A bipartisan group of House lawmakers plans to reintroduce legislation to require the FCC tonpair for commercial auction the 1755-1780 MHz band with the 2155-2180 MHz band, Capitol Hillnsources told us Wednesday. The forthcoming bill, which will be co-sponsored by Reps. Doris Matsui,nD-Calif., and Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., will mirror the Efficient Use of Government Spectrum Act whichnfailed to pass in the 112th Congress (CD April 12/12 p1). Pairing the 1755-1780 MHz band, whichnhas long been a top target of carriers, with the 2155–2180 MHz band would allow the spectrum to benauctioned and licensed by February 2015. Spokesmen for Matsui and Guthrie did not comment. Thenbill provides the Department of Defense and other federal agencies a five-year window to leave thenband and offers reimbursements for planning costs and the acquisition of replacement systems, Hillnsources said. Defense is a large user of the band and the federal demand for spectrum is increasingndue to the prevalence of advanced systems like drones. The cost of relocating Defense systems wouldnbe covered by the Spectrum Relocation Fund, which would be paid with the proceeds from the futurencommercial auction of the 1755-1780 MHz band, according to the bill. A March 2012 NTIA reportnestimated that repurposing all 95 MHz of the 1755-1850 MHz band would cost $18 billion and take 10nyears to clear. NTIA had no comment. CTIA Vice President-Government Affairs Jot Carpenter saidnin an email statement the group "strongly supports efforts to reallocate the 1755 to 1780 megahertznband in time for it to be auctioned with the 2155 to 2180 megahertz band. Congresswoman Matsuinhas been a consistent advocate for the reallocation of the 1755 band and we greatly appreciate herncontinued leadership on this issue."
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