WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) have announced an updated Memorandum of Understanding between the agencies on spectrum coordination. 

The new agreement marks the first time the MOU has been updated in nearly twenty years and will help revitalize interagency cooperation on spectrum issues, the Federal agencies said. 

The revised MOU also comes at a critical time in the nation’s efforts to expand access to high-speed internet, protect national security, promote economic growth, and advance the progress of science and technology the agencies said.

The MOU was signed by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson.

“Next-generation spectrum innovation is going to require next-generation spectrum coordination.  This updated MOU embraces the idea that no single entity can meet this challenge alone,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel.  “We need a whole of government approach—one that draws on the strengths in our national DNA: our hard-wired belief in the creative possibilities of the future, the power of coordination, and the rule of law.  This effort, as part of our broader Spectrum Coordination Initiative, helps make that possible.  I am grateful to have the leadership and partnership of Assistant Secretary Davidson in this important work.”

“A spectrum coordination agreement that pre-dates the smartphone is not sufficient to meet the challenges facing our agencies today,” said Assistant Secretary Davidson. “This updated MOU between NTIA and the FCC will deepen our collaboration and improve our ability to anticipate and mitigate serious spectrum issues. I salute Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s leadership and support in charting a course for sustained coordination for years to come.”

In February 15, 2022 the two agencies announced a Spectrum Coordination Initiative and the new MOU provides for a better framework for managing spectrum. Key features of the MOU include: 

• Formalized High-Level Planning.  For the first time, the FCC Chair and Assistant Secretary will hold formal meetings to conduct joint spectrum planning at least quarterly.
• A Longer-Term Spectrum Outlook.  FCC and NTIA staff will meet at least monthly to exchange information.  Where possible, the agencies will share their planned spectrum activities for the next 12 months.  
• Greater Coordination.  The agencies have committed to coordinating more of their spectrum activities than was required under the prior MOU, including when the agencies are considering taking actions that would create new spectrum adjacencies.  The updated MOU also extends the amount of time for coordination.
• Improved Transparency and Data Sharing.  Both agencies will endeavor to share information, concerns, or views as early in the spectrum planning process as possible, supported by technical data and analysis that is based on sound engineering principles.  For NTIA, this includes sharing information, concerns, or views of other federal agencies as well.  
• Clearer Dispute Resolution.  FCC and NTIA will work together to develop and implement a process for escalating any disputes for consideration by agency leadership.

Going forward, the agencies also said that they revisit the MOU every four years to ensure that it is keeping pace with the nation’s spectrum needs.  

The completed MOU is available here. 

LOUISVILLE, Colo.—The broadband cable industry research consortium CableLabs, has been named by the United States Department of Commerce as the host lab for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (NTIA-ITS) 5G Challenge. 

The goal of the 5G Challenge is to help accelerate the development and widespread deployment of open 5G networks. It is designed to increase the speed of adoption of 5G open interfaces, interoperable components, and multi-vendor solutions by fostering a large, vibrant, and growing vendor community dedicated to advancing 5G interoperability towards true plug-and-play operation.

NTIA-ITS is currently engaged in the design and execution of the 5G Challenge supporting the Department of Defense, Office of the Undersecretary for Research and Development. The prize competition requires a host lab with a 5G core network, testing and measurement capabilities.

“CableLabs is honored to be the host lab for the 5G Challenge,” said Phil McKinney, president and CEO of CableLabs. “The recognition from the US Department of Commerce is a testament to CableLabs’ continued and increasing investment in mobile wireless network technologies, and particularly, our focus on open and interoperable network technologies. We are committed to ongoing research and development and interoperability testing in mobile network technologies, and we look forward to the opportunity to serve as the host lab for the 5G Challenge.” 

For the 5G Challenge, NTIA-ITS will leverage CableLabs’ state-of-the-art lab deployment of fully virtualized 5G networks, including multiple cores, multiple radio access network and new network emulation equipment. 

CableLabs is providing the standalone 5G network with the essential engineering capability to integrate multiple vendors simultaneously while testing and measuring technical performance metrics -- enabling innovators to compete in testing and validation on site.

More information about the 5G Challenge is available here. 

WASHINGTON D.C.—The Federal Communications Commission and National Telecommunications and Information Administration have announced a new initiative to improve U.S. government coordination on spectrum management.

