Notice2023-05406
Development of a National Spectrum Strategy
Primary source
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Published
March 16, 2023
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Telecommunications and Information Administration
Abstract
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce, seeks public comment on the development and implementation of a National Spectrum Strategy for the United States. Through this Request for Comments, NTIA seeks broad input from interested stakeholders, including private industry (specifically including developers and end-users of spectrum-based technologies and services, and contractors for federal missions), academia, civil society, the public sector, and others on three proposed pillars of the National Spectrum Strategy set forth below.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 51 (Thursday, March 16, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 51 (Thursday, March 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16244-16247]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05406]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
[Docket Number: 230308-0068]
Development of a National Spectrum Strategy
AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce, seeks public comment on the
development and implementation of a National Spectrum Strategy for the
United States. Through this Request for Comments, NTIA seeks broad
input from interested stakeholders, including private industry
(specifically including developers and end-users of spectrum-based
technologies and services, and contractors for federal missions),
academia, civil society, the public sector, and others on three
proposed pillars of the National Spectrum Strategy set forth below.
DATES: Parties should file their comments no later than April 17, 2023.
ADDRESSES: All electronic comments on this action, identified by
<a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a> docket number NTIA-2023-0003, may be submitted through
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. The
docket established for this proceeding can be found at
<a href="http://www.Regulations.gov">www.Regulations.gov</a>, NTIA-2023-0003. Click the ``Comment Now!'' icon,
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Responders should include a page number on each page of their
submissions. Please do not include in your comments information of a
confidential nature, such as sensitive personal information. All
comments received are part of the public record and generally will be
posted to <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a> and the NTIA website without change. All
personally identifiable information (e.g., name, address) voluntarily
submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. For more
detailed directions regarding the content of comment submissions,
please see the ``Request for Comments'' section below.
Those encountering any difficulties with the prescribed formatting
and uploading directions should notify Mr. Alden at the contact
information listed below at least ten (10) business days before the
filing deadline.
[[Page 16245]]
NTIA welcomes views on the NSS pillars as detailed in this notice,
and these views may be reflected, at the agency's discretion, in the
ensuing development of the NSS and implementation plan.
These public comments are being gathered in conjunction with a
series of public listening sessions, which will be held concurrently
with the comment period of this RFC. Schedules and instructions for
attending and speaking at the public listening sessions will be
available on NTIA's website at <a href="https://www.ntia.gov">https://www.ntia.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct questions regarding this
Notice to John Alden, Telecommunications Specialist, Office of Spectrum
Management, NTIA, at (202) 482-8046 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#60131005031412150d4d13141201140507194d030f0d0d050e1413200e1409014e070f16"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bfcccfdadccbcdcad292cccbcddecbdad8c692dcd0d2d2dad1cbccffd1cbd6de91d8d0c9">[email protected]</span></a>. Please direct media inquiries to NTIA's Office of
Public Affairs, at (202) 482-7002 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1c6c6e796f6f5c7268757d327b736a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="225250475151624c564b430c454d54">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NTIA serves as the President's principal
advisor on telecommunications policies and manages the use of the
radio-frequency spectrum by federal agencies. See 47 U.S.C. 902(b)(2).
NTIA is seeking public input on the scope and content of a National
Spectrum Strategy. These inputs will allow NTIA and other federal
agencies to benefit from expertise and viewpoints outside the federal
government. These views will be considered and may be reflected in the
development of a National Spectrum Strategy document and ensuing
implementation plan, which are needed to accelerate U.S. leadership in
wireless communications and other spectrum-based technologies and to
unlock innovations that benefit the American people.
Background
America is increasingly dependent on secure and reliable access to
radio frequency spectrum. Sufficient access to spectrum is vital to
national security, critical infrastructure, transportation, emergency
response, public safety, scientific discovery, economic growth,
competitive next-generation communications, and diversity, equity, and
inclusion. Increased spectrum access will also advance U.S. innovation,
connectivity, and competition, create high-paying and highly skilled
jobs, and produce improvements to the overall quality of life. Access
to more spectrum, in short, will help the United States continue to
lead the world in advanced technology and enhance our national and
economic security.
