Presidents Spectrum Policy Initiative

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Presidents Spectrum Policy Initiative

• 43rd Civil GPS
• Service Interface Committee
• Washington D.C. - March 10, 2004
• s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
• James J. Miller
• DOT Office of the Secretary

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SPECTRUM DEFINED

• Spectrum What is it and Why does DOT Care?

• The Invisible Infrastructure
• A Public Good that needs to be Protected
• A Critical Enabler of all things Radio
• A finite resource generating urgent demand

• Prime Beach Front Property!

• 21ST Century Gold!

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GPS EXAMPLE OF A PUBLIC GOOD

• GPS services are like a super lighthouse
• U.S. built and provided free to the world
• Users are not hailed at port for fee or tax
  collection
• Civil access is unconstrained by locks or
  encryption
• GPS receivers are like AM/FM radios
• Whenever, wherever -- without advertising!!
• GPS is not a fee-for-service utility like cable
  TV
• Usage is not metered -- direct cost to user is
  zero
• Radio frequency spectrum is the enabler
• for every GPS application

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SPECTRUM ENCROACHMENT

• Harmful interference to safety-of-life signals
  forces constraints on critical operations
• Spectrum encroachment could force costly upgrades
  to current user and service provider equipment
• Limits infrastructure and equipage options
• Complicates future certification processes
• Rise of electromagnetic Noise Floor could
  prevent GPS applications from maturing
• Wireless E911, Precision approach and landing,
  etc.,.

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DOT MISSION REQUIREMENTS

• As a matter of U.S. national policy and law,
  radionavigation services DOT provides are
  protected from interference and disruption as
  vital national assets for both civil and military
  use.
• See Presidential Decision Directive (PDD)
  announcing comprehensive national policy on GPS
  (NSTC-6 on March 29, 1996).
• See National Defense Authorization Act, Pub. L.
  No. 105-85, 2281, 111 Stat. 1910 (1997) (PL
  105-85).
• See Commercial Space Act of 1998, Pub. L.
  105-303, 104(b), 112 Stat. 2852 (1998).
• See Department of Defense Appropriation Act, Pub.
  L. No. 105-262, 8137, 112 Stat. 2337 (1999)
  (PL 105-262).

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AMENDED 1934 TELECOM ACT

• FCC is charged with facilitating introduction of
  new telecommunications technologies, which
  shifted burden of proof from new radio band
  entrants to established users, providing no
  express exemption to those who provide public
  safety, national security, or other such critical
  public services.1
• 1 SEC. 7 47 U.S.C. 157 NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND
  SERVICES (a) Any person or party (other than the
  Commission) who opposes a new technology or
  service proposed to be permitted under this Act
  shall have the burden to demonstrate that such
  proposal is inconsistent with the public
  interest.

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TWO SEPARATE, BUT VITAL NATIONAL AGENDAS...

• DOT is a U.S. Safety Regulator, responsible for
  ensuring that transportation modes are secure
• The Departments top priorities are to keep the
  traveling public safe, increase their mobility,
  and ensure that our transportation system enables
  the Nations economic growth and development.
• FCC is a Market Facilitator, responsible for
  managing private sector, state, and local air
  waves
• Our mission is to manage the spectrum and
  provide leadership to create new opportunities
  for competitive technologies and services for the
  American public.

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THE ROAD AHEAD HAS POT-HOLES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
BANDS
FCC Spectrum Policy Task Force Concepts
November 2002

• Burden shift from new entrants to incumbents
• Free-for-all spectrum commons
• Market driven incentives and airwave commodity
  trading
• Interference Temperature receivers
• Interruptible Spectrum
• Unlicensed spectrum overlays/underlays on
  existing Federal services
• Transparent peer review of test plans and
  proactive agreement on assumptions and
  methodologies is required
• Widespread proliferation, aggregate devices,
  networking, and the Electromagnetic Noise Floor
  need to be part of the equation
• Limited paper studies and hypothetical scenarios
  are not adequate for public safety certification
  real world testing is needed

Department of Transportation Principles and
Requirements
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SPECTRUM REFORM NEEDED

• PROBLEMS
• United States General Accounting Office (GAO)
• TELECOMMUNICATIONS (January 2003) Comprehensive
  Review of U.S. Spectrum Management with Broad
  Stakeholder Involvement Is Needed
• TELECOMMUNICATIONS (September 2002) Better
  Coordination and Enhanced Accountability Needed
  to Improve Spectrum Management
• SOLUTIONS
• TBD - Presidents Spectrum Policy Initiative is
  examining issues and proposals

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SPECTRUM POLICY INITIATIVE

• THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SHALL PREPARE
• LEGISLATIVE AND OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS TO
• facilitate a modernized and improved spectrum
  management system
• (b) facilitate policy changes to create
  incentives for more efficient and beneficial use
  of spectrum and to provide a higher degree of
  predictability and certainty in the spectrum
  management process as it applies to incumbent
  users
• (c) develop policy tools to streamline the
  deployment of new and expanded services and
  technologies, while preserving national security,
  homeland security, and public safety, and
  encouraging scientific research and
• (d) develop means to address the critical
  spectrum needs of national security, homeland
  security, public safety, Federal transportation
  infrastructure, and science.

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SPECTRUM POLICY INITIATIVE (Continued)

• Chaired by Deputy Secretary of Commerce
• Department of Agriculture Department
  of Homeland Security
• Department of Commerce Department of
  Transportation
• Department of Defense Department of
  Treasury
• Department of Energy NASA
• Department of State Office of
  Management and Budget
• Department of Justice Office of
  Project SAFECOM
• Department of Interior Office of
  Science Technology Policy
• Department of Transportation Representation
• Spectrum Task Force Jeff Shane, Under
  Secretary
• Spectrum Work Group Tyler Duvall, Deputy Asst.
  Secretary
• Deliverable May, 2004 Report to the
  President

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CONCLUSIONS

• DOT firmly supports technological innovation and
  creativity, however public safety bands are no
  place to initiate experiments for new consumer
  gadgets and applications
• U.S. spectrum positions and actions must reflect
  a sensible balance between commercial services,
  national security, and public safety.
• Maintaining a safe infrastructure for the
  traveling public is the primary mission of DOT,
  and requires vigilance and responsible action by
  all
• The Presidents Spectrum Policy Initiative is
  making progress towards attaining these goals,
  and DOT is actively engaging in the national
  spectrum debates

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POINT OF CONTACT INFO.

• James J. Miller, Deputy Director
• U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the
  Secretary
• Navigation Spectrum Policy, Nassif Bldg., Rm.
  10223E
• 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.
  20590
• Wk [phone]
• Fx [phone]
• E-mail jj.miller_at_ost.dot.gov
• www.dot.gov