The FCC and the NTIA say they will be working more closely together on spectrum issues.
The Federal Communications Commission and National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced an initiative intended to improve U.S. government coordination on spectrum management.
“The Spectrum Coordination Initiative will involve actions by both agencies to strengthen the processes for decision making and information sharing and to work cooperatively to resolve spectrum policy issues,” they said in the announcement.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the agreement with NTIA Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson.
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“Now more than ever we need a whole-of-government approach to spectrum policy,” Rosenworcel said in the statement. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen the cost of not having one — and we need a non-stop effort to fix that.”
They laid out a plan to reinstate high-level meetings; “reaffirm” roles and responsibilities; and renew efforts to develop a national spectrum strategy. They also said they would “recommit to scientific integrity and evidence-based policymaking” and revamp their technical collaboration.
Among other steps, the FCC will participate as an observer in the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee, while NTIA will participate as an observer in the FCC’s Technological Advisory Council and the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council.
The organizations wrote: “The FCC and NTIA jointly manage the nation’s radio spectrum resources, and the agencies have a long history of working together to ensure that spectrum policy decisions foster economic growth, ensure our national and homeland security, maintain U.S. global leadership and advance other vital U.S. needs.”