FCC Should Actively Track IoT Growth for Spectrum Congestion Implications, GAO Says

The FCC should begin tracking growth of IoT devices that are high bandwidth or rely on unlicensed spectrum, GAO suggested. A report released Tuesday, based on interviews with officials from the FCC, NTIA and private sector stakeholders, found availability of spectrum and managing interference are the primary spectrum IoT market challenges. Any rapid increase in the use of high-bandwidth IoT devices could echo the same rapid overwhelming of networks that occurred during the rise of smartphones, GAO said. Managing interference is becoming more difficult as the number of deployed IoT devices grows, especially on unlicensed bands, it said. The FCC will ask its Technical Advisory Council (TAC) to periodically review and report on IoT's growth but doesn't believe the recommendations on more active IoT-related tracking are necessary, said Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp and Wireless Bureau Chief Donald Stockdale in a letter responding to the findings. “Since most of the projected IoT growth is expected to occur in unlicensed bands that are not protected from interference, we continue to believe that FCC should place a greater focus on tracking IoT devices in these bands,” GAO said. “The TAC may also be well positioned to help FCC track unlicensed IoT devices.” The report noted France, Germany, the Netherlands and South Korea took steps “similar” to those by the U.S. to prepare for the rise of IoT but found that only one -- South Korea -- is actively monitoring possible spectrum congestion.