For Immediate Release
October 5, 2026
Contact: [email protected]
In case you missed it – A new Washington Examiner op-ed from Andrew Clegg, co-founder and chief technology officer of Valo Analytica, argues that spectrum sharing should be part of the conversation as the United States works to expand wireless capacity for the growing AI economy.
Clegg writes that as AI moves into manufacturing, logistics, energy, and other parts of the physical economy, businesses will increasingly need reliable wireless connectivity and significant amounts of spectrum capacity. With NTIA preparing to study the 4.4–4.94GHz band, Clegg argues that policymakers should consider sharing as an alternative to the traditional approach of clearing federal users before making 4.4GHz spectrum available for commercial use.
“Sharing spectrum between government and commercial users could bring more usable spectrum online sooner, put it within reach of more businesses and avoid a significant portion of the cost and disruption of relocating federal systems,” Clegg writes.
Citing analysis from his Valo Analytica study, Clegg argues that sharing could allow commercial access to begin without waiting for every federal incumbent to relocate, while also making spectrum available on a more localized basis to manufacturers, logistics companies, utilities, research institutions, and other businesses deploying AI-enabled systems.
Clegg also points to existing spectrum-sharing models, including Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) and automated frequency coordination in the 6GHz band, as examples of technologies that allow commercial users to operate alongside protected federal or incumbent systems. He notes that the specific framework for 4.4GHz would be different, but argues that the underlying capability to coordinate shared use is already demonstrated.
Read an excerpt from the article below.
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America’s AI Debate Is Overlooking Another Scarce Resource: Spectrum
Washington Examiner
October 5, 2026
The national conversation about artificial intelligence has focused on how it should be regulated, whether America can build enough data centers and generate enough power to run them, and whether today’s extraordinary investment boom can last.
Much less attention has gone to another piece of infrastructure AI will increasingly depend on: spectrum.
As AI moves into manufacturing, logistics, energy, and other parts of the physical economy, machines will need to exchange large amounts of information reliably and in real time. That requires wireless capacity. Unlike computing power or electricity generation, spectrum is finite. We cannot build more when demand rises. Instead, we count on federal regulators to manage the country’s limited spectrum resources effectively.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is preparing to study options for opening the 4.4–4.94 GHz band, more than 500 megahertz of prime mid-band spectrum that today supports a wide range of military and other federal operations. Congress and the president have directed NTIA to examine whether portions could be reallocated for commercial licensed use as part of America’s push toward 6G.
My firm, Valo Analytica, recently analyzed the band, and we found that spectrum sharing deserves to be part of NTIA’s consideration. Some industry advocates have suggested that the right path for the 4.4 GHz band is the traditional “clear and auction” method of making spectrum available, but this approach can create serious disruption for government users providing critical services, forcing them to relocate elsewhere, buy new equipment and endure uncertainty in their operations.
Check out the full article here.