Finding Success on Spectrum Management Through Technology and Freedom

Tomorrow, NCTA President & CEO Michael Powell will testify before the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce on the critical role of managing the public spectrum to meet the security needs of our nation, unlock the next generation of connectivity, and maintain U.S. leadership in the global digital economy.

Powell will emphasize the high stakes of spectrum policy, warning that current 'zero sum' conflicts could have serious consequences and encouraging policymakers to embrace Wi-Fi and sharing solutions that will expand the utility of spectrum in a timely manner.

Wi-Fi: America's wireless MVP

Wi-Fi is the unsung hero of connectivity and how most people use the internet. It is an essential part of daily life, in countless devices, supporting everything from entertainment and remote work to telehealth and education. And it carries the vast majority of all internet traffic.

• Wi-Fi handles ten times more data than all other wireless networks combined, and its value to the U.S. economy is projected to hit $2.4 trillion annually by 2027.
• Between 82-89% of all data consumed on mobile devices in the US travels over Wi-Fi.

But keeping Wi-Fi fast, reliable and ready to meet the demands of next-generation applications will require finding more spectrum available for unlicensed use. The 7 GHz band is particularly well-suited to support Wi-Fi's continued growth, making new spectrum available for commercial use while coexisting with the operations and needs of government incumbents.

Why shared spectrum matters

With an absence of new 'green field' spectrum to turn to, we must be smarter in managing this critical resource and use technology to meet commercial and governmental needs more efficiently. The old 'clear and auction' model for spectrum allocation, where incumbents are forcibly moved, and spectrum is reserved for a single commercial entity, is increasingly less feasible, negatively impacting America's security interests and unnecessarily delaying the availability of spectrum through shared licensing models that advance America's leadership in creating jobs, competition, and innovation.

Take, for example, the success of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) model, where users like businesses, schools, and airports share spectrum with government users for a wide variety of services. CBRS is currently being deployed to:

• Expand connectivity in rural America and underserved communities.
• Drive the development of precision agriculture.
• Empower enterprises and factories in building private networks that meet their specific needs.
• Reduce the cost of mobile phone service through innovation and new competitive offerings.

The big takeaway

To meet the future needs of American consumers and avoid endless cycles of conflict between government and commercial users, we must embrace the opportunities provided by technology to chart a forward path.

Spectrum sharing through reliance on coexistence technologies does just that-it's revolutionary, sustainable, and the best path forward to meeting our security needs while maintaining America's position as a leader in spectrum innovation.

Stay tuned for updates from Michael Powell's testimony on January 23, 2025, and learn more about NCTA's advocacy for innovative spectrum policies.