NTIA outlined plans for public meetings for the private sector an...

NTIA outlined plans for public meetings for the private sector and state and local govts. on how to improve spectrum management. President Bush in June signed an Executive Memorandum that created a task force to examine how to stimulate more-efficient spectrum use by federal users. The steps laid out included a forum for soliciting private sector input, which Acting NTIA Dir. Michael Gallagher has said would use the FCC’s Spectrum Policy Task Force report as a starting point. NTIA said a daylong meeting would be held at the Commerce Dept. Dec. 9. It marks the first opportunity for parties outside of the federal govt. to participate in the process set out in the White House memorandum. Bush had created a separate interagency task force, including the Depts. of Energy and Homeland Security, to look at federal spectrum use issues. NTIA said it also planned to co-sponsor a Feb. 12-13 meeting with the National Academy of Sciences on critical spectrum needs, spectrum management improvements, incentives for efficiency and policies to streamline new technology development. A 3rd meeting is set for late Jan. or early Feb. with the former Public Safety Wireless Network, now part of the DHS’s Project Safecom. “These public meetings will serve as the catalyst for the development of new technologies that will enhance the productivity of American workers,” Gallagher said. NTIA said the Dec. 9 meeting would cover how to encourage spectrum efficiency and deployment of new services. NTIA said additional public meetings might be held. The agency also will accept written comments through a Federal Register notice.