Developing a National Spectrum Strategy
Future demand for spectrum-based services and technologies is expected to grow substantially across many, if not all, of our Nation’s commercial sectors. According to one estimate, data traffic on macro cellular networks is expected to increase by over 250 percent in the next 5 years, and over 500 percent in the next 10 years. Next-generation wireless technologies such as 5G, 6G, and Wi-Fi necessitate additional spectrum resources with the capacity for wider channels, resulting in benefits beyond increased capacity, including enhanced energy efficiency, improved reliability, and reduced latency.
Meanwhile, demand for satellite-based services is exploding, with domestic firms filing license applications for constellations—some with tens of thousands of satellites—to support consumer broadband, in-space assembly and manufacturing, earth observation and imaging, cislunar activities, and a host of other uses.
The U.S. Government is already taking steps to identify spectrum bands for potential repurposing in the near-term to meet these growing demands. Within the past year alone, the FCC has led several notable efforts to repurpose spectrum or study it for potential repurposing:
Ongoing Efforts to Study Spectrum Bands
| Focus | Status |
|---|---|
| Supplemental Coverage from Space | In March 2023, the FCC proposed a new regulatory framework for supplemental terrestrial wireless coverage from space, through which satellite operators and terrestrial providers would coordinate to operate space stations on currently licensed, flexible-use spectrum to expand coverage to the terrestrial provider’s subscribers. |
| 5030-5091 MHz | In January 2023, the FCC sought comment on service rules to support safety-critical unmanned aircraft system (UAS) communications links, including control and non-payload communication (CNPC) operations in the band, noting that service rules to facilitate UAS likely will require development in phases. |
| 12 GHz | In May 2023, the FCC took steps to expand the use of 1,050 megahertz of mid-band spectrum by a diverse set of users. Specifically, the FCC ensured that current and future satellite services will be preserved and protected in the 12.2-12.7 GHz band (the “Lower 12 GHz band”), while exploring expanded fixed licensed or unlicensed use of the band. The FCC is further considering options for flexible use of the 12.7-13.25 GHz band (the “Upper 12 GHz band”), which has in-band and adjacent-band federal operations that may need to be protected. |
| 42 GHz | In June 2023, the FCC began the next phase of a proceeding to explore how spectrum in the 42 GHz band (42-42.5 GHz) might be made available through one of several innovative, non-exclusive spectrum access models. |
| 60 GHz | In May 2023, the FCC adopted rules expanding opportunities for unlicensed mobile radar operations in the 57-71 GHz band. The new rules permit mobile field disturbance sensor operations throughout the 60 GHz band and established technical rules for pulse radars. The rule changes also allow unlicensed radars to operate on unmanned aircraft in the 60-64 GHz segment of the band when operated at certain low-flying altitudes. |
The FCC has recently taken other, broader actions to address spectrum efficiency, including (1) revising its rules to promote spectrum efficiency among non-geostationary satellite orbit, fixed-satellite service systems; (2) issuing a policy statement establishing core principles to inform the FCC’s future actions and stakeholder expectations, including those of Tribal Nations, about interference; and (3) initiating a technical inquiry into how the FCC can obtain more sophisticated knowledge of commercial spectrum usage by leveraging new data sources, methods, and technologies. Federal users also have contributed to efforts to increase spectrum efficiency and effectiveness and to improve access to spectrum resources for both Federal and non-Federal users, including enabling the reallocation and auction of the 3450-3550 MHz band and the ongoing implementation of a sharing framework in the 3.5 GHz band as part of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service.
While these efforts are significant, our economic prosperity, national security, and industrial readiness require still more. To ensure U.S. leadership in spectrum-based services now and into the future, detailed studies of additional spectrum bands must be performed in the near term to determine whether they may be repurposed for expanded or more efficient uses.
In identifying spectrum bands for in-depth study, NTIA evaluated input received through a public-facing process from a variety of sources, including terrestrial wireless broadband providers, the Wi-Fi and unlicensed wireless community, satellite- and space-based service providers, Tribal Nations, academics, public interest groups, and others as to current and future spectrum needs. NTIA also reviewed information from its Federal agency partners on current and future spectrum requirements.
Taken together, this input has led to the identification of the following five spectrum bands meriting in-depth study in the near term. This approximately 2,790 megahertz of spectrum represents a mix of bands for potential expanded governmental and non-governmental use for an array of advanced, next-generation applications and services:
- Lower 3 GHz (3.1-3.45 GHz): Pursuant to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD) has studied the possibility of sharing this 350 megahertz of spectrum with the private sector. DoD’s studies helped to determine whether this band should be reallocated for shared Federal and non-Federal use and licensed through auction. DoD determined that sharing is feasible if certain advanced interference-mitigation features and a coordination framework to facilitate spectrum sharing are put in place. The Departments of Commerce and Defense will co-lead any follow-on studies to the Emerging Mid-band Radar Spectrum Study (EMBRSS) that focus on future use of the 3.1-3.45 GHz band. Additional studies will explore dynamic spectrum sharing and other opportunities for private-sector access in the band, while ensuring DoD and other Federal mission capabilities are preserved, with any necessary changes.
- 5030-5091 MHz: The FCC, in coordination with NTIA and the Federal Aviation Administration, is expected to take near-term action to facilitate limited deployment of UAS in this band. Thereafter, this 61 megahertz of spectrum will be studied so that the FCC can optimize UAS spectrum access across the band while avoiding harmful interference to other protected in-band and adjacent-band operations.
7125-8400 MHz: This 1,275 megahertz of spectrum will be studied for wireless broadband use (on a licensed and/or unlicensed basis), though some sub-bands eventually may be studied for other uses. There are, however, a variety of mission-critical Federal operations in this band (including Fixed, Fixed Satellite, Mobile, Mobile Satellite, Space Research, Earth Exploration Satellite, and Meteorological Satellite services) that will make it challenging to repurpose portions of the band while protecting incumbent users from harmful interference.- 18.1-18.6 GHz: This 500 megahertz of spectrum will be studied for expanded Federal and non-Federal satellite operations, consistent with the U.S. position at the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23), which would add space-to-space allocations to this band (among others). Fixed Satellite Service downlink operations are currently authorized in the band. In addition, non-Federal Fixed Service is authorized in the 18.1-18.3 GHz segment of the band.
- 37.0-37.6 GHz: Building on prior collaborative efforts of NTIA, DoD and the FCC, this 600 megahertz of spectrum will be further studied to implement a co-equal, shared-use framework allowing Federal and non-Federal users to deploy operations in the band.
Identifying this quantity of spectrum is based (in part) on recognizing that the United States must now invest time and resources into studying spectrum bands that are more encumbered and complex than in the past. Because the spectrum is congested—and as “greenfield” spectrum becomes harder to find—U.S. policy (and stakeholders) must recognize that “studying” a band for potential repurposing to enable more efficient use does not prejudge the outcome of the study (i.e., that all, part, or none of the band ultimately will be repurposed as a result of the study).