Last week, the White House and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a long-anticipated National Spectrum Strategy, as well as a Presidential Memorandum on modernizing U.S. spectrum policy. The strategy laid out a blueprint for American innovation and wireless competition and identified 2,700 MHz of spectrum for potential repurposing – and WifiForward is not alone in urging a spectrum reallocation path that supports technology diversity, including unlicensed and dynamically shared licensed approaches. Here’s what others are saying:
Congress:
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), ranking member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee and co-chair of the Congressional Spectrum and High Tech caucuses, said in a statement, “We are at a pivotal juncture – the global race to 5 and 6G is still white hot, satellite broadband service is taking off, and Wi-Fi continues to create massive opportunities for Americans. That’s why I have been unwavering in my calls that the federal government must speak with a unified voice on spectrum policy. Today’s announcement by President Biden ensures that the federal government remains a driving force to advance U.S. leadership in spectrum. In order to stay ahead of our global peers, the United States must remain the pacesetter for global innovation, harmonization, and standards setting.
Industry:
Charter Communications said, “We appreciate the Biden Administration’s recognition that an approach to spectrum policy that includes unlicensed, exclusive licensed, and shared licensed spectrum is vital to U.S. global leadership and thank Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Rosenworcel for prioritizing innovative spectrum management.”
NCTA — The Internet & Television Association also agreed that the National Spectrum Strategy “appropriately recognizes the critical role that unlicensed spectrum and dynamic sharing solutions will play in making more spectrum available for commercial use and promoting innovation and competition across the marketplace for wireless services.”
The Wi-Fi Alliance echoed praise for unlicensed technology: “Wi-Fi® is inherently protective of other spectrum users, and our industry is excited about the opportunities created through this policy effort. The Wi-Fi industry is committed to engaging with our Federal agencies partners on technical, operational, and regulatory solutions for coexistence that will deliver incredible connectivity benefits to U.S. users while supporting ongoing agency needs.”
Amazon commended the Biden Administration and the NTIA “for their focus on increasing access to spectrum to support the growing demand for a wide variety of innovative technologies like satellite and drones. Wireless spectrum is vital to deliver for customers and why Amazon supports expanding access to spectrum of all types, including unlicensed spectrum and through dynamic spectrum sharing. We are committed to developing innovative wireless devices and services for consumers, and expanding affordable connectivity.”
Third Parties:
Consumer Tech Association recognized that a “balanced approach to spectrum policy is one that values licensed, unlicensed & shared use for wireless innovation & prosperity. CTA applauds today’s release of the National Spectrum Strategy which provides the critical blueprints for the US to maintain wireless leadership.”
ACA Connects shared: “A healthy spectrum pipeline is critical to the future of connectivity in the United States. Meeting the ever-growing demands for wireless spectrum will require us to use every tool in the toolbox — including exclusive use, unlicensed use, and sharing. It also will require government users to use spectrum efficiently and make spectrum available for commercial use.”
WISPA – Broadband Without Boundaries, welcomed the administration’s announcement, explaining, “Where Americans do not have such access right now, spectrum’s raw infrastructure enables potent, quick-to-deploy and cost-effective technology – such as with reliable fixed wireless broadband using licensed or unlicensed spectrum – to get those in the digital divide online.”
The Wireless Future Project at the Open Technology Institute expressed that they are “particularly pleased to see that a key pillar of the strategy is a more collaborative planning process and new technologies aimed at facilitating dynamic spectrum sharing in underutilized bands where it is feasible. The next generation of Wi-Fi will rely on further extending open public access to unlicensed spectrum….The Administration’s strategy clearly recognizes that coordinated spectrum sharing will need to play a leading role in shaping a balanced approach that makes far more unlicensed, exclusively licensed, and coordinated shared spectrum access available to meet an increasingly wide variety of innovative local enterprise and public sector use cases.”
Lastly, the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance shared that they are “pleased to see that it will expand access to advanced wireless broadband networks, and will drive technological innovation, explicitly including innovative spectrum sharing technologies.” They also added that they are pleased the strategy mentions Wi-Fi and other unlicensed technologies in the 7 GHz band and dynamic spectrum sharing in the lower 3 GHz band.