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As the President's principal adviser on telecommunications policy issues, NTIA's proposes and analyzes Administration policy on a wide variety of issues regarding wireless communications and radio spectrum matters. NTIA's Office of Spectrum Management is responsible for the management of spectrum used by Federal Government agencies and related spectrum policy. The Office of Policy Analysis and Development may address the regulatory, economic, and commercial aspects of non-federal as well as federal spectrum use, regarding such matters as commercial mobile (cellular) telecommunications, broadcast spectrum, private radio, or Wi-Fi and other license exempt spectrum uses.
Introduction to the Radio Frequency Spectrum
The term "radio frequency spectrum" (or simply, "spectrum") describes a range of frequencies of electromagnetic waves used for communication and other purposes, such as radar. The radio spectrum is a part of everyone's daily lives, whether they think about it or not. It provides a basis for a wide and diverse range of services and industries, including broadcasting, cellular telephones, wireless Internet connections, paging, radar, navigation, air traffic control, microwave services, satellites, and even garage door openers. Spectrum is crucial to the work of police and fire departments, it is essential to air and ground transportation systems, and, as important as any of these, it is used by the military for everything from two-way radios to precision guided weapons to radars.
Spectrum management involves "allocation" and "assignment" of spectrum. An allocation describes use (e.g., broadcasting, fixed, mobile, etc.); allocations are made internationally and domestically. An assignment authorizes a person to use a discrete radio frequency channel under specified conditions.
Under the Communications Act of 1934, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses spectrum use within the United States by all parties except Federal Government agencies. NTIA, through its Office of Spectrum Management, assigns frequencies to Federal Government spectrum users under authority delegated from the President, through the Secretary of Commerce. Federal agencies are represented to NTIA through the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC), which advises NTIA. In addition, by statute, NTIA acts as the President's principal adviser on telecommunications policies generally, and must develop, in cooperation with the FCC, a long-range plan for management of the spectrum.
The United States Department of Commerce, of which NTIA is a part, has a long history of involvement in radio regulation. Under the Radio Act of 1912, the Department of Commerce issued licenses for commercial radio use. The Radio Act of 1927 established the independent Radio Federal Commission and the basic structure of radio regulation that was carried into the Communications Act of 1934 and the Federal Communications Commission.
Presidential Spectrum Reform Initiative
- Report:
1710-1755 MHZ Spectrum Band Relocation: NTIA
has released the First
Annual Progress Report on the Relocation of Federal users
from the 1710-1755 MHZ Spectrum Band, which details progress from the commencement
of relocation activity in March 2007 through December
2007. This is the first
federal spectrum band selected for relocation pursuant
to the Commercial Spectrum
Enhancement Act. (Acrobat PDF 123 Kb)
Posted: 04-17-2008
- Spectrum
Management Reform: President Bush signed
an executive
memorandum on May 29, 2003 to begin an Administration
initiative to reform radio spectrum
policies. The goal is to better manage the Nation's
airwaves, enhance homeland and economic security; increase
benefits to consumers and ensure U.S. leadership in
high-tech innovations.
- Spectrum
Task Force: The President's
memorandum established the
Federal Government Spectrum Task Force, composed
of representatives from a number of federal departments
and agencies.
- Spectrum
Management Reform Reports: In June 2004,
following a series of public events and a public inquiry,
NTIA issued two reports with
recommendations to improve spectrum management.
The Task Force released Report
1, and Report
2 included recommendations from state and local
governments and private sector responders.
- Executive Memorandum: On November 30, 2004, the President requested in an executive memorandum that the Department of Commerce submit a plan to implement the reports recommendations by May 2005.
Events and Conferences
- Improving
Spectrum Management through Economic or Other Incentives:
NTIA sponsored a workshop on Improving
Spectrum Management through Economic or Other Incentives on
February 28 - March 1, 2006 at the National Academy
of Sciences. The workshop elicited views and proposals
regarding the use of economic or other incentives to
increase spectrum management efficiency. Session topics
included spectrum valuation, righst and secondary markets,
sharing and fees
Draft agenda [ -- HTML -- Acrobat PDF -- ]
- Public
Events: As part of the spectrum initiative,
NTIA organized a series of public
events in Washington D.C. and Santa
Clara, California.
- Wireless
Innovations Showcase and Conference: In
May 2003, NTIA, in cooperation with the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Department of State's
Office of International Communications and Information
Policy (CIP), hosted a two-day Wireless Innovations
Conference. The first day was a technology showcase
organized by the FCC, attended by Commerce Secretary
Don Evans, Ambassador Janice Obuchowski, FCC Chairman
Michael Powell, and Assistant Secretary Nancy Victory
among others. This showcase included live demonstrations
of cutting edge wireless technologies and applications
for policy makers and members of the public. The second
day featured panel discussions among key policy makers,
entrepreneurs, industry representatives, and experts
from government and academia. Discussions centered on
such topics as the current market for Wi-Fi and other
unlicensed services, security and privacy issues, spectrum
and related issues, and international issues.
- NTIA Spectrum Summit: In April 2002, NTIA held a two-day Spectrum Summit in order to identify the best solutions to challenges posed by management of the nation's airwaves. In a number of open discussions, panelists and attendees addressed issues including spectrum allocation and efficiency, the spectrum requirements of new technologies, and regulatory processes. This summit represented a key step through which NTIA, the Federal Communications Commission and federal agencies began working together to make spectrum management processes more effective.
Speeches
- Intersection of Wireless and
Broadband: Acting Acting
Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information John M.R. Kneuer spoke on The
Intersection of Wireless and Broadband: Administration
Spectrum Policy at the Wireless Communications Association International
2006 annual conference in Washington, DC, on June 28,
2006.
[ -- HTML -- MS PowerPoint -- Acrobat PDF -- ]
- Congressional
Testimony on Wireless and Spectrum Management
Reform: Acting Assistant Secretary
for Communications and Information John Kneuer testified
before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation on wireless telecommunications issues
and spectrum management reform.
Congressional Testimony [-- HTML -- MS Word -- Acrobat PDF -- ]
For Further Information
- Comprehensive
Report on Spectrum Use and Management (1991)
was the culmination of a year-long study undertaken
by NTIA. While many of its recommendations have since
been adopted, the report remains valuable today for
its analytical approach to spectrum and its assessment
of many current issues.
- Key
Dates in Spectrum Management History
- Links
to related international websites
- Archives: Speeches, Letters, and Filings: 2002 - 2005
For more information contact:
Joe Gattuso, jgattuso@ntia.doc.gov
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
14th St. & Constitution Ave., NW, Room 4725
Washington, D.C. 20230
Voice: (202) 482-1880 · Fax: (202) 482-6173
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