The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today that as part of the Department’s Digital Economy Agenda, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued a Request for Comment (RFC) on questions posed by the growth of the Internet of Things (IOT). This Request is an important step in the Department’s continued effort to promote the Internet of Things, the broad category of devices, appliances, and objects that can be connected via the Internet.
The Department will use the input it receives to build on its broader agenda promoting economic growth and opportunity to help develop an approach that will foster IoT innovation. After it receives the comments, the Department will draft a “green paper” identifying key issues affecting deployment of these technologies, highlighting potential benefits and challenges, and outlining possible roles for the federal government in fostering the advancement of IoT technologies in partnership with the private sector.
“The broad range of connected devices, objects, and applications that make up the Internet of Things will have a major benefit in promoting economic growth,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce Andrews. “The Department’s Digital Economy agenda is aimed at creating the right conditions that will help foster the growth of IoT in partnership with the private sector.”
The Internet of Things has quickly become one of the most important technological trends of this decade. It touches almost every industry and will transform our lives and society worldwide. The explosive growth of connected devices promises both enormous benefits and complex challenges in areas such as health, safety, energy, security, and the environment.
“We are just beginning to see the exciting range of novel applications and connected devices emerging from the Internet of Things,” said Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling. “This effort is aimed at ensuring the continued growth and innovation of IoT for the benefit of consumers, society and the economy.”
The deadline for filing comments is May 23, 2016. Comments should be submitted in searchable format to NTIA’s Office of Policy Analysis and Development at iotrfc2016@ntia.doc.gov.
About NTIA:
NTIA, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is the Executive Branch agency that advises the President on telecommunications and information policy issues. NTIA’s programs and policy making focus largely on expanding broadband Internet access and adoption in America, expanding the use of spectrum by all users, and ensuring that the Internet remains an engine for innovation and economic growth.