NTIA Administrator Strickling Issues Statement Following FCC Adoption of Proposed Rules for Broadband Unlicensed Devices in the 5 GHz Band

WASHINGTON – Following on NTIA's January 2013 report evaluating the potential use of up to 195 megahertz of additional spectrum in the 5 GHz band by unlicensed devices, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today proposed making the spectrum in the 5350-5470 MHz and 5850-5925 MHz bands available for such use. 

“I welcome the FCC’s comprehensive approach to addressing the complex technical issues that must be solved to allow expanded sharing of the 5 GHz band among unlicensed devices and incumbent users,” said Lawrence E. Strickling, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator.  “The Commission’s proposals build upon the initial findings in NTIA’s recent 5 GHz study in which we evaluated known and proposed spectrum sharing technologies and the risks to Federal users if unlicensed devices were allowed to operate in the 5350-5470 MHz and 5850-5925 MHz bands.  I am pleased that the FCC is also addressing in this proceeding key technical and enforcement issues in other 5 GHz band segments, including those in which interference problems have arisen and to which additional Federal operations could be relocated from other bands.”