[Scan-DC] Fw: DoD 'OK' in Radio Bandwidth Transfer to Private Sector

[Alan Henney]

----- Original Message ----- 
 By Gerry J. Gilmore
 American Forces Press Service

 WASHINGTON, July 24, 2002 -- DoD retains access to valuable radio
 bandwidth needed for national security although the government gave up
 a segment July 23 to facilitate growth in the U.S. telecommunications
 industry.

 The Department of Commerce announced its plan July 23 called the "3G
 (3rd Generation) Viability Assessment." DoD and some other government
 agencies will transfer 45 megahertz of radio bandwidth to the private
 sector. The frequencies will come from the 1710-1755 MHz range.

 One of the challenges in developing the 3G plan was how to reallocate
 bandwidth without impairing DoD's network-centric warfare and
 information superiority missions, according to Commerce Department
 officials. Military transformation calls for quantum leaps in the use
 of computerized information technology that depend on wireless systems.

 However, the bandwidth transfer won't hurt DoD's missions, said Steven
 Price, deputy assistant secretary of defense for spectrum, space,
 sensors and C3 (command, control and communications) policy.

 "We welcome the findings in the 3G Viability Plan and believe the plan
 supports the needs of national security," Price noted. He added that
 DoD would be reimbursed for associated costs in transferring the
 bandwidth to gaining private-sector entities.

 Price noted the plan "requires some changes" to certain military
 systems, but said DoD doesn't lose because it will have access to more
 bandwidth, if needed.

 "DoD believes that implementing the 3G plan will (neither) degrade
 military capabilities nor harm national security interests," he
 remarked.

 The plan acknowledges "defense's growing spectrum needs, and we expect
 (the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the
 Federal Communications Commission) will continue to take these needs
 into account in the future," Price pointed out.

 DoD will relocate its affected systems to other bandwidths before
 December 2008, according to the Commerce Department.

 Commerce officials said the 3G plan also calls for the private sector
 to gain another 45 MHz of bandwidth from the 2110-2170 MHz range, used
 by nongovernment entities.

 The reallocation results from research and analysis made by commerce's
 NTIA, the FCC, DoD, and other executive branch agencies.

 Radio bandwidth is a fixed broadcast frequency spectrum divided up into
 ranges reserved for the public, governments, industry and various
 others. Commerce officials said the growing demand for advanced
 wireless services in the United States requires a larger share of
 bandwidth.

 They noted that U.S. wireless use, measured in minutes, is increasing
 75 percent annually. Therefore, adequate bandwidth is paramount for
 quality wireless voice and data service, to include cell phones and
 computerized communications systems used by U.S. industry and more than
 a hundred million consumers.