Spectrum is an indispensable part of our everyday lives, even though we can’t see it physically. The radio transmissions power our traditional broadcast stations and facilitate even greater communications via our smartphones. From enabling daily tasks found on internet-enabled apps to essential federal necessities, such as space operations and aeronautical or maritime navigation, spectrum powers everything. Yet it is a finite critical resource, with regulatory responses and licensing processes split between the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for non-federal and federal use respectively. Spectrum policy has been essential in determining how to encourage communications technology development while ensuring equitable access.
The emergence of 5G, or fifth generation wireless, has further complicated the…
