Wireless Communications
NTIA participates in a number of activities that affect
the delivery of wireless radio telecommunications services,
including private sector cellular radio, paging, private
radio and personal communications services. NTIA also
manages use of spectrum by Federal Government entities, and
is therefore involved in many aspects of Federal wireless
radio services, such as those used in law enforcement,
aviation, and national security.
NTIA's Office of Policy Analysis and Development (OPAD) provides policy
advice on a wide variety of issues that affect the availability and
development of wireless communications services.
Competition and Universal Service
NTIA sees the development of wireless services as important to achieving the goals
of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 of local loop
competition and Universal Service. The agency has worked with the Congress
and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ensure that legislation
and regulations are competitively neutral and do not preclude wireless
from becoming a viable competitor in local service provision. In December,
1997, NTIA/OPAD organized a public forum on Wireless Local Loop, at which
representatives from business, government and academia met to advance
understanding of these issues. NTIA/OPAD has also maintained that wireless
service could be eligible to receive support from Universal Service and
E-Rate programs. The NTIA Administrator Larry Irving has at times spoken on such issues as
"New Opportunities for Small Wireless Operators".
Spectrum Allocation and Assignment
In conjunction with NTIA's Office of Spectrum Management, OPAD
proposes national spectrum policies for private sector and
government users. NTIA's early advocacy of flexibility and competitive
bidding as spectrum management tools led directly to the 1993 legislation
that granted the FCC authority to use auctions for licensing. NTIA's
support for these modern approaches was developed in a comprehensive 1991 spectrum policy study,
"U.S. Spectrum Management Policy: Agenda for the Future" which still serves as a
resource for understanding spectrum management issues. In that study, NTIA
called for, among other things, greater reliance on market principles in
spectrum management, including flexibility and competitive bidding
(auctions). NTIA's early advocacy of these modern approaches toward
spectrum management lead directly to the 1993 legislation that granted the
FCC authority to use auctions for licensing. NTIA also advocated the use of
electronic auctions, which the FCC has used with great success. NTIA/OPAD
continues to track spectrum management developments and such issues as Third
Generation mobile wireless services.
Broadband Wireless
Advanced services such as hish speed Internet and video programmin require
more capacity than many wireless serives can now provide. The NTIA is
actively working on policy positions to promote the development of
"broadband" wireless services, including Third Generation (3G) services. A member of NTIA's
staff recently spoke on the topic of broadband wireless.
Federal Users of Commerical Wireless Services
On an operational level, NTIA, in its leadership of the Federal Wireless
Policy Committee has advocated greater use of commercially-provided wireless
services by government agencies to increase the flexibility and mobility of
federal employees and lessen reliance on government-exclusive networks where
feasible. As part of that effort, for example, NTIA Administrator Larry
Irving in 1998 wrote to FCC Chairman William Kennard requesting FCC action
to establish a wireless priority access system for qualified
public safety or national security users of commercial mobile services in
times of emergency. A member of NTIA's staff presented a summary
of wireless issues at the
Federal Wireless Users' Forum meeting in April 1999.
Other NTIA Offices Involved with Wireless Communications
Office of the Assistant Secretary
Office of International Affairs: OIA
represents
the United States in international telecommunications activities, and
provides policy and technical guidance to
international organizations and foreign governments.
Office of Spectrum Management: OSM
manages
the use of radio spectrum by Federal agencies and develops and implements
related policies and procedures.
The Institute for
Telecommunication Sciences:
ITS serves as the Federal Government's principal research laboratory for
telecommunications science and engineering.
TIIAP: The Telecommunications
and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program provides
matching federal funds to community-based projects that are implementing
innovative uses of telecom and information technologies.
PTFP: The Public Telecommunications Facilities Program
supports the expansion and improvement of public telecommunications services
by providing matching grants for equipment that disseminate noncommercial
educational and cultural programs to the American public.
Additional Resources
Some Useful Wireless Links
Wireless Industry Statistics
NTIA/OPAD does not collect statistical information on the wireless industry.
Sources for such information include the Commerce Department's
International Trade Administration,
Office of Telecommunications, the FCC
(e.g. Wireless Competitiveness Report) and various trade associations.
For more information contact:
Joe Gattuso
(jgattuso@ntia.doc.gov)
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Telecommunications & Information Administration
14th Street & Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 4725
Washington, D.C. 20230
voice: (202) 482-1880
fax: (202) 482-6173
OPAD Main Page