Trump calls for sustainable spectrum strategy
October 29, 2018
By Colin Mann
US President Donald Trump has ordered a range of agencies to work on developing what he describes as a “balanced, forward-looking, flexible, and sustainable approach to spectrum management” as part of his desire for America be first in fifth-generation (5G) wireless technologies.
In a Presidential Memorandum, he notes that in the growing digital economy, wireless technologies expand opportunities to increase economic output of rural communities and connect them with urban markets, and offer safety benefits that save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce the cost of transportation incidents. “American companies and institutions rely heavily on high-speed wireless connections, with increasing demands on both speed and capacity. Wireless technologies are helping to bring broadband to rural, unserved, and underserved parts of America. Spectrum-dependent systems also are indispensable to the performance of many important United States Government missions. And as a Nation, our dependence on these airwaves is likely to continue to grow,” he says, adding that access to spectrum is a critical component of the technological capabilities that enable economic activity and protect national security.
“While American industry continues to extract greater and greater value from spectrum, each technological leap also increases demands on its usage” he observes. “Those demands have never been greater than today, with the advent of autonomous vehicles and precision agriculture, the expansion of commercial space operations, and the burgeoning Internet of Things signalling a nearly insatiable demand for spectrum access. Moreover, it is imperative that America be first in fifth-generation (5G) wireless technologies — wireless technologies capable of meeting the high-capacity, low-latency, and high-speed requirements that can unleash innovation broadly across diverse sectors of the economy and the public sector. Flexible, predictable spectrum access by the United States Government will help ensure that Federal users can meet current and future mission requirements for a broad range of both communications- and non-communications-based systems,” he states.
“Federal agencies must thoughtfully consider whether and how their spectrum-dependent mission needs might be met more efficiently and effectively, including through new technology and ingenuity,” he declares. “The United States Government shall continue to look for additional opportunities to share spectrum among Federal and non-Federal entities. The United States Government shall also continue to encourage investment and adoption by Federal agencies of commercial, dual-use, or other advanced technologies that meet mission requirements, including 5G technologies. In doing so, we will take appropriate measures to sustain the radiofrequency environment in which critical United States infrastructure and space systems operate.”