Page 114 - SAMENA Trends - Jan-Mar 2024

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

NTIA Releases Implementation Plan for National Spectrum Strategy

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration
has released the implementation plan for the Biden administration’s
National Spectrum Strategy, which aims to kick off working groups
on three candidate bands this month and have technical work to
be completed by the end of next year. The implementation plan
sets out times lines milestones and responsible agencies for
study of 2,786 megahertz of spectrum that was identified in the
NSS, which was released last November. NTIA noted that part of
what will be studied is whether airborne radars and other federal
systems in the lower 3 GHz band could be repacked, compressed
or relocated to allow commercial user of the band—which may be
encouraging to wireless operators who would like to see additional
full-power access in 3 GHz airwaves, rather than an extension
of the lower-power, shared CBRS framework. “The U.S. is in the
midst of an intense competition for global leadership in the
wireless space,” said Alan Davidson, who is Assistant Secretary
of Commerce for communications and information as well as
NTIA administrator. “The Implementation Plan offers a roadmap
to realize the vision of the National Spectrum Strategy and meet
the global challenge before us.” However, the implementation plan
is reflective of the massive amount of collaboration that needs to
be done to assess and potentially clear a band of federal users or
share a band, rather than a straight path to additional spectrum
allocations. While a final report and recommendations on the first
candidate band are expected to be delivered as soon as November
of this year, that band is 37 GHz, rather than a lower frequency
that would be more attractive for propagation purposes. Final
reports and recommendations on the lower 3 GHz and spectrum
in the upper midband at 7-8 GHz aren’t expected until late 2026.
And of course, action on any recommendations on reallocation
and auction of additional spectrum would require that Congress many competing interests on behalf of all Americans.” “We hope to
reinstate the FCC’s auction authority. “We are encouraged by the see diverse industry engagement in this process and look forward
Administration’s National Spectrum Strategy Implementation Plan, to supporting the NTIA’s work expediting delivery of the 37 GHz
which comes at a crucial time as America continues to trail other to market, focusing on Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, and creating
countries in freeing up mid-band spectrum for 5G networks,” said a long-term collaboration framework for engaging with public
Meredith Atwell-Baker, CTIA’s president and CEO. “We are pleased stakeholders,” said Tamara Smith, spokesperson for avocacy group
to see the Administration restore NTIA leadership over spectrum Spectrum for the Future, which represents a number of players in
studies, right the course on the lower 3 GHz band, and set up a cable, private wireless and spectrum-sharing enablement. “That
critical review of the 7/8 GHz band. It is vital that the Administration said, a multi-year, multi-stakeholder analysis has already confirmed
now move quickly to start these studies as we need decisive that sharing the lower 3 GHz is possible. Additional study of the
action on reallocating spectrum to secure our global economic band for exclusive, high-power use will only delay the inevitable
competitiveness and innovation leadership. We look forward to finding that this band should be made available on a shared basis.
working closely with the Administration, NTIA, FCC, DoD, Congress, The Defense Department has warned that to do otherwise would
and other stakeholders to take the necessary steps to build the cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars and take decades to
spectrum pipeline America needs.” The National Spectrum complete, so it is unfortunate to see this process being dragged
Consortium (NSC) called the implementation plan “robust” in out further,” Smith added in emailed remarks. Meanwhile, Senate
emailed comments and added: “Approaching spectrum policy as a Republicans preempted the release of the implementation plan
zero-sum game will no longer work. As we continue to digitize our with the release of a new bill yesterday, which would require NTIA
infrastructure, spectrum is an increasingly important resource to to identify at least 2,500 megahertz of midband spectrum between
a number of industries and federal agencies alike. NTIA is taking 1.3 GHz-13.2 GHz that could be reallocated for commercial use
on a huge challenge to set up the wireless future of this country, and stipulates that at least half of the identified spectrum must
and this plan lays out a collaborative, innovative path to navigate allow for “full power commercial licensed use cases.”

114 JANUARY-MARCH 2024