PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION: PRIORITY TOPIC MEMO
NOVEMBER 2024
INNOVATING SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT FOR
NATIONAL SECURITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
By leading spectrum management reform, the next
administration will secure national safety, drive economic
growth, and enhance U.S. global leadership.
The Case for Action
Electromagnetic spectrum is a critical national resource, required for wireless
telecommunications and radio services, making it vital to our nation’s economy, global
competitiveness, and national security. Modern society depends on reliable spectrum
access for a wide array of functions, from text messages, telephone calls, and social
media to GPS navigation, web browsing, safe air travel, weather forecasting, public
safety, national security, autonomous vehicles, and space exploration. Spectrum use is
integral to nearly every aspect of daily life.
Currently, the spectrum management process faces challenges due to increasing
demand and competition for access. Experts agree on the need for reform, but political
challenges persist due to misaligned economic incentives. To address this, we need
comprehensive solutions that integrate technological, economic, and policy strategies,
enabling the United States to efficiently accommodate growing spectrum demands.
Dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) is a spectrum sharing method that involves
autonomously shifting spectrum access of independent systems rapidly to permit
them to operate in close proximity in terms of frequency, space, and time, thereby
preventing harmful interference. This presents a sustainable, whole-of-nation approach
to optimizing spectrum resources that allows more efficient and effective use while
supporting a diverse range of applications. By managing spectrum access to enable
both active and passive users to coexist, we can meet increasing demand. Although
challenging, this approach is achievable and necessary for future progress.
Key Challenges and Opportunities
The current spectrum management process is unsustainable, with increasing demand
and competition making existing methods inadequate. Increasing spectrum access
today involves relocating some or all federal users (incumbents) out of a particular
band that had previously been reserved solely for federal use to auction the spectrum
for commercial use. This process is slow, costly, and inflexible. Rapid spectrum access
is crucial for maintaining competitiveness and security.
Challenges include political and economic barriers, with misaligned incentives creating
tension between federal and commercial users. Additionally, new solutions need to
advance from early stages of technological readiness to wide deployment.
The current spectrum
management process
is unsustainable, with
increasing demand
and competition
making existing
methods inadequate.
MITRE’s mission-driven teams are
dedicated to solving problems for a
safer world. Through our public-private
partnerships and federally funded R&D
centers, we work across government and
in partnership with industry to tackle
challenges to the safety, stability, and
well-being of our nation.
mitre.org
