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Spectrum Engineering Reports

NOTE: These reports are available either on-line in PDF (portable document) format or only as hard-copy. If you would like a copy of a report that is not available electronically, please make note of the document number and submit your request to:

NTIA Office of Spectrum Management
System Engineering and Analysis Division
Tel. (202) 482-2608
Fax (202) 482-4595
e-mail edrocella@ntia.gov

Annual Report on the Status of Spectrum Repurposing and Other Initiatives

May 12, 2023

This report provides a snapshot of the considerable efforts of NTIA, the Federal Communications Commission and other federal agency partners to repurpose radio frequency spectrum – either on an exclusive or shared use basis – to support commercial wireless services and applications such as 5G wireless connectivity. It highlights spectrum-related activities through the end of 2021.

Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act Annual Progress Report for 2021

October 19, 2022

NTIA submitted this report to Congress on October 14, 2022 pursuant to Section 207 of the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act (CSEA), Title II of Pub. L. 108-494.  As authorized by the CSEA, the Spectrum Relocation Fund (SRF) provides a centralized and streamlined funding mechanism through which federal agencies can recover the costs associated with relocating their radio communications systems or sharing spectrum reallocated and authorized to be auctioned for commercial purposes.

Plan to Modernize and Automate the Infrastructure of NTIA Related to Managing Federal Spectrum Use

September 24, 2021

Section 9203 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA 21) calls for the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to submit a report to Congress containing a plan for the modernization and automation of the NTIA infrastructure relating to managing federal spectrum use by covered agencies, to more efficiently manage such use.  This provides the modernization plan and addresses the topics called out in the NDAA 21.

5G Listening Sessions Summary of Conclusions

August 17, 2021

In fulfillment of the National Strategy to Secure 5G Implementation Plan, NTIA is publishing the 5G Listening Sessions Summary of Conclusions Report. The comments come from two industry listening sessions where stakeholders were asked to identify incentives and policy options to ensure that the United States has adequate sources of secure, effective, and reliable fifth and future generation wireless communications systems and infrastructure.

Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act Annual Progress Report for 2020

August 16, 2021

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.

The Spectrum Needs of U.S. Space-Based Operations: An Inventory of Current and Projected Uses

July 09, 2021

The United States is a global leader in the development and deployment of advanced, space-based technologies. Yet there is relatively little public awareness of the scope and scale or the economic benefits of these space-based technologies and even less recognition of the core public resource needed to operate and support them: radio-frequency spectrum. This report aims to provide basic information that will help increase public understanding of the scope and value of these space-based operations and the importance of their access to spectrum.

NTIA Report: Incumbent Informing Capability (IIC) for Time-Based Spectrum Sharing

February 22, 2021
DiFrancisco, Michael, Drocella, Edward, Ransom, Paul, Cooper, Charles
Abstract

The IIC is a mechanism for more reliably informing “new entrants” in a shared spectrum band when incumbent federal systems are operating in close proximity and thus need to be protected.  New entrant access to the spectrum would be controlled through an enhanced, near-real-time Spectrum Coordination System (SCS).  The IIC could replace extra layers of sharing techniques such as the environmental sensing capability (ESC), which presently is required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) in the 3550-3700 MHz band.   

Second Annual Report on the Status of Spectrum Repurposing

January 07, 2021

The United States continues to build on its 5G leadership and is critically focused on repurposing radiofrequency spectrum – especially through investment in America’s mid-band spectrum. Our country leads the world in availability of high- and low-band spectrum for commercial wireless services. Now, as this Report highlights, the United States is making tremendous strides in repurposing important mid-band spectrum.

Assessment of Compatibility between Global Positioning System Receivers and Adjacent Band Base Station and User Equipment Transmitters

Report ID
TM-20-536
December 07, 2020
Edward F. Drocella Jr., Cou-Way Wang, Nickolas LaSorte
Abstract

This technical memorandum provides the results of a compatibility assessment between terrestrial GPS L1 coarse/acquisition (C/A) code receivers operating in the 1559-1610 MHz RNSS band and terrestrial operations in the 1526-1536 MHz, 1627.5 1637.5 MHz, and 1646.5-1656.5 MHz bands. The Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC) Technical Focus Group (TFG) assessed compatibility between different categories of GPS L1 C/A code receivers and the proposed terrestrial deployment by examining the degradation in carrier-to-noise density ratio (C/N0), loss-of-lock, position error, and increase in acquisition/reacquisition time for GPS receivers.

Keywords: electromagnetic compatibility (EMC); GPS; spectrum sharing; harmful interference; 1526-1536 MHz; 1627.5 1637.5 MHz; 1646.5-1656.5 MHz