Publications

This progress report describes the activities related to the Spectrum Sharing Innovation Test-Bed Pilot Program undertaken during Fiscal Year 2011.

NTIA released this report on March 27, 2012 finding that 95 megahertz (MHz) of prime spectrum, the 1755-1850 MHz band, can be repurposed for wireless broadband use.  While NTIA’s analysis of the federal agencies’ reports shows it is possible, there are several challenges that need to be met before making a formal recommendation to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  Accordingly, in this report, NTIA proposes a new path forward for spectrum repurposing that relies on a combination of relocating federal users and sharing spectrum between federal agencies and commercial users.  NTIA notes that spectrum sharing will be a vital component to satisfying the growing demand for spectrum, and federal and non-federal users will need to adopt innovative spectrum-sharing techniques to accommodate this demand.  Reallocation of this spectrum would represent significant progress towards achieving President Obama’s goal to nearly double the amount of commercial spectrum available this decade.  The President’s initiative will spur investment, economic growth, and job creation while supporting the growing demand by consumers and businesses for wireless broadband services.

Department of Commerce Report:  An Assessment of the Viability  of Accommodating Wireless Broadband in the 1755-1850 MHz Band (pdf)

Federal Agency Input on 1755-1850 MHz:

This handbook provides the radio frequency (RF) analyst with the capability to calculate the effects of noise and interference on RF communications receivers. A receiver is modeled as a sequence of modules. Each module has a transfer function that relates the module outputs to the module inputs. By consecutively analyzing each module in the sequence, the analyst can then relate the receiver outputs (performance) to the receiver inputs (signal characteristics).

A wide variety of communications modulation and coding techniques are considered for this handbook including Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Low Density Parity Check Coding (LDPCC) and Turbo Product Coding (TPC). Interferers considered include continuous and pulsed narrow and broadband interferers which are on-tune, off-tune and adjacent channel.

Pursuant to Section 6001(d)(4) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA or Recovery Act) (Public Law No. 111-5), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) provides this Quarterly Report on the status of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). This Report focuses on the Program’s activities from July 1 to September 30, 2011, as well as overall accomplishments from Fiscal Year 2011.

The Department of Commerce's Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a report, “Exploring the Digital Nation,” that analyzes broadband Internet adoption in the United States.  Overall, approximately seven out of ten households in the United States subscribe to broadband service. The report finds a strong correlation between broadband adoption and socio-economic factors, such as income and education, but says these differences do not explain the entire broadband adoption gap that exists along racial, ethnic, and geographic lines. Even after accounting for socio-economic differences, certain minority and rural households still lag in broadband adoption.

The report analyzes data collected through an Internet Use supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS) of about 54,300 households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau in October 2010.  Earlier this year, NTIA released initial findings from the survey, showing that while virtually all demographic groups have increased adoption of broadband Internet at home since the prior year, historic disparities among demographic groups remain. This report presents broadband adoption statistics after adjusting for various socio-economic differences.

(NOTE:  If not printing in color, select the "grayscale" printer setting to ensure graphics clarity.)

NTIA submits this Progress Report pursuant to the Presidential Memorandum issued on June 28, 2010, which directed the Department of Commerce, working with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to identify and make available 500 megahertz of spectrum over the next ten years for expanded wireless broadband use.

Released in February 1999, this report is a comprehensive assessment of projects funded during its first two years of operation. The study was conducted by Westat, a Rockville, Maryland, research and consulting firm. The report looks at short-term project impacts and examines the potential for long-term impact. The study methodology consisted of (1) a comprehensive document review of applications and progress reports; (2) a mail survey of 206 projects, and (3) site visits to 24 projects. Site visit findings were published as 24 individual case study reports. Each report discusses how the project was implemented, project accomplishments, impact on the community, lessons learned from each project, and how each project envisions its future plans.