Spectrum access, however, must be managed responsibly and
efficiently. NTIA jointly manages the nation's spectrum resources with
the Federal Communications Commission. NTIA is requesting comments from
interested parties to help inform the development of a national
spectrum strategy, which is needed for the U.S. to plan effectively for
its current and future spectrum needs. As part of this effort, and to
support the need for greater spectrum access, NTIA--in collaboration
with the Federal Communications Commission and in coordination with its
other federal partners--endeavors to identify at least 1,500 megahertz
of spectrum for in-depth study to determine whether that spectrum can
be repurposed to allow more intensive use. The Department of Commerce
is committed to developing a national spectrum strategy based upon
collaboration with both federal and non-federal stakeholders, including
Tribes, and on data-driven decision-making, to fully address the needs
of spectrum reliant services and missions, including but not limited
to:
<bullet> Fixed and mobile wireless broadband services;
<bullet> Next-generation satellite communications and other space-
based systems;
<bullet> Advanced transportation technologies;
<bullet> Industrial and commercial applications, (i.e.,
manufacturing, agriculture, and utilities);
<bullet> Wireless medical devices and telemedicine;
<bullet> Internet of Things (IoT) and smart cities;
<bullet> National defense and homeland security;
<bullet> Safeguarding the national airspace and ports;
<bullet> Securing the Nation's critical infrastructure;
<bullet> Earth and space exploration and research; and
<bullet> Climate monitoring and forecasting, and other scientific
endeavors.
Request for Comments
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA) seeks broad input from interested stakeholders, including
private industry (specifically including wireless broadband internet
service providers, original equipment manufacturers and network
vendors, developers and end-users of spectrum-based technologies and
services, and contractors for federal missions), academia, civil
society, the public sector, and others on three proposed pillars of the
National Spectrum Strategy. NTIA will also confer with federal agencies
with an interest in spectrum access.
Please provide any data you have available and are able to make
public to support comments in response to the questions below.
Pillar #1--A Spectrum Pipeline To Ensure U.S. Leadership in Spectrum-
Based Technologies
A spectrum pipeline is essential to continue our nation's economic
growth, to improve our global competitiveness, and to support critical
federal services and missions. For purposes of the Strategy, we define
``spectrum pipeline'' to mean a process for identifying spectrum bands,
regardless of allocation (i.e., both federal and non-federal) that
should be studied for repurposing (i.e., allowing new or additional
uses) to meet future requirements for non-federal and federal use
alike. We seek input on what requirements such a pipeline needs to
address, and which spectrum bands may be best suited for particular
purposes.
1. What are projected future spectrum requirements of the services
or missions of concern to you in the short (less than 3 years), medium
(3-6 years) and long (7-10 years) term? What are the spectrum
requirements for next-generation networks and emerging technologies and
standards under development (e.g., 5G Advanced, 6G, Wi-Fi 8)? Are there
additional or different requirements you can identify as needed to
support future government capabilities? What are the use cases and
anticipated high-level technical specifications (e.g., power, target
data rates) that drive these requirements? How much, if at all, should
our strategy by informed by work being performed within recognized
standards-setting bodies (e.g., 3GPP, IEEE), international agencies
(e.g., ITU), and non-U.S. regulators or policymakers (e.g., the
European Union)? What relationship (if any) should our strategy have to
the work of these entities? Are there spectrum bands supporting legacy
technology (e.g., 3G, GSM, CDMA, etc.) that can be repurposed to
support newer technologies for federal or non-federal use?
