Definitions

  1. Law
  2. USC 47
  3. Telecommunications
  4. NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
  5. TRANSFER OF AUCTIONABLE FREQUENCIES
  6. Definitions

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§921. Definitions

As used in this subchapter:

(1) The term "allocation" means an entry in the National Table of Frequency Allocations of a given frequency band for the purpose of its use by one or more radiocommunication services.

(2) The term "assignment" means an authorization given to a station licensee to use specific frequencies or channels.

(3) The term "the 1934 Act" means the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.).

(Pub. L. 102–538, title I, §111, as added Pub. L. 103–66, title VI, §6001(a)(3), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 379 .)


Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Communications Act of 1934, referred to in par. (3), is act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064 , as amended, which is classified principally to chapter 5 (§151 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Identification, Reallocation, and Auction of Federal Spectrum

Pub. L. 114–74, title X, §§1002–1004, Nov. 2, 2015, 129 Stat. 621 , as amended by Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title X, §1044, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2394 , provided that:

"SEC. 1002. DEFINITIONS.

"In this title [see Short Title of 2015 Amendment note set out under section 901 of this title]:

"(1) Assistant secretary.-The term 'Assistant Secretary' means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.

"(2) Commission.-The term 'Commission' means the Federal Communications Commission.

"(3) Federal entity.-The term 'Federal entity' has the meaning given such term in section 113(l) of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 923(l)).

"(4) Secretary.-The term 'Secretary' means the Secretary of Commerce.

"SEC. 1003. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

"Each range of frequencies described in this title shall be construed to be inclusive of the upper and lower frequencies in the range.

"SEC. 1004. IDENTIFICATION, REALLOCATION, AND AUCTION OF FEDERAL SPECTRUM.

"(a) Identification of Spectrum.-Not later than January 1, 2022, the Secretary shall submit to the President and to the Commission a report identifying 30 megahertz of electromagnetic spectrum (in bands of not less than 10 megahertz of contiguous frequencies) below the frequency of 3 gigahertz (except for the spectrum between the frequencies of 1675 megahertz and 1695 megahertz) for reallocation from Federal use to non-Federal use or shared Federal and non-Federal use, or a combination thereof.

"(b) Clearing of Spectrum.-The President shall-

"(1) not later than January 1, 2022, begin the process of withdrawing or modifying the assignment to a Federal Government station of the electromagnetic spectrum identified under subsection (a); and

"(2) not later than 30 days after completing the withdrawal or modification, notify the Commission that the withdrawal or modification is complete.

"(c) Reallocation and Auction.-

"(1) In general.-The Commission shall-

"(A) reallocate the electromagnetic spectrum identified under subsection (a) for non-Federal use or shared Federal and non-Federal use, or a combination thereof; and

"(B) notwithstanding paragraph (15)(A) of section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)), not later than July 1, 2024, begin a system of competitive bidding under such section to grant new initial licenses for the use of such spectrum, subject to flexible-use service rules.

"(2) Proceeds to cover 110 percent of federal relocation or sharing costs.-Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to relieve the Commission from the requirements of section 309(j)(16)(B) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)(16)(B)).

"(d) Protection of Certain Federal Spectrum Operations.-If the report required by subsection (a) determines that reallocation and auction of the spectrum described in the report would harm national security by impacting existing terrestrial Federal spectrum operations at the Nevada Test and Training Range, the Commission, in coordination with the Secretary shall, prior to the auction described in subsection (c)(1)(B), establish rules for licensees in such spectrum sufficient to mitigate harmful interference to such operations.

"(e) Rule of Construction.-Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any requirement under section 1062(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (47 U.S.C. 921 note; Public Law 106–65)."

Study and Report on Current and Future Spectrum Use

Pub. L. 106–553, §1(a)(2) [title II], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2762 , 2762A-73, provided in part that the Administrator would, after consultation with other appropriate agencies, complete and submit to Congress not later than twelve months after Dec. 21, 2000, a study of the current and future use of spectrum by these entities to protect and maintain the nation's critical infrastructure and also provided that within six months after the release of this study, the Chairman of the Federal Ccommunication Commission was to submit a report to Congress on actions that could be taken by the Commission to address any needs identified in the study.

Report on Progress on Spectrum Sharing

Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title XVII, §1705], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654 , 1654A-366, provided that the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Commerce, would provide for an engineering study to identify any portion of the 138–144 megahertz band that the Department of Defense could share in various geographic regions with public safety radio services, any measures required to prevent harmful interference between Department of Defense systems and the public safety systems, and a reasonable schedule for implementation of sharing of frequencies, with an interim report due to Congress by 1 year after Oct. 30, 2000, on progress of the study, and no later than Jan. 1, 2002, a report submitted jointly by the Secretary of Commerce and the Chairman of the Federal Communication Commission on alternative frequencies available for use by public safety systems.

Surrender of Department of Defense Spectrum

Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, §1062(b), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 768 , provided that:

"(1) In general.-If, in order to make available for other use a band of frequencies of which it is a primary user, the Department of Defense is required to surrender use of such band of frequencies, the Department shall not surrender use of such band of frequencies until-

"(A) the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission, identifies and makes available to the Department for its primary use, if necessary, an alternative band or bands of frequencies as a replacement for the band to be so surrendered; and

"(B) the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff jointly certify to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Commerce [now Committee on Energy and Commerce] of the House of Representatives, that such alternative band or bands provides comparable technical characteristics to restore essential military capability that will be lost as a result of the band of frequencies to be so surrendered.

"(2) Exception.-Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a band of frequencies that has been identified for reallocation in accordance with title VI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–66; 107 Stat. 379) [enacting sections 159 and 921 to 927 of this title and amending sections 152, 153, 156, 158, 309, 332, and 903 of this title] and title III of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Public Law 105–33, 111 Stat. 258) [enacting section 337 of this title, amending sections 153, 303, 309, and 923 to 925 of this title, and repealing provisions set out as a note under section 309 of this title], other than a band of frequencies that is reclaimed pursuant to subsection (c) [amending section 923 of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note below]."

[ Pub. L. 108–494, title II, §206, Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 3996 , provided that: "Nothing in this title [see Short Title of 2004 Amendment note set out under section 901 of this title] is intended to modify section 1062(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106–65) [set out above]."]

Reassignment to Federal Government for Use by Department of Defense of Certain Frequency Spectrum Recommended for Reallocation

Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, §1062(c)(1), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 768 , provided that: "Notwithstanding any provision of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act [47 U.S.C. 901 et seq.] or the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 [Pub. L. 105–33, see Tables for classification], the President shall reclaim for exclusive Federal Government use on a primary basis by the Department of Defense-

"(A) the bands of frequencies aggregating 3 megahertz located between 138 and 144 megahertz that were recommended for reallocation in the second reallocation report under section 113(a) of that Act [probably means 47 U.S.C. 923(a)]; and

"(B) the band of frequency aggregating 5 megahertz located between 1385 megahertz and 1390 megahertz, inclusive, that was so recommended for reallocation."

Assessment of Electromagnetic Spectrum Reallocation

Pub. L. 102–538, title I, §156, as added by Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, §1062(a), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 767 , required the Secretary of Commerce to convene an interagency review and assessment of the progress made in implementation of national spectrum planning, the reallocation of Federal Government spectrum to non-Federal use, and the implications for such reallocations to the affected Federal executive agencies and to submit to the President and committees of Congress, not later than Oct. 1, 2000, a report on the assessment.


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