Spectrum Management – FCC’s Licensing Approach in the 11, 18, and 23 Gigahertz Bands Currently Supports Spectrum Availability and Efficiency, GAO-13-78R, Nov 20, 2012
“FCC has generally ensured the availability of licenses and encouraged the efficient use of spectrum through its various regulations. Specifically, stakeholders noted that the Commission’s rules on frequency coordination, buildout requirements, and operating requirements each ensure availability of licenses and encourage efficient use of spectrum. First, FCC’s requirement to coordinate new links with existing links protects incumbent licensees from interference. Under this requirement, applicants must resolve potential conflicts raised by incumbent licensees by, for example, designing links that avoid interfering with the signals of incumbent licensees. These procedures ensure availability of licenses by allowing the applicant to acquire new links and promote efficiency by increasing overall use of the spectrum. Second, FCC’s buildout rule requires licensees to construct and activate links within 18 months; a licensee that fails to meet this requirement can lose its license. This promotes spectrum availability by helping to ensure that unused spectrum is again made available to other applicants. This also promotes spectrum efficiency by pushing licensees to build out their systems and begin using the spectrum in a timely manner. Third, FCC’s operating rules require a licensee to cancel a license if it is not used for any 12-month period after construction, a rule that promotes availability by again helping to ensure that unused spectrum is available to other applicants and promotes efficiency by requiring use of the spectrum. Most industry stakeholders we interviewed told us that as a result of these steps, spectrum is generally available in the 11, 18, and 23 GHz bands.”
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