WASHINGTON-The National Telecommunications and Information Administration set Dec. 13 for the first public meeting of a new federal advisory committee created to assist the agency in pursuing new policies envisioned in President Bush’s 2003 spectrum initiative.
The panel-comprised of industry officials and academics-will advise acting NTIA chief John Kneuer on needed reforms to domestic spectrum policies and management. The group will look into policy reforms for expediting the American public’s access to broadband services as well as public safety, digital television, and long-range spectrum planning. Kneuer is slated be confirmed as permanent NTIA head by the Senate in early December.
NTIA, which advises the White House on telecom high-tech policy and manages federal government spectrum, said the purpose of the inaugural meeting is to organize the committee, establish future agendas and craft a work schedule.
The presidential directive led to 24 spectrum reform recommendations in two reports released in June 2004. The Federal Communications Commission earlier this year received feedback on one recommendation to create a spectrum-sharing test-bed of approximately 20 megahertz from federal government and non-federal spectrum inventories. Results from NTIA’s implementation of other recommendations are unclear and have yet to be publicly verified.
