Spectrum Policy Solution? More Bureaucracy!

from the just-what-everyone-wanted dept

For quite some time, plenty of people have been pointing out that the FCC needs to get its act together and come out with a comprehensive rethinking of spectrum allocation policy. In the meantime, all we get are drips and drabs of changes based on particular cases. That doesn't help anyone, but does slow down innovation in a big way. So, with that in mind, finding out that the administration is demanding a rethinking of spectrum allocation policy, while noting that existing policy is harming innovation and hopelessly out-of-date, sounds like a good thing. Then you read the details, and realize that the outline from the administration is to bog things down hopelessly in bureaucracy. Various agencies needs to develop specific plans about how they'll use various bits of spectrum. These plans then need to be constantly updated and submitted where they'll be reviewed. Successful use of spectrum isn't about carefully planning out how it's going to be used and filing reports -- but in getting the spectrum out there and letting people use it, whether unlicensed or licensed.

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