Rockefeller Plans Classified Briefing on Government Spectrum Use

Agencies are under orders from president to help free up spectrum to contribute to re-auction for wireless broadband

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/13/2013 4:25:40 PM

Senate Commerce Committee chair Jay Rockefeller (D- W.Va.) said Wednesday he plans to hold a classified briefing with government agencies to better understand how they are using their radio spectrum.

Government agencies have been directed by the Obama Administration to work with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to free up spectrum either via reclamation of sharing. Broadcasters, who are being asked to volunteer their spectrum for sale or sharing, have pointed out that the government has a lot of spectrum it could be contributing to the cause, and has called for an inventory of that spectrum.

At the committee's first hearing of the new session, according to Rockefeller's office, he said that he and ranking member John Thune (R-S.D.) were "working right now on setting up a classified briefing for Members that will help us understand how the military, law enforcement, and the intelligence community currently use spectrum that is reserved for the government."