DOD returns fire on spectrum relocation

In a letter earlier to Senate majority leader Tom Daschle, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs Chairman Henry Shelton asked that any decision to transfer Department of Defense spectrum to industry be delayed "until truly comparable spectrum is identified and made available."

At issue is the possible transfer by the Federal Communications Commission of the 1,755-to-1,850-MHz band. Rumsfeld and Shelton argued in their letter that the bands should be retained by the U.S. military "until comparable spectrum has been identified for the displaced DOD functions."

The military uses the frequencies for satellite control, battlefield radio relay, precision weapon guidance and to relay global positioning signals used by troops in the field.

The wireless industry wants to use the spectrum for third-generation (3G) wireless applications. It has been floating proposals to financially compensate the Pentagon for moving off its spectrum.

A DOD study found that sharing the 1,755-to-1,850-MHz band with commercial users is not practical, and that moving off that band would take at least a decade to complete. "Forced relocation will have serious consequences on our national security and increase the risk to military personnel," the DOD officials warned.

They also asked Daschle to postpone any decision to reallocate the spectrum, including a "decision in principle," until comparable spectrum is identified and made available to the military.

FCC Chairman Michael Powell agreed earlier this year to postpone the July 2001 deadline for identifying spectrum for 3G systems. The FCC announced in early August that it is examining additional frequency bands that could be used for 3G and other wireless services. It is seeking comment on reallocating spectrum in five other bands besides 1,755-to-1,850 MHz.

The purpose of the review is to provide policy makers with "new allocation options" not addressed in earlier proceedings, the FCC said.

John Stenbit, assistant secretary of defense for command, control, communications and intelligence, said the DOD wants to study "how we can rationalize spectrum over the long range." Stenbit said he wants to take the spectrum issue out of the political arena so that planners can study all the consequences of shifting the military to different spectrum bands. "There's got to be a different way to work this particular problem, and I intend to have that happen," he said.

Daschle's office had no comment on the DOD letter.