Developing a National Spectrum Strategy
The strategic objectives in Pillar Two of this Strategy, once implemented, will create a permanent framework for conducting activities that support long-term spectrum planning in the United States that will ensure the ongoing viability of the spectrum pipeline. But certain planning components are needed immediately to help assess how the pipeline is satisfying stakeholders’ spectrum needs in the near term and to monitor the success of study and repurposing efforts, including the impact on the mission effectiveness of Federal incumbents in the bands selected for in-depth study.
Once developed, these core planning components can be leveraged and carried forward into the framework established under Pillar Two. Specifically, spectrum assessments by the U.S. Government should be guided by certain enduring principles that facilitate a comprehensive, documented, and appropriately transparent, end-to-end process for evaluating incumbent and potential new or different Federal and non-Federal spectrum uses.
One such principle is that relevant and timely information from all stakeholders—with appropriate safeguards for the collection and use of confidential or sensitive data—is often necessary to sustain decision-making processes in support of the pipeline. Data-driven processes are essential for long-term spectrum planning that increases transparency into current and future Federal and non-Federal spectrum use, anticipates and enables technological advances to facilitate spectrum access, and fully accounts for essential Federal missions. Relatedly, spectrum management relies upon unbiased technical, scientific, mission, and economic analyses. To provide greater visibility into, and acceptance of, key studies, and to reduce contention and disputes of findings, the U.S. Government will formalize its best practices for conducting these analyses in support of spectrum management decisions. Studies should be peer-reviewed, and the underlying findings should be published to the greatest degree possible.
Another principle is that once a spectrum band is identified to be repurposed, U.S. spectrum-regulating agencies (i.e., NTIA and the FCC) should seek to follow best practices as they plan for transition of the band, coordinate between incumbents and new entrants, and execute the planned transition. Specifically, the U.S. Government will implement leading program-management practices to plan and monitor the success of spectrum repurposing objectives underpinning the spectrum pipeline, consistent with prior recommendations from the Government Accountability Office. These best practices will involve tracking progress, identifying risks, and addressing issues early to minimize any disruption to implementation.
Finally, similar principles will apply to monitoring the ongoing sufficiency of the spectrum pipeline. U.S. spectrum-regulating agencies will jointly assess the spectrum pipeline on an ongoing basis and periodically will perform a detailed assessment of the pipeline to ensure its sufficiency, suitability, viability, and feasibility for all stakeholders until the long-term spectrum planning process outlined in Pillar Two is established and implemented. If this joint assessment shows that additional spectrum bands need to be studied for potential repurposing, then NTIA will collaborate with the FCC and coordinate with the Federal agencies to develop a transparent and data-driven process to identify and assess potential impacts to incumbent spectrum users. This process, if additional band studies are needed, will evaluate both quantitative and qualitative factors related to incumbent spectrum usage, including Federal agencies’ mission requirements.