CTIA-The Wireless Association® Statement on the White House's Executive Memorandum on Expanding America's Leadership in Wireless Innovation

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Jun 14, 2013, 12:56 ET

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Please attribute the following statement to CTIA-The Wireless Association® President and CEO Steve Largent:

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"We thank the President for reaffirming his commitment to bring 500 MHz of spectrum to market for wireless broadband, and for investigating new ways to bring even more federal and non-federal spectrum to market. This Executive Memorandum focuses on the need to make more efficient use of the spectrum currently assigned to federal government users by adopting a range of improvements in the processes that are used to investigate the repurposing of spectrum to commercial mobile broadband use. While this Executive Memorandum will facilitate the continued investigation of sharing between federal and commercial users, it also tasks NTIA with continuing its efforts 'to identify opportunities for agencies to relinquish' spectrum. Using the tools adopted in this Memorandum, and working closely with the Administration, Congress, the FCC and government departments and agencies, our collective task now is to push forward with clearing as much spectrum as possible, and work to enable the sharing of spectrum where clearing is impossible. A timely pairing of the 1755-1780 MHz band with the 2155-2180 MHz spectrum that Congress has set for auction will play a key role in meeting the nation's demand for mobile broadband spectrum.

"CTIA believes that the goals of economic growth and national security are both vital and achievable under the Memorandum. Policymakers on a bipartisan basis have long recognized the importance of making underused spectrum available for commercial purposes. A successful repurposing of spectrum to mobile broadband will encourage the U.S. wireless industry to continue to invest tens of billions of dollars each year, deploy world-leading networks, introduce cutting-edge devices and develop new products and services that will create tremendous economic benefits for American consumers, businesses and the U.S. economy."

CTIA-The Wireless Association® (www.ctia.org) is an international organization representing the wireless communications industry. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products. CTIA advocates on behalf of its members at all levels of government. The association also coordinates the industry's voluntary best practices and initiatives, and sponsors the industry's leading wireless tradeshows. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, DC.