To step up coordination between NTIA and FCC on spectrum policy, ...

To step up coordination between NTIA and FCC on spectrum policy, NTIA Dir. Nancy Victory and FCC Chmn. Powell met Tues., in part to update 1940s-era agreement between agencies. Meeting, at Commerce Dept., covered process for coordinating govt. and commercial spectrum use, “strengths and weaknesses” of different licensing models and emerging technologies, FCC said. Besides Powell and Victory, meeting included FCC International Bureau Chief Donald Abelson, Wireless Bureau Chief Thomas Sugrue, Office of Engineering & Technology Chief Edmond Thomas, Powell aide Bryan Tramont and Frederick Wentland, acting associate administrator in NTIA Office of Spectrum Management. NTIA and FCC are “pretty close” to finalizing changes in memorandum of understanding that outlines terms of interaction between agencies, NTIA Deputy Dir. Michael Gallagher said. Original 1940s document is short description of policy purviews of FCC and NTIA, including agreement that agencies will notify each other before they take certain steps “but that neither one of us has to wait for the other to act,” Gallagher told us. Only other substantive part of document is list of govt.-only frequencies, he said. “Nobody has re-examined the MOU in decades,” he said. “Things are very different.” Point of update is to memorialize kinds of “best practices” that NTIA and FCC engaged in on policy issues such as ultra-wideband, Gallagher said: “This is meant to appeal much more to the notions of leadership and teamwork and the need to be professional and timely from the top down.” Pending update also will touch on timing of information that’s sent between NTIA and FCC on policy issues, he said. Powell called NTIA and FCC “essential partners” in area of spectrum policy reform: “The pace of development in spectrum-based services is such that remarkable breakthroughs quickly seem mundane. Our spectrum policies need to reflect this dynamic marketplace and to be flexible enough to keep up with innovation.” Agencies said meeting, which lasted more than 2 hours, also touched on “alternative licensing regimes and the success of the unlicensed model” in promoting innovation. Gallagher said unlicensed spectrum policy issues were discussed in context of recent FCC Spectrum Policy Task Force report and how to find additional spectrum for new technologies. Sec. 112 of NTIA Organization Act of 1992 directs FCC and NTIA chiefs to meet twice yearly to discuss spectrum issues. Gallagher said NTIA’s April spectrum summit marked first meeting this year to meet that requirement, with Tues. discussions comprising second.