On September 24, NTIA published its spectrum IT modernization report, entitled "Plan to Modernize and Automate the Infrastructure of NTIA Related to Managing Federal Spectrum Use." This report details NTIA's spectrum IT modernization plan and requires the Department of Defense and agencies in the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC) to submit spectrum IT modernization plans to NTIA so that their IT "is interoperable with the modernized infrastructure of the NTIA."
Congress required NTIA to publish
this report in Section 9203 of the 2021 NDAA. The report states that NTIA
assessed "each spectrum IT system in its IT infrastructure" and will
procure new IT to replace outdated equipment and systems, some of which are
more than three decades old. This process will ensure that spectrum use is
interoperable between agencies and improve the functions, security, and automation
of federal spectrum uses.
Free State Foundation scholars have written in support of federal spectrum infrastructure modernization. Senior Fellow Seth Cooper wrote in support of a bill with language identical to Section 9203 before it became law: "By all accounts, [Section 9203] is a reasonable and worthwhile measure that would bring about improvements in federal agencies' use and coordination of spectrum."
NTIA's spectrum modernization report
appears to be a welcome development that will improve our government's use of
spectrum. We look forward to further modernization plans from additional
agencies.
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