Update on Spectrum Policy Initiative

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Over the last year, the Silicon Flatiron’s Spectrum Policy Initiative, which is co-led by Pierre de Vries and Dale Hatfield, has helped to shape the national spectrum policy agenda. Here are some highlights:

More Efficient Spectrum Management

  • In recent testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Pierre urged policymakers to “move away from worst case interference analysis and use risk-informed interference assessment,” among other recommendations. This hearing, on “Wireless Broadband and the Future of Spectrum Policy,” also discussed a paper I wrote in 2008 and cited it as an impetus for the National Broadband Plan recommendation to develop an incentive auction. Pierre’s testimony can be found here.
  • Advancing ideas that Pierre and I developed in a 2014 paper, students of the Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic at the University of Colorado Law School recently submitted a petition for rulemaking to the FCC that would improve the resolution of disputes about radio interference. The FCC issued a public notice, prompting vigorous comments from diverse organizations.
  • On this October 23, Silicon Flatirons will use its annual Spectrum Initiative Conference to map out how using quantitative risk assessment (rather than worst case) could improve how spectrum is put to new uses.
  • Finally, click here for a quick introduction to the risk-informed interference assessment methods that Pierre and Dale are developing with their colleagues on the FCC’s Technology Advisory Council.

Other Developments

  • Dale’s active involvement in spectrum management led to his appointment as a Special Government Expert to provide advice to the NTIA on spectrum research and management on an interim basis. He serves on both the FCC’s TAC and the NTIA’s CSMAC and in the latter capacity he played a critical role in the publication of a report on enforcement.
  • The FCC TAC’s work on harm claim thresholds, led by Pierre, contributed to the FCC proposing and then adopting this approach in the rules for 3.5 GHz band sharing.

As FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel has explained, “Silicon Flatirons is not only helping advance today’s spectrum policy discussion, it is doing work that will influence spectrum policy for decades to come.” Please join us on October 23rd, as we continue to lead such discussions at a conference where Commissioner Rosenworcel will join us.

Cheers,
Phil Weiser
Executive Director
Silicon Flatirons

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