Confronting the Looming Shortage of Wireless Spectrum: A Federal Technology Policy Imperative

Confronting the Looming Shortage of Wireless Spectrum:
A Federal Technology Policy Imperative

Brookings
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
http://www.brookings.edu/events/2010/1020_mobile_broadband.aspx

Recent research finds that demand for mobile broadband could outpace the amount of available wireless spectrum in three years. In its national broadband plan, the Federal Communication Commission called for 500 megahertz of new wireless spectrum, 300 megahertz of which, the FCC specified, should be freed up within the next five years. Despite government and industry recognition of the coming spectrum crisis, a number of the reforms needed to increase wireless broadband capacity remain unfinished and unaddressed.

On October 20, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings will host a forum on the U.S. wireless spectrum and its role in advancing mobile technology growth and innovation. Moderated by Governance Studies Director Darrell West, a panel of government, industry and academic experts will discuss how to best allocate the wireless spectrum, what the government's role should be in the expansion process and how to balance various stakeholders' interests in their pursuit for additional bandwidth.

Moderator
Darrell M. West
Vice President and Director, Governance Studies

Featured Panelists
Ruth Milkman
Bureau Chief, The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
Federal Communications Commission

Phil Weiser
Senior Advisor to the Director for Technology and Innovation, National Economic Council, The White House

Adele Morris
Fellow, Economic Studies

Steve Sharkey
Chief of Engineering and Technology Policy, T-Mobile USA Inc.

Ellen Goodman
Professor, Rutgers University Law Schoo

After the program, panelists will take audience questions.