[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 106 (Monday, July 19, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S5995]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. Kerry):
  S. 3610. A bill to require a study on spectrum occupancy and use; to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today, along with Senator Kerry, to 
introduce comprehensive spectrum reform legislation to modernize our 
Nation's radio spectrum planning, management, and coordination 
activities. Taking this corrective action will allow us to meet the 
future telecommunications needs of all spectrum users. For consumers, 
these fixes will lead to additional choices, greater innovation, lower 
prices, and more reliable services.
  Over the past year, there has been growing concern about a looming 
radio spectrum crisis. It is not without reason--there has been an 
explosion of growth and innovation with spectrum-based services over 
the past decade. In particular, the cellular industry has been a 
prominent driver of this expansion. Currently, there are more than 276 
million wireless subscribers in the U.S., and American consumers use 
more than 6.4 billion minutes of air time per day.
  While the foundation for wireless services has been voice 
communication, more subscribers are utilizing it for broadband. 
According to the Pew Research Center, 56 percent of adult Americans 
have accessed the Internet via a wireless device. ABI Research 
forecasts there will be 150 million mobile broadband subscribers by 
2014--a 2,900 percent increase from 2007. Spectrum is so important the 
Federal Communications Commission, FCC, has made it a major focal point 
of its National Broadband Plan in order to meet the growing broadband 
demands of consumers and businesses alike.
  There are constraints however--spectrum is a finite resource--and we 
cannot manufacture new spectrum. Making matters worse, the government's 
current spectrum management framework is inefficient and has not kept 
up with technological advancements. As evidence, the Government 
Accountability Office, in a series of reports, concluded ``the current 
structure and management of spectrum use in the U.S. does not encourage 
the development and use of some spectrum efficient technologies.''
  The legislation we introduce today fixes the fundamental deficiencies 
that exist in our policy and spectrum management and promotes efforts 
to improve spectrum efficiency. Specifically, the Spectrum Measurement 
and Policy Reform Act tasks the FCC and the National Telecommunications 
and Information Administration, NTIA, to perform much needed spectrum 
measurements to determine actual usage and occupancy rates. This data 
will assist policymakers and the public in making informed decisions 
about future spectrum uses. Also required is a cost-benefit analysis of 
spectrum relocation opportunities to move certain incumbent users and 
services to more efficient spectrum bands. Many legacy wireless 
services could employ newer technologies to provide more efficient use 
of spectrum.
  In addition, my bill requires greater collaboration between the FCC 
and NTIA on spectrum policy and management related issues, 
implementation of spectrum sharing and reuse programs, as well as more 
market-based incentives to promote efficient spectrum use. It also sets 
a deadline for the creation of the National Strategic Spectrum Plan, 
which will provide a long-term vision for domestic spectrum use and 
strategies to meet those needs. While the National Broadband Plan 
touches on several of these areas, this legislation will provide 
greater assistance in developing a 21st Century comprehensive spectrum 
policy necessary to meet the future spectrum needs of all users.
  It should be noted that the Spectrum Measurement and Policy Reform 
Act is intended to complement the National Broadband Plan and the 
recently announced Presidential Memorandum in promoting more efficient 
use of spectrum and ensuring that the proper framework is in place to 
meet America's future telecommunications needs. But it also encourages 
greater focus on other areas outside the Plan or Memorandum by 
promoting technological innovation and more robust spectrum management. 
For example, a technology known as femtocell, that can increase 
capacity by offloading wireless traffic onto broadband wireline 
networks, wasn't mentioned once in the National Broadband Plan even 
though Cisco's Virtual Network Index indicated that at least 23 percent 
of smartphone traffic could be offloaded onto fixed wireline networks 
by 2014 through femotcells and dual-mode phones. These technologies and 
spectrum management practices such as spectrum sharing and reuse need 
to be fully explored and this legislation will assist in doing that.
  Senator Kerry and I envision this legislation as a starting point to 
initiate an ongoing discussion about how to make the best use of this 
national asset and, in turn, encourage innovation and unleash 
opportunity. We look forward to continuing to work with all 
stakeholders as this bill advances.
  Our Nation's competitiveness, economy, and national security demand 
that we allocate the necessary attention to this policy shortcoming--it 
is the only way we will be able to avert a looming spectrum crisis and 
continue to realize the boundless benefits of spectrum-based services. 
That is why I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join Senator Kerry 
and me in supporting this critical legislation.
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