available and are able to make public to support comments in response to the questions below.
Pillar #1—A Spectrum Pipeline To Ensure U.S. Leadership in Spectrum-Based Technologies -- A spectrum pipeline is essential to continue our nation's economic growth, to improve our global competitiveness, and to support critical federal services and missions. For purposes of the Strategy, we define “spectrum pipeline” to mean a process for identifying spectrum bands, regardless of allocation (i.e., both federal and non-federal) that should be studied for repurposing (i.e., allowing new or additional uses) to meet future requirements for non-federal and federal use alike. We seek input on what requirements such a pipeline needs to address, and which spectrum bands may be best suited for particular purposes. . . .
Pillar #2—Long-Term Spectrum Planning -- The key to addressing spectrum needs across sectors is a long-term planning process in which affected stakeholders work together openly and transparently in an ongoing manner. This is how evolving user requirements can be vetted and allocations can be regularly assessed to optimize uses of spectrum to ensure its greatest benefits to the American people. Under the Spectrum Coordination Initiative, NTIA and the FCC are collaborating to develop and implement a long-term strategic spectrum planning process. This process, once adopted, would provide a plan for future spectrum access and compatibility across uses based on projected future national spectrum requirements. We seek input on what a long-term planning process should entail, with whom and at what cadence should NTIA coordinate as part of such process, and how best to execute it. . . .
Pillar #3—Unprecedented Spectrum Access and Management Through Technology Development -- A key strategy to ensure sufficient access to spectrum for our nation is to embrace innovation and pursue technologies that expand the overall capacity or usability of the radiofrequency spectrum. Our nation has always been at the forefront of technological advancements across multiple industries and fields, so it should be no different with spectrum-based technologies. We seek input on what categories of new or emerging technologies could best help to ensure the U.S. continues to innovate and maintain its global leadership in spectrum-based services. . . .
FRN:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2023-05406