Washington – The High Tech Spectrum Coalition
(HTSC), comprising four leading technology trade organizations and leading U.S.
high-tech companies, said it applauds the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) for hosting a spectrum summit today to explore the economic and social
benefits of mobile broadband and policy proposals to make more spectrum
available for mobile broadband.
HTSC specifically
commended the FCC for its leadership in proposing that voluntary incentive
auctions be added to its toolbox in order to free up more mobile broadband
spectrum in a timely manner.
The coalition also
applauds the FCC on release of its in-depth report regarding the critical need
for additional mobile broadband spectrum in the near future and the significant
economic value created by making new spectrum available, the trade group said.
As the FCC’s
National Broadband Plan and President Obama’s June spectrum memo recommend, the
United States should make 500MHz of spectrum available for wireless broadband
by 2020, 300MHz of which the NBP specifies should be made available for mobile
use by 2015.
The members of
HTSC — including the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the Information
Technology Industry Council (ITI), the Semiconductor Industry Association
(SIA), the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), and leading U.S. high
tech companies — recently joined forces to advocate for legislation that will
grant the FCC the authority to hold voluntary incentive auctions.
HTSC said it looks
forward to working with Congress, the FCC, and the Obama administration to
ensure that the U.S. has the necessary tools to meet the aggressive spectrum
goals set forth by the NBP and the White House.
