House subcommittee votes for spectrum legislation

The House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet voted in favor of legislation that would create an inventory of the country's spectrum along with a law designed to accelerate the clearing of users from government spectrum that has already been designated for commercial services.

The legislation, called the Radio Spectrum Inventory Act (HR 3125), calls for a thorough survey of the nation's wireless spectrum and the creation of an inventory of each band, which would also include the identity of federal and commercial users and the types of services they offer in each band.

After the inventory process is finished, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the FCC would be required to offer up to Congress the results as well as a recommendation of which of the most underutilized spectrum should be reallocated for commercial uses. NTIA and the FCC are also directed to develop a website to make the inventory public.

The subcommittee also approved the Spectrum Relocation Improvement Act (HR 3019), which will be used to speed up the process of moving federal users from spectrum that is now allocated for commercial services.

Both bills now move to the full Energy and Commerce Committee.

For more:
- read this eWeek article

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