WASHINGTON, D.C. — Legislation that two House Members who sit on the powerful Energy & Commerce Committee say would free up new airwaves for wireless broadband use by the public has been teed up in the lower body of Congress.
For the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology’s Chair, the legislation would “make as much spectrum as possible available for improved broadband service for consumers and to promote new, innovative uses of our airwaves.”
Those are the words of Pennsylvania Democrat Mike Doyle, who chairs the subcommittee. He was joined by California Democrat Doris Matsui in the introduction of H.R. 5378, the “Spectrum Innovation Act.”
As Matsui sees it, “For the United States to remain the pacesetter in wireless broadband, we must continue to ensure innovators have a reliable spectrum pipeline. We stand at a pivotal moment in the development and deployment of next generation networks; the Spectrum Innovation Act will unleash the economic potential of this valuable mid-band spectrum and give us the tools necessary to meet the communications challenges of tomorrow.”
The legislation would free-up new airwaves for wireless broadband use for the public, which means faster speeds and more responsive networks for consumers. In addition to up to 200 megahertz of spectrum auctioned for mobile broadband, this bill will help usher in new, innovative wireless uses through opportunistic and other flexible spectrum uses.
Competitors Carriers Association President/CEO Steven K. Berry thanked both Doyle and Matsui for the legislation designed to “help maximize the use of mid-band spectrum, which provides “tremendous opportunities for carriers to build out and enhance their networks for the benefit of consumers, and access to this invaluable resource is particularly important to bring connectivity to rural areas.”
Public Knowledge and the Open Technology Institute at New America also support the bill, while the NCTA – The Internet & Television Association believes the bill “demonstrates a balanced approach to making critical mid-band spectrum in the 3.1-3.45 GHz band available for commercial use.”
Click here for the text of H.R. 5378, the Spectrum Innovation Act.