2. Describe why the amount of spectrum now available will be
insufficient to deliver current or future services or capabilities of
concern to stakeholders. We are particularly interested in any
information on the utilization of existing spectrum resources
(including in historically underserved or disconnected communities such
as rural areas and Tribal lands) or technical specifications for
minimum bandwidths for future
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services or capabilities. As discussed in greater detail in Pillar #3,
are there options available for increasing spectrum access in addition
to or instead of repurposing spectrum (i.e., improving the
technological capabilities of deployed systems, increasing or improving
infrastructure build outs)?
3. What spectrum bands should be studied for potential repurposing
for the services or missions of interest or concern to you over the
short, medium, and long term? Why should opening or expanding access to
those bands be a national priority. For each band identified, what are
some anticipated concerns? Are there spectrum access models (e.g., low-
power unlicensed, dynamic sharing) that would either expedite the
timeline or streamline the process for repurposing the band?
4. What factors should be considered in identifying spectrum for
the pipeline? Should the Strategy promote diverse spectrum access
opportunities including widespread, intensive, and low-cost access to
spectrum-based services for consumers? Should the Strategy promote
next-generation products and services in historically underserved or
disconnected communities such as rural areas and Tribal lands? Should
the Strategy prioritize for repurposing spectrum bands that are
internationally harmonized and that can lead to economies of scale in
network equipment and devices? How should the Strategy balance these
goals with factors such as potential transition costs for a given band
or the availability of alternative spectrum resources for incumbent
users? How should the Strategy balance these goals against critical
government missions? How should the Strategy assess efficient spectrum
use and the potential for sharing? What is an ideal timeline framework
suitable for identifying and repurposing spectrum in order to be
responsive to rapid changes in technology, from introduction of a
pipeline to actual deployment of systems?
5. Spectrum access underpins cutting-edge technology that serves
important national purposes and government missions. Are there changes
the government should make to its current spectrum management processes
to better promote important national goals in the short, medium, and
long term without jeopardizing current government missions?
6. For purposes of the Strategy, we propose to define ``spectrum
sharing'' as optimized utilization of a band of spectrum by two or more
users that includes shared use in frequency, time, and/or location
domains, which can be static or dynamic. To implement the most
effective sharing arrangement, in some situations incumbent users may
need to vacate, compress or repack some portion of their systems or
current use to enable optimum utilization while ensuring no harmful
interference is caused among the spectrum users. Is this how spectrum
sharing would be defined? If not, please provide a definition or
principles that define spectrum sharing. What technologies, innovations
or processes are currently available to facilitate spectrum sharing as
it should be defined? What additional research and development may be
required to advance potential new spectrum sharing models or regimes,
who should conduct such research and development, and how should it be
funded?
7. What are the use cases, benefits, and hinderances of each of the
following spectrum access approaches: exclusive-use licensing;
predefined sharing (static or predefined sharing of locations,
frequency, time); and dynamic sharing (real-time or near real-time
access, often with secondary use rights)? Are these approaches mutually
exclusive (i.e., under what circumstances could a non-federal,
exclusive-use licensee in a band share with government users, from a
non-federal user point of view)? Have previous efforts to facilitate
sharing, whether statically or dynamically, proven successful in
promoting more intensive spectrum use while protecting incumbents?
Please provide ideas or techniques for how to identify the potential
for and protect against interference that incumbents in adjacent bands
may experience when repurposing spectrum.
8. What incentives or policies may encourage or facilitate the
pursuit of more robust federal and non-federal spectrum sharing
arrangements, including in mid-band and other high priority/demand
spectrum? For example, does the current process for reimbursement of
relocation or sharing costs adequately incentivize the study or
analysis of spectrum frequencies for potential repurposing? Are there
market-based, system-performance based or other approaches that would
make it easier for federal agencies to share or make spectrum available
while maintaining federal missions? At the same time, what mechanisms
should be considered to meet some of the current and future federal
mission requirements by enabling new spectrum access opportunities in
non-federal bands, including on an ``as needed'' or opportunistic
basis?
