Principal SPTF Recommendations
The core focus of the Spectrum Policy Task Force is to ensure the efficient and effective use of the radio spectrum. The radio spectrum currently being used plays a vital role in a vast amount of government and commercial services. These services include radio and television broadcasts, satellite communications, wireless networks, public safety communications, weather forecasting, etc. The radio spectrum is the section of the electromagnetic spectrum that spans from about 3 kilohertz to 300 gigahertz. Television broadcasts, radios, mobile phones, and military and government communication systems are best operated in the 100 MHZ to 3GHz radio spectrum. [4] The current use of the spectrum is mostly focused on the lower 1% of these frequencies. With the gradual increases in technological innovation and wireless communication, the usable part of the radio spectrum has also been greatly expanded. From here on, there will only be gradual increases in the technology and devices that depend on the radio spectrum for their functionality. The National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA) deals with radio spectrum policies on the international level as well as federal government use of the radio spectrum. The allocation of the radio spectrum differs around the globe, but since electromagnetic waves travel the same way through the air, spectrum management decisions are generally coordinated internationally. The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) primary focus is on all the nonfederal, state, and local governments' use of the spectrum. To manage the spectrum, both the NTIA and FCC used the "command-and-control" approach; they dictated how each segment of the radio spectrum is used and who is eligible to use it. The command-and-control approach worked in the initial days of wireless communication, but in order to meet the needs of new technology innovations and modern mobile devices using wireless communication, a policy was required that was more consumer-oriented. [5] The FCC formed a task force—the Spectrum Policy Task Force—whose primary role was to evaluate changes in the spectrum policy, ensure the efficient and effective use of the spectrum, and derive public benefit from the use of the spectrum.
Command-and-Control and Market-oriented Rights Models
The command-and-control approach dictates how the radio spectrum will be segmented and which consumers will be eligible to use it. In the United States, the FCC is the centralized authority that regulates spectrum allocation and use. So far, the command-and-control approach has been the most commonly used method for spectrum management. Over the past decade, there has been a substantial increase in the technological innovations, mobile devices, and wireless services that use the radio spectrum. The command-and-control approach was useful for addressing the issues related to older wireless communication devices and services. With the new technologies and their increased demand for the radio spectrum, the command-and-control approach was simply at a disadvantage for spectrum management. In October 2001, Chairman Michael Powell, the FCC Chairman at that time, shared the difficulties that the government officials were experiencing when it came to the allocation and alignment of the radio spectrum to address the new emerging spectrum needs and services. In June 2002, the FCC Chairman established the Spectrum Policy Task Force to assist the FCC in evaluating changes in the spectrum, reevaluating the command-and-control approach, and helping to migrate it to a more consumer-oriented model. The command-and-control approach comprises the duties of allocating and segmenting the spectrum for specific types of services, e.g. radio, and ensuring that the services that use these bands adopt the service rules and technical standards. command-and-control also requires that the equipment from the major federal systems that use the spectrum be certified by the NTIA in order to evaluate the impact of the system on the spectrum. The certification includes properly researching the system, selecting the frequency bands used by the system, and then filing for review by the NTIA for federal systems. (The FCC reviews non-federal systems.) After the certification process is complete and the technical standards have been authorized, a portion of the radio spectrum is allocated to the individual entity or service provider and its use is allowed within a certain geographical area. Lastly, the command-and-control approach requires the NTIA and FCC to have proper measures in place to monitor the allocated spectrum, address any interference issues, keep the technical standards in check, and audit the geographic spectrum assignments. The goal from here onward was to create a more consumer-oriented model that would encourage the optimum use of the spectrum, lead growth in technological innovations, and provide effective and efficient communication technologies and services. [6]
Spectrum Policy Objectives
The core objectives of the task force are to ensure the efficient and effective use of the radio spectrum, encourage the best use of the spectrum domestically and internationally, encourage the growth of innovative and efficient communication technologies and services, and promote the deployment of spectrum technologies and services domestically and internationally.
