Spectrum Management
Overview
Many Federal agencies use radio frequency spectrum to perform vital operations. NTIA manages the Federal government's use of spectrum, ensuring that America's domestic and international spectrum needs are met while making efficient use of this limited resource. NTIA carries out this responsibility with assistance and advice from the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee and by:
- establishing and issuing policy regarding allocations and regulations governing the Federal spectrum use;
- developing plans for the peacetime and wartime use of the spectrum;
- preparing for, participating in, and implementing the results of international radio conferences;
- assigning frequencies;
- maintaining spectrum use databases;
- reviewing Federal agencies' new telecommunications systems and certifying that spectrum will be available;
- providing the technical engineering expertise needed to perform specific spectrum resources assessments and automated computer capabilities needed to carry out these investigations;
- participating in all aspects of the Federal government's communications related emergency readiness activities; and
- participating in Federal government telecommunications and automated information systems security activities.
Related content
07/24/2018 CSMAC Meeting Webcast Archive
Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act Annual Progress Report for 2017
NTIA submits this report pursuant to Section 207 of the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act (CSEA), Title II of Pub. L. 108-494, which requires annual reporting on federal agencies’ progress to relocate radio communications systems from spectrum or share spectrum that has been reallocated to commercial use. This report provides details on two separate spectrum auctions conducted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that included: 1) the 1710 to 1755 megahertz (MHz) band, and 2) the 1695-1710 MHz and 1755-1780 MHz bands.
Join the Spectrum Conversations at ISART 2018
Leading spectrum policy experts in government and industry are among the speakers for the 17th International Symposium on Advanced Radio Technologies (ISART) to take place July 24-26 in Boulder Colorado.
This year’s symposium will examine propagation challenges for ultra-dense wireless systems. Plenary talks and panel discussions will focus on the urgent need for accurate, reliable, validated, and trusted propagation models that can be used to predict signal strength across a wide variety of rapidly changing environments and conditions. Being able to accurately predict radiofrequency propagation is key to building and supporting the ultra-dense network environments of the future.
Leading the conversation as keynote speakers will be David Redl, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, and Heidi King, National Highway Traffic Safety Deputy Administrator. Google executive Preston Marshall will participate in a “roadside chat” moderated by Mark Gibson of CommScope on what could lie beyond next-generation wireless if technology, policy, and economics can be aligned. Other plenary speakers include: