AWS-1 Transition
In 2002, NTIA and the Federal Communications Commission announced plans to make additional spectrum available for commercial use. This spectrum, in the 1710-1755 MHz range, would be transferred from Federal government users and made available to the private sector through spectrum auctions conducted by the FCC. The effort was authorized by the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act (CSEA) in 2004, which created a fund to allow Federal agencies to recover the costs of relocating their radio systems from the proceeds of the auction of the vacated spectrum. The auction of the 1710-1755 MHz band concluded in 2006, and Federal agencies and NTIA provide an annual report on the status of relocation activities as required by the CSEA.
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Sixth Annual Progress Report on the Relocation of Federal Radio Systems from the 1710-1755 MHz Spectrum Band
Section 207 of the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act (CSEA), Title II of P.L. 108-494 requires annual reporting on federal agencies’ progress to vacate certain wireless communications systems from the 1710 megahertz (MHz) to 1755 MHz radio spectrum that has been reallocated to commercial use. NTIA published the first annual report to Congress on April 17, 2008. That report covered relocation activity occurring over the period March 2007 through December 2007.
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1710 - 1755 MHz Background
On February 16, 2007 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) submitted its report “Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act Report to Congress on Agency Plans For Spectrum Relocation Funds” to Congress requesting $1,008,552,502 for 1990 frequency assignments be transferred from the relocation fund. After 30 days, OMB made Advanced Wireless Services auction funds available to the agencies for relocation.
The update reflects a reduction in the total number of frequency assignments in the 1710-1755 MHz band from 147 to 76.