The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched two separate proceedings intended to foster the development of innovative spectrum-efficient technologies and services in order to meet the growing demand for wireless broadband services.
In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) issued in November 2010, the Commission has requested comments on a proposal to expand its rules covering Experimental Radio Services to allow for the issuance of a new type of “program license.” The proposed program license would give qualified entities broader discretion to conduct research without the need to seek approval for each individual experiment.
In a separate action, the Commission has issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI), requesting comments on ways in which advance dynamic radios and techniques, such as “white spacing” and spectrum sensing, might be used to provide more intensive and efficient use of spectrum.
According to the FCC’s recent forecast of mobile broadband spectrum use, the United States faces a spectrum deficit of nearly 300 megahertz within the next five years.
Read the complete text of the Commission’s NOI on advanced dynamic devices and techniques.
