FCC Explores Dynamic Spectrum Options

Amid all the excitement about the FCC's net neutrality vote before the holiday, another interesting development gained little attention. The agency has issued a notice of inquiry about dynamic use of spectrum, which could see licensed bands becoming more flexible, drawing on some of the ideas already adopted for unlicensed white spaces frequencies. Notably, a geolocation database could be used to allow multiple licensees to run in the same spectrum, without interfering with one another.

Focal Points:

• This database approach is at the heart of the policy for opening up white spaces in the broadcast band for broadband use. And it could also prove the way for campaigners like Google to get closer to their ideal of all spectrum being available on an on-demand basis to scores of service providers, rather each license being allocated to a single holder (and often underused).
• "Even as we look to free up existing spectrum to meet the needs for wireless broadband, we can and should explore ways to make more dynamic and opportunistic use of the spectrum we have," noted FCC chair Julius Genachowski as the notice of inquiry was released over the holiday period. In particular, the NOI aims to find out "what additional steps the Commission can and should take to encourage, promote, and incentivize their development and use in both unlicensed and licensed spectrum".
• The agency is seeking comment on issues such as expanding white space services to other bands, or allowing license holders to rent out spectrum to secondary users. It also wants comments on how to lease non-contiguous spectrum, which could help it to allocate spectrum that is currently frozen for lack of a viable business case.

Republican FCC commissioner Robert McDowell commented: "I hope our updated rules will adhere to the Commission's more recent 'flexible use' policy. Old style 'command and control' rules not only hamper creative entrepreneurs who are in the best position to understand and satisfy consumer demands, they cause spectral inefficiencies as well."