CTIA Urges NTIA to Correct 'Mistakes' in National Spectrum Strategy

CTIA sent a follow-up letter to NTIA Tuesday on implementing the national spectrum strategy, urging the agency to correct "mistakes made in earlier studies of the lower 3 GHz band and, consistent with Congressional intent, engage in a comprehensive review that includes licensed, full-power opportunities.” Umair Javed, CTIA senior vice president-spectrum, was among those raising questions about DOD’s study of the band at a recent American Enterprise Institute event (see 2401220066). “Licensed spectrum provides the only viable path for the wide-area coverage necessary to connect Americans with wireless service across the country,” the letter said: “The record supports evaluating all options for the lower 3 GHz band.” CTIA encouraged the administration to “restore NTIA leadership of spectrum studies and transparent, data-driven processes.” The administration should also take “a holistic look” at the entire 1,275 MHz of spectrum in the 7/8 GHz band “to identify the most promising opportunities, including making some or all of the band available,” CTIA said. That band, with the lower 3 GHz, has been a top wireless industry candidate for full-power licensed use. The 7/8 GHz band “is now a global ... target for expanding capacity for 5G and beyond” with the World Radiocommunication Conference deciding last year to include it in “a future agenda item for harmonization,” the letter said.