As part of the Spectrum Coordination Initiative, both agencies will work together to strengthen the processes for decision making and information sharing and to work cooperatively to resolve spectrum policy issues.

The FCC and NTIA jointly manage the nation’s radio spectrum resources.

“Now more than ever we need a whole-of-government approach to spectrum policy,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement. “Over the past few years we’ve seen the cost of not having one—and we need a non-stop effort to fix that.  I appreciate Assistant Secretary [Alan] Davidson’s leadership and his willingness to work with me to revitalize the interagency coordination process so that it once again is able to produce results for consumers and the economy.”

“The FCC and NTIA have an opportunity today to build a common vision for spectrum management and coordination that serves federal users, private actors, and the American people,” said Assistant Secretary Davidson. “I am excited to launch this initiative with Chairwoman Rosenworcel. I value her leadership on spectrum policy and her collaboration as we work to accomplish our shared goals.” 

As part of the initiative, the two agencies also outlined some initial steps they will take to improve the way they work together on spectrum policy and to address gaps in governmental coordination. These include: 

• Reinstate High Level Meetings. For the first time, the Chair of the FCC and the Assistant Secretary will hold formal, regular meetings, beginning monthly, to conduct joint spectrum planning. This will go above and beyond the existing statutory requirement, as well as the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the agencies, which provides that the Chair and the Assistant Secretary meet twice each calendar year.
• Reaffirm Roles and Responsibilities. Building on NTIA’s statutory role as manager of the federal government’s use of spectrum, the FCC and NTIA will update the nearly twenty-year-old Memorandum of Understanding between the agencies to address gaps in government coordination and to better reflect today’s spectrum opportunities and challenges.
• Renew Efforts to Develop a National Spectrum Strategy. To secure America’s leadership, the FCC and NTIA will collaborate to help inform the development of a national spectrum strategy, increase transparency around spectrum use and needs, and establish long-term spectrum planning and coordination. 
• Recommit to Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking. The FCC and NTIA will work cooperatively to develop processes for spectrum engineering compatibility analysis. These will include a compilation of principles, guidelines, accepted technical standards, interference protection criteria, propagation models, and other characteristics. 
• Revamp Technical Collaboration. The FCC and NTIA will foster proactive technical exchange and engagement with industry and other federal agencies by participating in cross-agency advisory groups. To start, the FCC will participate as an observer in the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee, and NTIA will participate as an observer in the FCC’s Technological Advisory Council and the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council.

WASHINGTON—The FCC has announced that it is partnering with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to support the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Spectrum Innovation Initiative. Launched last year, the initiative pushes research and development to address the challenges arising from demand for electromagnetic spectrum access.

The Memorandum of Agreement agreed to by the three parties is meant to ensure that FCC and NTIA staff can provide their subject matter expertise so that NSF’s Spectrum Innovation Initiative investments are aligned with U.S. spectrum regulatory and policy objectives, principles and strategies.

“This Memorandum of Agreement between the National Science Foundation, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Federal Communications Commission is one step toward revitalizing the interagency coordination process so that it once again is able to produce results for American consumers and the economy,” said FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Better coordination between these agencies ultimately means more spectrum and more innovation to help restore American wireless leadership and build the 5G future.” 

“NSF’s Spectrum Innovation Initiative was created to find ways to maximize our nation’s limited radio spectrum resources,” said Sean L. Jones, NSF assistant director for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. “This agreement will provide enhanced access to NTIA and FCC expertise, helping us focus spectrum research and develop a technologically sophisticated workforce at the speed this nation requires to stay at the forefront of innovation.”

Among research that will be conducted through the Spectrum Innovation Initiative includes spectrum flexibility and agility, working toward near real-time spectrum awareness and improved spectrum efficiency and effectiveness through secure and autonomous spectrum decision-making.

One of the first goals will be the establishment of the U.S.’s first National Center for Wireless Spectrum Research.

President Donald Trump is lighting a fire under federal agency's in an effort to free up more government spectrum for advanced communications, including calling for a National Spectrum Strategy by the third quarter of next year.

That came in a presidential memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies Thursday under the heading "Developing a Sustainable Spectrum Strategy for America's Future." It contained a bunch of action items, though mostly reports and studies and a Spectrum Strategy Task Force.

