Assessment of the Viability of Accommodating Wireless Broadband in the 1755-1850 MHz Band

摘要

The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) led an interagency group to determine the viability of accommodating commercial wireless broadband in the 1755-1850 MHz band. While the analyses summarized in this report indicates there are a number of challenges to repurposing, NTIA concludes that it is possible to repurpose all 95 megahertz of the band. The challenges still to be met include the high cost and long timeline of the undertaking, estimated to be approximately $18 billion over 10 years, assuming relocation of most existing federal users, not including costs to incumbent systems in comparable destination bands. However, the extent to which the spectrum can be made exclusively available to commercial interests requires further investigation, as some federal systems could remain in the band indefinitely. As a step toward meeting these challenges, NTIA believes that the agencies need to engage with industry to identify potential solutions, which could include partial clearing scenarios and a phased approach to commercial auctions and entry. NTIA also believes that spectrum sharing is a vital component of satisfying the growing demand for access to spectrum and that both federal and non-federal users will need to adopt innovative sharing techniques to accommodate this demand. This analysis results from an eight-month evaluation process led by NTIA and engaging, via the Policy and Plans Steering Group (PPSG), the predominant federal agency users of this band. Each federal agency analyzed and documented its ability to relocate systems, associated costs, and anticipated periods of transition. In conducting the analysis, NTIA and the federal agencies endeavored to protect critical federal operations from disruption and to reach comparable capability via other spectrum, commercial services, or means that do not utilize spectrum, where appropriate.