US Administration Proposed National Spectrum Strategy

The US government presented a plan that could free up wireless spectrum from federal agencies to support a range of advanced technologies and 5G services. The National Spectrum Strategy and a presidential memorandum seek to conduct detailed studies over two years for the potential repurposing of 2,786MHz of spectrum.

“Innovations ranging from 5G networks to precision agriculture, to unmanned aerial vehicles, to moon missions take large amounts of spectrum to operate. Meeting the demands of innovation requires America’s spectrum policy to adapt and improve,” the administration explained.

Based on public feedback, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) identified five bands for study; 3.1-3.45GHz, 5.03-5.091GHz, 7.125-8.4GHz, 18.1-18.6 GHz, and 37.0-37.6GHz. The administration noted the mix of bands could support a range of uses, including wireless broadband, drones, and satellite operations. One of the proposals that could impact 5G includes sharing spectrum across the 3.1GHz-3.45GHz band.

The strategy also includes establishing national testbeds for dynamic spectrum over the next 12 to 18 months and updating a plan for developing a workforce able to fill the full range of operational, technical, and policy roles in the future spectrum ecosystem. The administration’s strategy document stated the NTIA would continue to collaborate with the US Federal Communication Commission (FCC) for the joint management of spectrum.