President Donald Trump is lighting a fire under federal agency's in an effort to free up more government spectrum for advanced communications, including calling for a National Spectrum Strategy by the third quarter of next year.

That came in a presidential memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies Thursday under the heading "Developing a Sustainable Spectrum Strategy for America's Future." It contained a bunch of action items, though mostly reports and studies and a Spectrum Strategy Task Force.

“We support the President’s spectrum memorandum and applaud his strong commitment to American leadership in 5G," said an FCC spokesperson. "The FCC will continue to work aggressively to push more spectrum into the commercial marketplace, including through our 28 GHz spectrum auction which will commence in November.”

"American companies and institutions rely heavily on high-speed wireless connections, with increasing demands on both speed and capacity," the memorandum read. "Wireless technologies are helping to bring broadband to rural, unserved, and underserved parts of America. Spectrum-dependent systems also are indispensable to the performance of many important United States Government missions. And as a Nation, our dependence on these airwaves is likely to continue to grow."

"While American industry continues to extract greater and greater value from spectrum, each technological leap also increases demands on its usage. Those demands have never been greater than today, with the advent of autonomous vehicles and precision agriculture, the expansion of commercial space operations, and the burgeoning Internet of Things signaling a nearly insatiable demand for spectrum access. Moreover, it is imperative that America be first in fifth-generation (5G) wireless technologies -- wireless technologies capable of meeting the high-capacity, low-latency, and high-speed requirements that can unleash innovation broadly across diverse sectors of the economy and the public sector. Flexible, predictable spectrum access by the United States Government will help ensure that Federal users can meet current and future mission requirements for a broad range of both communications- and non-communications-based systems."

The action items were:

1. Within 180 days, those agencies and departments, working with the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, the President's chief telecom policy adviser, have to report to the Secretary of Commerce (NTIA is under Commerce) on their future spectrum requirements as well as on a review of their current frequency assignments and usage. The secretary may release a summary of the report, but is not required to.

2. Within 180 days, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) "shall submit a report to the President on emerging technologies and their expected impact on non-Federal spectrum demand" and "a report to the President on recommendations for research and development priorities that advance spectrum access and efficiency."

3. Within 180 days, and annually after that, Commerce, working with the FCC and other agencies, must submit a report, that will be made public "to the extent practicable," on "the status of existing efforts and planned near- to mid-term spectrum repurposing initiatives."

4. Within 270 days, Commerce, against working with the FCC and others, shall submit to the President, through the Director of the National Economic Council and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, a long-term National Spectrum Strategy that includes legislative, regulatory, or other policy recommendations."

The goal of that strategy include to:

(a) "increase spectrum access for all users, including on a shared basis, through transparency of spectrum use and improved cooperation and collaboration between Federal and non-Federal spectrum stakeholders;

(b) "create flexible models for spectrum management, including standards, incentives, and enforcement mechanisms that promote efficient and effective spectrum use, including flexible-use spectrum licenses, while accounting for critical safety and security concerns;

(c) "use ongoing research, development, testing, and evaluation to develop advanced technologies, innovative spectrum-utilization methods, and spectrum-sharing tools and techniques that increase spectrum access, efficiency, and effectiveness;

(d) "build a secure, automated capability to facilitate assessments of spectrum use and expedite coordination of shared access among Federal and non-Federal spectrum stakeholders; and

(e) "improve the global competitiveness of United States terrestrial and space-related industries and augment the mission capabilities of Federal entities through spectrum policies, domestic regulations, and leadership in international forums."

The spectrum strategy task force will be co-chaired by the nation's CTO and director of the National Economic Council (or their appointee) and will need to include representatives of OMB, OSTP, the National Security Council, the National Space Council, and the Council of Economic Advisers, in consultation with the FCC.

“We commend the administration for recognizing the importance of establishing a national spectrum strategy," said CTIA President Meredith Attwell Baker. "With the right approach based on licensed wireless spectrum, America’s wireless carriers will invest hundreds of billions of dollars and create millions of jobs to deploy next-generation networks and win the global 5G race.”

Cable operators are in search of more spectrum for unlicensed WI-FI and potentially their own licensed mobile wireless businesses, so NCTA-the Internet & Television Association was pleased as well.

