Spectrum Engineering

The United States’ radiocommunication interests are global.  Communications are the backbone of our economic and national security and radiocommunications are a critical component of the United States’ overall communications interests.  Radio signals traverse borders, oceans and space.  The mobility of radio systems leads to services, technologies, and operations that span the global community and economy.  The successful development and implementation of radiocommunications depend on international agreements reached at World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs).  These conferences meet every three to four years under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to update the international radio regulations on the use of the radio spectrum.  The ITU is a specialized agency of the United Nations, and has 189 member states.  The outcome of WRCs provides the international regulatory framework for the use of radiocommunication systems vital to U.S. economic growth, U.S. national security, safety of life and property, and scientific investigations.  The United States must continue its success at these international conferences in negotiating spectrum allocations and regulations forward-looking and flexible enough to accommodate technologies and operations that the United States will need in the future.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
launched this two-phase study of interference protection criteria (IPC) in order to
compile, explain and validate, modify or supplement the levels of protection from
interference that are generally expected and provided for various radiocommunication
systems. The study is an integral part of President Bush’s Spectrum Policy Initiative
that was established in May 2003 to promote the development and implementation of a
United States spectrum policy for the 21st century. The Secretary of Commerce then
established a Federal Government Spectrum Task Force and initiated a series of public
meetings to address improvements in policies affecting spectrum use by the Federal
Government, State, and local governments, and the private sector. The
recommendations resulting from these activities were included in a two-part series of
reports released by the Secretary of Commerce in June 2004, under the title Spectrum
Policy for the 21st Century - The Presidents Spectrum Policy Initiative. Based on the
recommendations contained in these Reports, the President directed the federal
agencies on November 30, 2004, to plan the implementation of the 24
recommendations contained in the Reports. There were several recommendations that
will consider the interference protection criteria contained in this study including:
• assessment of new technologies and their impact on incumbent
radiocommunications;
• managing interference;
• development of a “Best Practices Handbook” for spectrum engineering;
• establishment a pilot program and long-range plan for improved sharing of
spectrum between federal and non-federal entities; and
• creation of new analytical computer models that will facilitate spectrum
engineering.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is responsible for managing federal agency use of the radio spectrum. The NTIA establishes policies concerning frequency assignment, allocation and use, and provides the various federal departments and agencies with guidance to ensure that their conduct of telecommunications activities is consistent with these policies. The NTIA also serves under the Executive Branch as the President's principal adviser on telecommunication policies pertaining to the nation's economic and technological advancements and to the regulation of the telecommunications industry.