SPECTRUM FOR THE FUTURE STATEMENT ON NATIONAL SPECTRUM STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Washington, D.C. – Spectrum for the Future (SFTF) released the following statement on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) release of its implementation plan for the White House’s National Spectrum Strategy. 

“The National Spectrum Strategy was developed to secure U.S. leadership in wireless innovation for decades to come. To fulfill that mission, America must move quickly to prioritize diversity in spectrum ownership and use cases. We hope to see diverse industry engagement in this process and look forward to supporting the NTIA’s work expediting delivery of the 37 GHz to market, focusing on Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, and creating a long-term collaboration framework for engaging with public stakeholders,” said Tamara Smith, spokesperson for Spectrum for the Future.

“That said, a multi-year, multi-stakeholder analysis has already confirmed that sharing the lower 3 GHz is possible. Additional study of the band for exclusive, high-power use will only delay the inevitable finding that this band should be made available on a shared basis. The Defense Department has warned that to do otherwise would cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars and take decades to complete, so it is unfortunate to see this process being dragged out further,” added Smith.

In the global race to 5G, more locally licensed spectrum sharing with power levels similar to the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) would ensure U.S. leadership on the global stage. In its first release of the National Spectrum Strategy, NTIA acknowledged that dynamic spectrum sharing is feasible in the lower 3 GHz band if advanced interference-mitigation and coordination frameworks are adopted. 

“Unlike a high-power, exclusively licensed approach that caters to a handful of legacy carriers, dynamic spectrum sharing in the lower 3 GHz band will promote competition and protect both taxpayers and U.S. security. Faster progress on shared spectrum would demonstrate what real innovation looks like and ultimately ensure the successful implementation of the National Spectrum Strategy,” concluded Smith.