PPI has long held the position that quickly reallocating spectrum to the most efficient users– big and small –is essential for the continued growth of the wireless communications sector.
This stance was echoed last week at a hearing on the upcoming spectrum auction held by the House Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation. At the hearing, “Avoiding the Spectrum Crunch: Growing the Wireless Economy through Innovation,” industry experts and policymakers agreed that the upcoming auction needs take place as soon as possible at the risk of wireless communications companies running out of spectrum.
In his opening remarks, Subcommittee Chair Ben Quayle reiterated the importance of efficiently using available spectrum, saying “The U.S. wireless industry has been experiencing exponential growth…like the “app” market that we never envisioned a few years ago…As spectrum has become more crowded, it is necessary to ensure that it is being used as efficiently as possible, and that we have the policies in place to encourage industry’s continued investment and growth.”
Indeed, PPI has extensively advocated the rise of the ‘App Economy’ as a crucial force of innovation-driven economic growth in an otherwise lackluster economic recovery. Yet without enough spectrum the ‘App Economy’ would not be able to continue its remarkable growth.
That means it’s critical policymakers do everything they can to encourage continued growth of the wireless communications sector in the name of long-term economic growth. This includes addressing the immediate need to reallocate spectrum to the most efficient users, and to ensure spectrum reallocation is a dynamic process.
Photo Credit: LuxuryLuke
