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GAO-06-212R 1 (2005-11-10)

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       Accountability * Integrity * Reliability
United States Government Accountability Office
Washington, DC 20548

   November 10, 2005


   The Honorable Ted Stevens
   Chairman
   The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye
   Co-chairman
   Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
   United States Senate

   The Honorable Joe Barton
   Chairman
   The Honorable John D. Dingell
   Ranking Minority Member
   Committee on Energy and Commerce
   House of Representatives


   Subject: Telecommunications: Preliminary Information on the Federal
   Communications Commission's Spectrum Allocation and Assignment Process

   The radiofrequency spectrum is a natural resource used to provide an array of wireless
   communications services, such as mobile voice and data services, radio and television
   broadcasting, radar, and satellite-based services, which are critical to the U.S. economy
   and national security. Historically, concern about interference among users has been a
   driving force in the management of spectrum. The Federal Communications
   Commission (FCC)-an independent agency that regulates spectrum use for nonfederal
   users, including commercial users-and the National Telecommunications and
   Information Administration (NTIA)-an agency within the Department of Commerce
   that regulates spectrum for federal government users-have worked to minimize
   interference through the allocation and assignment of spectrum. Allocation involves
   designating bands of spectrum for specific types of services or classes of users, such as
   designating certain bands for commercial use and others for government use.'
   Assignment provides an authorization or license to use a specific portion of spectrum to
   entities, such as wireless companies.

   Demand for the radiofrequency spectrum has exploded over the past several decades as
   new technologies and services have been and continue to be brought to the market in the
   private sector and new mission needs unfold among government users of spectrum,
   including wireless communications critical for public safety officials responding to


   1In addition to allocation, FCC also specifies service rles which include, among other things, the technical and
   operating characteristics of equipment.


GAO-06-212R FCC Spectrum Allocation and Assignment Process

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