9. How do allocations and varying spectrum access and governance
models in the U.S. compare with actions in other nations, especially
those vying to lead in terrestrial and space-based communications and
technologies? How should the U.S. think about international
harmonization and allocation disparities in developing the National
Spectrum Strategy?
Pillar #2--Long-Term Spectrum Planning
The key to addressing spectrum needs across sectors is a long-term
planning process in which affected stakeholders work together openly
and transparently in an ongoing manner. This is how evolving user
requirements can be vetted and allocations can be regularly assessed to
optimize uses of spectrum to ensure its greatest benefits to the
American people. Under the Spectrum Coordination Initiative, NTIA and
the FCC are collaborating to develop and implement a long-term
strategic spectrum planning process.\1\ This process, once adopted,
would provide a plan for future spectrum access and compatibility
across uses based on projected future national spectrum requirements.
We seek input on what a long-term planning process should entail, with
whom and at what cadence should NTIA coordinate as part of such
process, and how best to execute it.
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\1\ See News Release, National Telecommunications and
Information Administration, FCC, NTIA Establish Spectrum
Coordination Initiative (Feb. 15, 2022).
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1. Who are the groups or categories of affected stakeholders with
interests in the development of the National Spectrum Strategy and
participating in a long-term spectrum-planning process? How do we best
ensure that all stakeholders can participate in a long-term spectrum
planning process in order to facilitate transparency to the greatest
extent possible, ensure efficient and effective use of the nation's
spectrum resources?
2. What type of timeline would be defined as a ``long-term''
process? What are key factors to consider and what are the key inputs
to a long-term planning process? What data are required for planning
purposes? Do we need data on spectrum utilization by incumbent users,
including adjacent band users, and, if so, how should we collect such
data and what metrics should we use in assessing utilization? Do we
need information from standards-setting bodies and, if so, what
information would be helpful and how should we obtain such information?
What is the appropriate time horizon for long-term
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spectrum planning and how often should we revisit or reassess our prior
findings and determinations? How do we balance periodic review and
reassessment of our spectrum priorities with providing regulatory
certainty to protect investment-backed expectations of existing
spectrum users? How can federal and non-federal stakeholders best work
together?
3. How can federal and non-federal stakeholders best engage in
productive and ongoing dialogue regarding spectrum allocation and
authorization, repurposing, sharing, and coordination? Learning from
prior experiences, what can be done to improve federal/non-federal
spectrum coordination, compatibility, and interference protection
assessments to avoid unnecessary delays resulting from non-consensus?
4. What technical and policy-focused activities can the U.S.
Government implement that will foster trust among spectrum stakeholders
and help drive consensus among all parties regarding spectrum
allocation decisions?
5. Are additional spectrum-focused engagements beyond those already
established today (e.g., FCC's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC),\2\
NTIA's Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CSMAC),\3\ and
NTIA's annual Spectrum Policy Symposium) needed to improve trust,
transparency, and communication among the federal government, industry,
and other stakeholders (including Tribal Nations) and why? What would
be the scope of such engagements, how would they be structured, and why
would establishing new engagements be preferable to expanding the use
of existing models? If existing models are sufficient, how (if needed)
should FCC and NTIA maximize their usefulness or leverage their
contributions to enhance and improve coordination?
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\2\ See FCC [verbar] Technological Advisory Council (TAC),
<a href="https://www.fcc.gov/general/technological-advisory-council">https://www.fcc.gov/general/technological-advisory-council</a> (last
visited Mar. 4, 2023).
\3\ See NTIA [verbar] Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory
Committee (CSMAC), <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/category/csmac">https://www.ntia.gov/category/csmac</a> (last visited
Mar. 4, 2023).
