Thune Announces Series of Wireless Broadband Hearings

Press Release

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will hold a full committee hearing entitled "Wireless Broadband and the Future of Spectrum Policy" on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at 10:30 a.m.

"Consumer demand will only grow for high-speed wireless Internet access, 4G LTE, and other services that require wireless spectrum," said U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Commerce Committee. "The hearing on Wednesday will be the first in a series on U.S. wireless spectrum policy, designed to address the growing demand for wireless broadband and to gather input for a long-term legislative solution."

Numerous wireless broadband technologies deliver high-speed wireless Internet access over radio waves to consumers' devices, including 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE), fixed wireless services, Wi-Fi, and satellite services. While radio spectrum is abundant, usable spectrum is limited by the constraints of modern technology, physics, and how spectrum is allocated for various uses. Advancements in technology have made useable frequencies once thought to be unusable spectrum and allowed spectrum users to co-exist closer together while avoiding interference. Current U.S. spectrum policy involves managing channels of radio frequencies to avoid interference and making decisions about how radio frequencies will be allocated and who will have access to them.

The hearing on Wednesday will explore U.S. spectrum policy and how it should be improved to accommodate consumers' growing demands for wireless broadband. Witnesses have been asked to address how federal spectrum policy may need to change to meet national challenges and what role Congress should play in establishing a successful spectrum strategy over the next few decades.

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