The U.S. wireless industry is a catalyst for economic growth,...

of additional licensed spectrum boosts GDP by more than $1.7 billion and adds 7,000 jobs, Entner said during a briefing at the Progressive Policy Institute Tuesday. Wireless services produced $33 billion in productivity improvements for U.S. businesses in nine categories and industry tax, fee, and surcharge payments contributed $88.6 billion to local, state and federal governments in 2011, the report said. Over the next decade, productivity gains attributable to wireless are expected to total more than $1.4 trillion, it said. The need for more spectrum is driven by consumer demand of wireless services, said Jim Cicconi, senior executive vice president at AT&T. He urged removing regulatory barriers to allow more wireless deployment. Legislators need to re-examine outdated telecom regulations, which were designed to oversee a wireline monopoly which doesn’t exist today, he said. Policymakers also need to address “the function of the FCC in the Internet age,” he said. Protecting consumers against abuse and fraud instead of picking winners and losers might be a more appropriate role for the agency, he said. Meanwhile, regulators need to examine the use of government spectrum and spectrum management, he said. The spectrum legislation passed in February is a good start, he said. “We need to be able to bridge the gap between now and when that broadcast spectrum becomes available,” he said. Much of the spectrum is in the hands of entities that are sitting on it, he claimed. The FCC needs to act quickly to allocate spectrum to entities that would make the most out of it, he said. The agency needs to recognize the importance of the secondary market, he said. The Progressive Policy Institute is a “centrist” that favors innovation and growth and is supported by various entities that support innovation and growth, said Chief Economic Strategist Michael Mandel when asked if the group has accepted financial contribution from wireless companies.