Congress Should Set Parameters for Improved Interagency Spectrum Coordination

Today, Free State Foundation President Randolph May and I published our Perspectives from FSF Scholars, "Congress Should Require Better Agency Coordination on Spectrum Policy." In this Perspectives, FSF President May and I recommended that Congress require the FCC and NTIA to update their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on spectrum coordination. Shortly after publishing the Perspectives, we learned that the FCC and NTIA announced their spectrum coordination initiative. 

In short, we welcome the FCC-NTIA announcement as a positive first step toward improving harmony between agencies on spectrum policy matters. But as explained in our Perspectives, in order to succeed in reducing agency clashes, an updated MOU needs to reaffirm the FCC's role as the expert independent agency on signal interference claims and NTIA's role as the sole representative of all executive branch agencies on spectrum. And the interagency process for expressing differing agency viewpoints and seeking consensus will need to will to be more formalized as well as respected in practice. In our view, it would be best if Congress adopts legislation to outline and guide the agencies' efforts to better coordinate on spectrum reallocation and use decisions.

For more on what ought to go into the updated MOU on interagency spectrum coordination, check out our Perspectives.