The FCC has proposed spectrum sharing programs designed to boost capacity for 5G and IoT that could prove advantageous for all involved
By now it’s clear that wireless connections are the bulwark of our connected society. At some point in the day, most Americans use a wireless device to connect to the internet. For a growing number, it’s the only connection they need.
Wireless, particularly the oncoming “5G,” also will be critical to the “internet of things,” the next phase of our connected world. IoT will support the bevy of connections that will make emerging applications such as autonomous vehicles and smart homes a reality. IoT also will be critical to streamlining backend IT processes that support everyday commerce, such as the speed at which fresh food gets from farm to supermarket shelves and the efficiency with which power plants can adjust to changes in local energy demand.
To get there, however, we will need more radio spectrum. In a report prepared for wireless industry trade group CTIA, the Brattle Group predicted more than 350 megahertz of new licensed spectrum will be needed by 2019 to support current projections for wireless use. Based on Brattle’s prediction, the U.S. will need to increase its existing supply of licensed spectrum by 50% in the near term.
When the U.S. government carved up the entire range of radio spectrum for government and commercial use in the 1930s, it based its decisions on the capabilities of radio technology of the time. From time to time, the government has made changes based on breakthroughs in technology and engineering, as well as the devices and applications that use them. This has been easy in cases where spectrum was unused or held in reserve by the government.
In other cases, reallocation has proven contentious, as some agencies have been reluctant to surrender spectrum they already use, even when it’s clear that the means exist to accommodate the change.
For example, the Federal Communications Commission is considering a proposal to auction the 1675-1680 MHz spectrum band for broader commercial use. This band is especially suitable for the type of midrange wireless communications IoT will need. It is currently used by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration to transmit weather data via satellite to a network of NOAA users.
Unlike past auctions where the winning bidder gains full use of the frequency block, this latest proposal calls for “federal sharing.” In this case, the auction winner would still have to allow NOAA to access to the spectrum to support weather data transmission.
Yet NOAA is seeking to block the auction, even though prospective bidders, such as Ligado Networks, a developer of internet-based applications for the transportation, energy and public safety sectors, have assured the FCC they can accommodate NOAA’s requirements without impeding its operations or creating signal interference, two of NOAA’s biggest concerns.
What’s more, as part of the sharing agreement, Ligado would create a content delivery network that would disseminate NOAA’s weather data to anyone with an internet connection. Today, NOAA relies on a centralized network of distribution points, each requiring a $124,000 satellite receiver. Everyone is served when private and public sector agencies can get the data they need to respond faster. These benefits extend beyond personal smartphone applications. NOAA’s weather data would join the IoT, meaning that airport, rail and other transportation systems could incorporate real-time weather data into routing and scheduling; oil refineries could shift production; and retail systems could increase orders for items like bottled water, canned goods and power generators. The FCC’s spectrum sharing proposal is a win-win-win for the public, enterprises and NOAA, and is why NOAA should rethink its opposition.
Moreover, the federal sharing solution can become a model for future reallocations in other midrange 5G spectrum bands that will be needed for IoT to fully support greater economic growth and continued U.S. industrial leadership. It is a constructive way to make more spectrum more available to consumers, communities and innovators as our needs for connectivity increase exponentially.
Steven Titch is an independent policy analyst focusing on telecommunications, internet and information technology. His work has been published by the R Street Institute, the Heartland Institute, the Reason Foundation and the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
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