The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has identified 115MHz of spectrum that can be made available for commercial mobile broadband services within the next five years.
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In a report issued Monday, the NTIA said that it had identified portions of two spectrum bands that could be opened up quickly for commercial use, as well as another band that could be opened up in the near future pending further evaluations.
Artwork: Chip TaylorThe first band identified by the NTIA, ranging from 1695 to1710MHz, is currently used by radio transmitters on weather balloons, as well as for weather satellites. NTIA says that the band could be used for commercial broadband services as long as the government sets exclusion zones that prevent commercial services from interfering with government agencies that receive data over the spectrum.
The second major band identified by the NITA is in the range from 3550 to 3650MHz and is used mostly by the Department of Defense for a wide variety of high-power radars. NTIA says that this spectrum can be safely licensed for broadband "outside certain coastal areas and test and training areas" without interfering with Defense Department operations.
The NTIA also examined spectrum in the 4200 to 4220MHZ and 4380 to 440MHz bands but concluded that they couldn't be opened up from commercial use before the year 2016. The administration also says that it could open up spectrum on the 1755 to1780MHz band but it would need more time to evaluate the spectrum since it is used by multiple government agencies throughout the country.
The federal government has made opening up new spectrum for commercial wireless data use one of its major goals in furthering the spread of mobile broadband. The Federal Communications Commission recently projected that growth in wireless data demand will lead to a "spectrum deficit" of 275MHz if no new spectrum is released by 2014.
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