Implement flexible market-oriented spectrum allocation
The Spectrum Policy Task Force will encourage the most effective and efficient use of the radio spectrum, increase the opportunities for new technological innovations, and ensure that there is ample spectrum available and allocated for public safety, commercial, and other communication services. The Spectrum Policy Task Force will evaluate and identify changes in spectrum policy and provide recommendations that will maximize public benefits gained from the use of the radio spectrum. The Task Force will also advise the FCC on the evaluation and refinement of spectrum assignment policies, which are not limited to the auction process. Spectrum auction is an auction process set up by the government to sell the rights to spectrum bands. Since radio spectrum is a scarce resource, the government uses the auction method to promote market-oriented spectrum management. [7]
Efficient and effective use of the spectrum
The Spectrum Policy Task Force will ensure that the radio spectrum is being used efficiently and effectively. It will provide the FCC with recommendations to promote the efficient use of the spectrum by establishing the shared use of the spectrum between applicable users and service providers, building new license models that minimize the entry barriers for consumers to own spectrum bands, lessening the interference in spectrum bands, and encouraging new technological innovations like Internet-based protocols and cognitive radios. [8] The following is the FCC's summary of its Secondary Markets Initiative:
Markets Initiative
"The FCC is taking significant steps to remove regulatory barriers and facilitate the development of secondary markets in spectrum usage rights among the Wireless Radio Services. In 2003, the FCC adopted its first Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, in which it established new policies and procedures to facilitate broader access to valuable spectrum resources through the use of spectrum leasing arrangements. It also streamlined procedures for approving license assignments and transfers of control. In 2004, the FCC adopted the Second Report and Order, Order on Reconsideration, and Second Further Notice, in which it provided for immediate processing of certain qualifying spectrum leasing and license assignment and transfer transactions. It also established the new regulatory concept, termed the 'private commons,' to provide additional access to spectrum in licensed bands. Finally, the FCC is seeking comment on additional steps it should take to further the development of advanced technologies that enable more efficient secondary markets in spectrum usage rights". [9] .
Maximizing Spectrum Flexibility
The Spectrum Policy Task Force will advise ways to maximize the flexibility of the spectrum. "Flexibility" means granting both licensed and unlicensed users maximum freedom to access the spectrum when they can ensure that they are generating the highest value from their spectrum use. The flexibility of the spectrum offers autonomy only when the various spectrum users ensure that their use of the spectrum will not cause spectrum interference. Flexibility will give spectrum users the power to determine how best they will use their spectrum. [10] From the FCC SPTF report of 2002: By leaving these choices to the spectrum user, this approach tends to lead to efficient and highly valued spectrum uses. In most instances, a flexible use approach is preferable to the Commission's traditional "command-and-control" approach to spectrum regulation, in which allowable spectrum uses are limited based on regulatory judgments. [11] The Spectrum Policy Task Force will also recommend approaches to the FCC that allow licensed and unlicensed users flexibility of the spectrum and ensure that they comply with the technical rules regarding the use of different technical devices, power limits, interference rules, etc. [12]
Spectrum Policy Task Force Findings and Recommendations
The function of the task force is to gather preliminary data and, based on the data, provide the FCC with recommendations. Some of major findings identified by the Spectrum Policy Task Force include:
Radio spectrum interference tolerance
It is important to enable changes in the spectrum policy that will create potential for new radio systems that will use the spectrum more efficiently and are more tolerant to spectrum interference.
Quantify spectrum use
Preliminary data gathered by Spectrum Policy Task Force shows that a majority of the radio spectrum is not in use for a significant period of time. The use of the white spaces between the spectrums can be increased significantly. White spaces are the spectrum bands that exist between the used channels to minimize interference. Compared to the old analog signals, multiple digital signals can be packed into the spectrum band, allowing more transmissions. By allowing the use of new technologies and radio systems, this white space can be used more efficiently.