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6. In considering spectrum authorization broadly (i.e., to include
both licensed and unlicensed models as well as federal frequency
assignments), what approaches (e.g., rationalization of spectrum bands
or so-called ``neighborhoods'') may optimize the effectiveness of U.S.
spectrum allocations? Are there any specific spectrum bands or ranges
to be looked at that have high potential for expanding and optimizing
access? Which, if any, of these spectrum bands or ranges should be
prioritized for study and potential repurposing? Conversely, are there
any bands or ranges that would not be appropriate for access expansion?
What, if any, metrics are ideal for measuring the intensity of spectrum
utilization by incumbents in candidate bands?
7. What is needed to develop, strengthen, and diversify the
spectrum workforce to ensure an enduring, capable and inclusive
workforce to carry out the long-term plans (including specifically in
rural and Tribal communities)?
Pillar #3--Unprecedented Spectrum Access and Management Through
Technology Development
A key strategy to ensure sufficient access to spectrum for our
nation is to embrace innovation and pursue technologies that expand the
overall capacity or usability of the radiofrequency spectrum. Our
nation has always been at the forefront of technological advancements
across multiple industries and fields, so it should be no different
with spectrum-based technologies. We seek input on what categories of
new or emerging technologies could best help to ensure the U.S.
continues to innovate and maintain its global leadership in spectrum-
based services.
1. What innovations and next-generation capabilities for spectrum
management models (including both licensed and unlicensed) are being
explored today and are expected in the future to expand and improve
spectrum access (and what are the anticipated timelines for delivery)?
2. What policies should the National Spectrum Strategy identify to
enable development of new and innovative uses of spectrum?
3. What role, if any, should the government play in promoting
research into, investment in, and development of technological
advancements in spectrum management, spectrum-dependent technologies,
and infrastructure? What role, if any, should the government play in
participating in standards development, supporting the use of network
architectures, and promoting tools such as artificial intelligence and
machine learning for spectrum coordination or interference protections?
What technologies are available to ensure appropriate interference
protection for incumbents in adjacent bands? What spectrum management
capabilities/tools would enable advanced modeling and more robust and
quicker implementation of spectrum sharing that satisfies the needs of
non-federal interests while maintaining the spectrum access necessary
to satisfy current and future mission requirements and operations of
federal entities? How can data-collection capabilities or other
resources, such as testbeds, be leveraged (including those on Tribal
lands and with Tribal governments)?
4. NTIA is pursuing a time-based spectrum sharing solution called
the incumbent informing capability (IIC) to support spectrum sharing
between federal and non-federal users.\4\ What are some recommendations
for developing an enduring, scalable mechanism for managing shared
spectrum access using the IIC or other similar mechanism, with the goal
of increasing the efficiency of spectrum use? What challenges do non-
federal users foresee with potentially having limited access to
classified or other sensitive data on federal spectrum uses and
operations as part of the IIC or similar capabilities, and what
recommendations do users have for ways to mitigate these challenges?
What are the costs and complexities associated with automating
information on spectrum use?
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\4\ Michael DiFrancisco et al., Incumbent Informing Capability
(IIC) for Time-Based Spectrum Sharing (2021), <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/publications/iic_for_time-based_spectrum_sharing_0.pdf">https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/publications/iic_for_time-based_spectrum_sharing_0.pdf</a> (last visited Mar. 4, 2023).
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5. What other technologies and methodologies are currently being,
or should be, researched and pursued that innovate in real-time dynamic
spectrum sharing, particularly technologies that may not rely on
databases?
Implementation Plan
NTIA also seeks comment on the development of an implementation
plan for the National Spectrum Strategy, which NTIA plans to release
subsequent to publication of the National Spectrum Strategy.
Considering all the foregoing, what specific steps should be included
in the Implementation Plan that could be taken in the next 12-24 months
to ensure the successful execution of the National Spectrum Strategy?
Which of the spectrum bands or ranges should be prioritized for in-
depth study, for example, and under what timetable should we work
toward to repurpose any identified bands? The Implementation Plan will
outline specific objectives and the tasks needed to achieve them.
Stephanie Weiner,
Acting Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-05406 Filed 3-15-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P
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