Subject: [NEXTEL-1] SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT Better Knowledge Needed to Take Advantage of Technologies That May Improve Spectrum Efficiency

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 08 Jun 2004 21:56:50 -0400

GAO Report to Congressional Requesters
May 2004

SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT Better Knowledge Needed to Take Advantage of
Technologies That May Improve Spectrum Efficiency

The nine federal agencies that GAO reviewed—which are among the largest
users and investors in technologies and systems impacting spectrum
use—have made some investments in technologies that provide improved
spectrum efficiency. However, these investments have tended to occur
when agencies needed to make greater use of available spectrum to meet a
mission requirement—not by an underlying, systematic consideration of
spectrum efficiency. For example, as a result of growing spectrum
constraints, the Department of Defense (DOD), the Federal Aviation
Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
began investing in technologies that would increase the throughput of
information while using smaller segments of their available spectrum.
However, agencies also consider other factors—including cost and
technical and operational concerns—that may dissuade them from investing
in spectrum efficient technologies. For example, DOD may need to use
more spectrum to meet an operational requirement to field a jam-proof
and accurate radar for military aircraft.
The current structure and management of spectrum use in the United
States does not encourage the development and use of some spectrum
efficient technologies. Because the spectrum allocation framework
largely compartmentalizes spectrum by types of services (such as
aeronautical radio navigation) and users (federal, nonfederal, and
shared), the capability of emerging technologies designed to use
spectrum in different ways is often diminished. For example,
software-defined cognitive radios—radios that adapt their use of the
spectrum to the real-time conditions of their operating
environments—could be used to sense unused frequencies, or “white
spaces,” and automatically make use of those frequencies. It may also be
possible to use software-defined cognitive radios to exploit “gray
spaces” in the spectrum—areas where emissions exist yet could still
accommodate additional users without creating a level of interference
that is unacceptable to incumbent users—to increase spectrum efficiency.
Currently, however, the spectrum allocation system may not provide the
freedom needed for these technologies to operate across existing
spectrum designations, and defining new rules requires knowledge about
spectrum that spectrum leaders do not have. At the same time, there are
few federal regulatory requirements and incentives to use spectrum more
efficiently. While the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA) is responsible for managing the federal
government’s use of spectrum and ensuring spectrum efficiency, NTIA
primarily relies on individual agencies to ensure that the systems they
develop are as spectrum efficient as possible.  Agencies’ guidance and
policies, however, do not require systematic consideration of spectrum
efficiency in their acquisitions. The lack of economic consequence
associated with the manner in which spectrum is used has also provided
little incentive to agencies to pursue opportunities proactively to
develop and use technologies that would improve spectrum efficiency
governmentwide.

Recent advances in technologies
that rely on the use of the radiofrequency
spectrum have turned
science fiction of the past into
reality. Cellular telephones,
wireless computer networks, global
positioning system receivers, and
other spectrum-dependent
technologies are quickly becoming
as common to everyday life as
radios and televisions. Further,
these technologies have become
critical to a variety of government
missions, including homeland
security and strategic warfare.
However, with the increased
demand, the radio-frequency
spectrum—a resource that once
seemed unlimited—has become
crowded and, in the future, may no
longer be able to accommodate all
users’ needs. As a result, there has
been a growing debate among
spectrum policy leaders about how
to use spectrum more efficiently.
To help inform these debates, GAO
was asked to look at agencies’
investments in spectrum efficient
technologies and how the nation’s
spectrum management system may
affect the development and
adoption of these technologies.
GAO is making six
recommendations intended to
facilitate greater investment by
federal agencies in spectrum
efficient technologies. Overall, the
agencies indicated their
commitment to promoting greater
flexibility and more efficient use of
radio spectrum.

Full Report: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04666.pdf

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