CHAPTER VII - Conclusion
In seeking to define spectrum policies that promote both growth and
equity, the group revisited the PCAST report recommendations and
the 2019 World Radio Conference, and focused on three topics: federal
spectrum policy, the digital divide, and whether the WRC continues to
be useful to the United States. Woven through the discussion were concerns
about China as a global competitor and a threat to U.S. national
security, and how to assess the success of the CBRS framework, which
is still in process.
Conferees emphasized the importance of having multiple tools to
use, including a CBRS-like model, and on modifying the Spectrum
Relocation Fund to allow for more flexibility in spending to achieve
more optimal solutions for both federal and commercial users. The
group agreed that the U.S government should reform the Spectrum
Relocation Fund, and that the monies can be used to administer an
automated spectrum management system. They also agreed that the
U.S. government should develop a national spectrum inventory.
To help address the digital divide, additional mid-band spectrum
should be made available by the government to provide coverage for
urban and rural communities. Further, the digital divide is not really
a single divide, but has to be considered in a nuanced, granular way,
with a toolbox of solutions to address the different divides. Subsidies
should also be provided for fixed services for people living in rural areas
to promote affordability.
Lastly, the federal government should occasionally re-evaluate participation
in the World Radio Conferences to determine whether the
benefits outweigh the costs. The group concluded that the WRC currently
is more advantageous than disadvantageous for the United States
and that it is better than the identified alternatives.
While there are many challenges that are looming with the advent
of emerging technology, there are more opportunities in the creative
use and application of spectrum technologies. Federal, state, and local
government will need to work together to realize the many promises
inherent in the current digital society.