AWS-3 Auction Highlights New Approach to Spectrum Policy

[Commentary] The most successful auction of radio spectrum so far came to a close, drawing nearly $45 billion in bids for 65 megahertz of spectrum. While clearly a ringing financial success, the AWS-3 auction also is an important milestone in the Obama Administration’s efforts to meet the President’s goal of making available 500 megahertz of spectrum for wireless broadband by 2020. The success of the auction, conducted by the Federal Communications Commission, was made possible in part by an unprecedented level of collaboration between National Telecommunications and Information Administration, affected federal agencies, wireless industry representatives, the FCC, and Congress. The AWS-3 auction represents an important pivot point as we embrace spectrum sharing as part of a new approach to increased spectrum access. With a sustained level of cooperation between federal agencies and industry, this approach will produce benefits for both.

[Lawrence Strickling is Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and Administrator of the NTIA. Alexander Macgillivray is US Deputy Chief Technology Officer in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy]