WASHINGTON-The wireless industry and others have blasted Bush administration efforts to globally promote concepts in a November 2002 report by the Federal Communications Commission’s Spectrum Policy Task Force, a criticism that comes as a U.S. delegation prepares to travel to Geneva later this month for an International Telecommunication Union meeting on spectrum management methodologies.
“The policies recommended in the SPTF report have not been adopted by the FCC or by the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration) and are not formal policy,” stated the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, the Telecommunications Industry Association and the Satellite Industry Association in a four-page letter to Bush administration officials.
“Unfortunately,” the trade groups said, “the manner in which this material is presented could, in a worst case, lead to this material becoming part of the [ITU Radiocommunication] director’s report to the WRC (World Radiocommunication Conference),” said the three groups.
Edmond Thomas, chief of the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology, said the spectrum task force report’s recommendations are regarded by Chairman Michael Powell as the roadmap for wireless policy, and they form the foundation for various rulemakings.
“OET is not pushing this,” said Thomas.