“We welcome the Presidential Memorandum calling for the development of a comprehensive, long-term national spectrum strategy," the trade group said. "Spectrum has become one of the most critical inputs for the communications and information technologies that are driving America’s economic growth. The services that rely on unlicensed spectrum alone generated more than $525 billion in value for the U.S. economy in 2017. We look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue with the White House, NTIA, and the FCC on the development of a balanced national spectrum policy that will meet the growing need for both licensed and unlicensed spectrum to support next-generation wireless technologies.”

Public Knowledge praised the President's initiative. "The President's Memorandum is a pragmatic, common sense approach to developing a sustainable spectrum policy to guarantee our wireless future that maintains American leadership while continuing to meet our public safety and national security needs," asid SVP Harold Feld. "We particularly applaud the president for embracing the need for a balanced approach that facilitates new technologies for sharing spectrum between federal and non-federal users. We look forward to working with the newly established Spectrum Task Force to develop a National Spectrum Policy that promotes competition and ensures the benefits of the public airwaves for all Americans."

WASHINGTON—The federal agency managing the government’s use of the airwaves has created a spectrum-sharing portal. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration said the online interface was a crucial step toward achieving the goal of coordinating spectrum-sharing among federal and commercial users.

“The new NTIA portal fulfills an important requirement to enable sharing in the 1695-1710 MHz portion of this prime spectrum.”

The portal comprises the 1695-1710 MHz band, currently used for weather satellite downlinks, weather balloons and other environmental sensors. The 15 MHz-wide swath was one of three bands recently auction off for Advanced Wireless Services.

NTIA said it expected many of the federal incumbents eventually to relocate, but moving wasn’t feasible for meteorological satellite Earth stations in the 1695-1710 MHz band. The Federal Communications Commission responded by requiring commercial auction winners to coordinate with federal incumbents before operating in geographic areas, or “coordination zones,” around these stations, which NTIA said would continue to operate indefinitely.

NTIA said federal incumbents, including the Air Force, Army, Navy, Department of the Interior and National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, looked to NTIA ’s Institute for Telecommunication Sciences to create an online spectrum coordination portal for sharing in the 1695-1710 MHz band. NTIA said a team of 10 ITS developers, documentation experts and quality assurance personnel worked for five months to develop the portal.

The platform, NTIA said, was designed to be ,“cost-efficient, modular and scalable, combining commercial off-the-shelf hardware and software into an advanced Web-based architecture.

“Hosted by NTIA, the final product is a customized Web-based database storage software solution that manages the flow of information between commercial wireless operators deploying broadband wireless networks and federal agencies who have meteorological satellite Earth station operations in the identified coordination zones.”

The portal is intended to allow incumbent licensees and commercial users to exchange information and communicate about engineering issues. It will be available seven days a week, 24 hours a day at https://rfcp.ntia.doc.gov.

“The launch of this streamlined method for the coordination of spectrum sharing between federal and non-federal users represents a significant advance towards facilitating expanded commercial use of the spectrum while ensuring federal agencies continue to have access to the airwaves they need to perform critical functions for the American people.”

WASHINGTON—Federal officials announced a series of public meetings to hash out privacy issues surrounding both commercial and private drone flight. The multistakeholder meetings, hosted by the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications & Information Administration, will begin next month and continue monthly through November.

“We expect this process to bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, civil society and academia. The group will craft best practices that can help guide commercial and private [unmanned aerial systems] operators,” said Angela Simpson, NTIA’s deputy director of Communications and Information in an accompanying blog post.

Simpson noted that earlier this year, the White House directed the NTIA to “develop best practices that enhance privacy and promote transparent and accountable operation of UAS by commercial and private users.”

She said the 50 comments received on the NTIA UAS transparancy and accountability docket will be the basis of the intitial discussions at these meeting.

The meetings are scheduled for Aug. 3, Sept. 24, Oct. 21 and Nov. 20, in Washington D.C. The NTIA said the meetings will be available via Webcast, and there will be an opportunity for stakeholders viewing the Webcast to participate remotely through a moderated conference bridge. Additional meeting details are available here.

“We expect this process to bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, civil society and academia. The group will craft best practices that can help guide commercial and private UAS operators,” Simpson said.