Following the release of the latest version of the Spectrum and National Security Act, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a leading think tank for science and technology policy, issued a statement from Joe Kane, Director of Broadband and Spectrum Policy.
Kane expressed concerns about the new bill, stating, "The latest iteration of the Spectrum and National Security Act will neither sustainably revive the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) nor balance commercial access to spectrum with national security needs."
He further elaborated on specific issues: "The share of spectrum auction proceeds dedicated to ACP shrinks to 10 percent. At the same time, the bill reduces those probable proceeds by creating more opportunities for federal agencies to scuttle additional commercial spectrum access."
Kane also highlighted that "the new bill would not require any new commercial spectrum access, whether licensed, unlicensed, or shared and does not even require study of all the bands contained in the National Spectrum Strategy."
To address these shortcomings, Kane suggested: "If we’re going to fund ACP with spectrum auctions, then its share of the proceeds should be capped at a number that realistically represents its cost over the timespan envisioned by the legislation. The bill should then create a mandatory spectrum pipeline that is likely to generate sufficient auction proceeds to meet that funding target."
For further information, contact Austin Slater at [email protected].
