US President Donald Trump Thursday sought the development of a national spectrum strategy so as to ensure security and safety through modern technology.
He also announced the creation of new Spectrum Strategy Task Force, co-chaired by Director of National Economic Council and his Chief Technology Officer.
In a memorandum, Trump tasked the Secretary of Commerce to come out with a long-term National Spectrum Strategy that includes legislative, regulatory or other policy recommendations to increase spectrum access for all users, including on a shared basis through transparency of spectrum use and improved cooperation and collaboration between Federal and non-Federal spectrum stakeholders.
The Commerce Secretary has also been asked to create flexible models for spectrum management, including standards, incentives and enforcement mechanisms that promote efficient and effective spectrum use, including flexible-use spectrum licenses, while accounting for critical safety and security concerns.
The new strategy, the president said in his memorandum, needs to build a secure, automated capability to facilitate assessments of spectrum use and expedite coordination of shared access among Federal and non-Federal spectrum stakeholders.
It also seeks to improve the global competitiveness of United States terrestrial and space-related industries and augment the mission capabilities of federal entities through spectrum policies, domestic regulations, and leadership in international forums.
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Observing that America's national security depends on technological excellence, the memorandum said the US government must continue to have access to the spectrum resources needed to serve the national interest from protecting the homeland and managing the national airspace to forecasting severe weather and exploring the frontiers of space.
"Technological innovation in spectrum usage, moreover, occurs in both the private and public sectors. 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," it said.
As the National Security Strategy of 2017 made clear, access to spectrum is a critical component of the technological capabilities that enable economic activity and protect national security, the memorandum said.
Wireless communications and associated data applications establish a foundation for high-wage jobs and national prosperity, it said.
While American industry continues to extract greater and greater value from spectrum, each technological leap also increases demands on its usage.
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, the memorandum said.
"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," Trump said in his memorandum.
"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," it added.