Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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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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