Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced legislation Wednesday focused...
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced legislation Wednesday focused on expanding access to spectrum for carriers, much to the delight of CTIA and PCIA. The Wireless Innovation Act, which Rubio alluded to at a spring event, would reallocate 200 MHz of…
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government spectrum for commercial use, Rubio said in Washington at an invitation-only event at 1776, a hub for tech startups. The federal government “has to be forward-thinking” and have “a series of auctions over several years” to free up spectrum “in a clear and predictable manner,” Rubio said, with NTIA better evaluating the value and use of the federally held spectrum. There is a need for more transparency and accountability of government spectrum use, Rubio said. The bill is focused on clearing spectrum for commercial use and would also focus on unlicensed spectrum, Rubio said. The bill would make the FCC move forward with testing the 5 GHz band of spectrum and allow for Wi-Fi use if there’s no harmful interference, he said. The legislation would also kill infrastructure barriers for carriers, whether at the level of state and local regulation or federal agency delays, he said: “A small cell should not be subject to the same requirements as a tower.” He lamented local governments extracting fees from the siting review process and the need “to account for non-tower structures and the collocation of wireless facilities.” CTIA is “excited” about Rubio’s commitment and “forward-looking spectrum policy like this bill,” encouraging investment and economic growth, said CTIA Vice President-Government Affairs Jot Carpenter. Rubio’s “approach recognizes the essential role of wireless infrastructure in expanding broadband capacity,” said PCIA President Jonathan Adelstein. “Government should not be a barrier because Americans cannot afford a delay in wireless broadband deployment due to outdated and burdensome rules.” Rubio referred to the Internet of Things and exploding consumer demand, calling spectrum “the lifeblood of the greatest innovations occurring today” and a “finite” asset. “More needs to be done,” Rubio said. He cautioned against “clinging” to rules of the last century. At our deadline, Rubio had not released a copy of the legislation nor any news release on it, and a spokesman did not supply the bill text.