Regulatory models for both licensed and unlicensed users
The Spectrum Policy Task Force recommends flexibility of the spectrum for licensed and unlicensed users. Along with giving users the autonomy to make good use of the spectrum, the FCC should have clear regulations in place so that users can understand and comply with these rules, e.g. power limits and interference protection.
No single regulatory model should be applied to all spectrums
With Spectrum Task Force recommendations, the FCC should pursue a regulatory model that provides a balanced spectrum policy. The policy should include granting spectrum usage rights based on market-oriented model, which will promote more open access while using command and control regulations in limited circumstances. "The Task Force recommended that FCC pursue a spectrum management policy that includes both exclusive spectrum usage rights granted through market-based mechanisms and creates open access to spectrum 'commons,' with command-and-control regulation used in limited circumstances." [13]
The ISM radio bands are portions of the radio spectrum reserved internationally for industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) purposes, excluding applications in telecommunications. Examples of applications for the use of radio frequency (RF) energy in these bands include radio-frequency process heating, microwave ovens, and medical diathermy machines. The powerful emissions of these devices can create electromagnetic interference and disrupt radio communication using the same frequency, so these devices are limited to certain bands of frequencies. In general, communications equipment operating in ISM bands must tolerate any interference generated by ISM applications, and users have no regulatory protection from ISM device operation in these bands.
In telecommunication and radio communication, spread-spectrum techniques are methods by which a signal generated with a particular bandwidth is deliberately spread in the frequency domain, resulting in a signal with a wider bandwidth. These techniques are used for a variety of reasons, including the establishment of secure communications, increasing resistance to natural interference, noise, and jamming, to prevent detection, to limit power flux density, and to enable multiple-access communications.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce that serves as the President's principal adviser on telecommunications policies pertaining to the United States' economic and technological advancement and to regulation of the telecommunications industry.
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A cognitive radio (CR) is a radio that can be programmed and configured dynamically to use the best wireless channels in its vicinity to avoid user interference and congestion. Such a radio automatically detects available channels in wireless spectrum, then accordingly changes its transmission or reception parameters to allow more concurrent wireless communications in a given spectrum band at one location. This process is a form of dynamic spectrum management.
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Spectrum management is the process of regulating the use of radio frequencies to promote efficient use and gain a net social benefit. The term radio spectrum typically refers to the full frequency range from 1 Hz to 3000 GHz that may be used for wireless communication. Increasing demand for services such as mobile telephones and many others has required changes in the philosophy of spectrum management. Demand for wireless broadband has soared due to technological innovation, such as 3G and 4G mobile services, and the rapid expansion of wireless internet services.
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Bandwidth allocation is the process of assigning radio frequencies to different applications. The radio spectrum is a finite resource, which means there is great need for an effective allocation process. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission or FCC has the responsibility of allocating discrete portions of the spectrum, or bands, to various industries. The FCC did this recently, when it shifted the location of television broadcasting on the spectrum in order to open up more space for mobile data. Different bands of spectrum are able to transmit more data than others, and some bands of the spectrum transmit a clearer signal than others. Bands that are particularly fast or that have long range are of critical importance for companies that intend to operate a business involving wireless communications.
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Every military force has a goal to ensure and have permanent access to radio frequencies to meet its vital military tasks. This is based on strategies, doctrines and different policies that military forces adhere to.
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The Spectrum Commons theory states that the telecommunication radio spectrum should be directly managed by its users rather than regulated by governmental or private institutions. Spectrum management is the process of regulating the use of radio frequencies to promote efficient use and gain a net social benefit. The theory of Spectrum Commons argues that there are new methods and strategies that will allow almost complete open access to this currently regulated commons with unlimited number of persons to share it without causing interference. This would eliminate the need for both a centralized, governmental management of the spectrum and the allocation of specific portions of the spectrum to private actors.
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