Throughout the Fall of 2022, assistant professor of engineering Whitney Lohmeyer guided undergraduate students through her Introduction to Analog and Digital Communication course at Olin College of Engineering, connecting them to radio spectrum experts.
The University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center became a national stage to host discussions on the formation of the U.S. National Spectrum Strategy on April 11, 2023. City employees, corporate representatives, trade associations and university researchers gave their input at the second of two National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Listening Sessions.
Paul Ransom’s interest in electrical engineering was piqued when he began working to upgrade his Walkman in elementary school. He was unsatisfied with the performance and began tinkering with it and other electronics to see how they functioned.
“I wanted to boost the volume, because back in my days we liked to listen to our music loud,” Ransom said.
WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on Wednesday began seeking comment on identifying airwaves for more intensive use and innovative new uses by both the private sector and federal agencies.
NTIA’s National Spectrum Strategy Request for Comment seeks input on creating a spectrum pipeline for the next decade of frequencies that could be studied for new or additional uses. The agency’s goal is to identify at least 1,500 megahertz of spectrum to study for potential repurposing – perhaps the most ambitious study goal for NTIA to date – to meet future requirements for non-federal and federal users.
It seemed like a normal group meeting for students to share updates. Olin College of Engineering undergraduate students filtered into an open lab on a chilly Monday evening in Needham, Massachusetts. A large antenna laid on its side, mid-build in one corner of the room, a cube satellite (cubesat) in another, and stacks of amateur radio guides are along a wall for learners to borrow and prepare for the licensing test. Around 20 group members gathered around a table, briefing the room and their advisor, Professor Whitney Lohmeyer, on their latest updates.
Interference conflicts are ongoing challenges within the radio spectrum field. Within the U.S. spectrum ecosystem, commercial wireless networks for communication, internet access, scientific sensing for both environment and radio astronomy, broadcast, radar, position/navigation/timing, and more create a sometimes crowded atmosphere where signals compete.
The SpectrumX Center Meeting on October 3 and 4, held at the University of Virginia (UVA), brought together over 65 learners and leaders for cross-cutting discussions on timely and interdisciplinary topics.
“The meeting provided an opportunity for students, researchers, stakeholders, and professionals in policy making to come together at UVA to discuss some of the most important subjects in our field,” said Bobby Weikle, SpectrumX Steering Committee Chair and Radio and Network Technologies Research Lead, and Professor at the University of Virginia. “UVA has a long history of collaboration with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), and it was a great opportunity to bring their teams and our center together in-person and online.”
From hosting organization New America:
Please join FCC Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Nathan Simington, as well as a panel that includes representatives of the two U.S. industry leaders (Amazon’s Project Kuiper and SpaceX’s Starlink) and noted policy experts, to discuss the key regulatory debates that will shape the industry’s future.
Keynote Remarks:
Commissioner Geoffrey Starks
Federal Communications Commission
Commissioner Nathan Simington
Federal Communications Commission
Discussion Panel:
Julie Zoller
Head of Global Regulatory Affairs, Amazon’s Project Kuiper
David Goldman
Senior Director of Satellite Policy, SpaceX
Whitney Lohmeyer
Assistant Professor of Engineering, Olin College of Engineering
Harold Feld
Senior Vice President, Public Knowledge
Published on SSRN, August 3, 2022
Authored by: Darrah Blackwater (Independent), Ilia Murtazashvili (University of Pittsburgh – Graduate School of Public and International Affairs), and Martin B.H. Weiss (University of PIttsburgh – School of Computing and Information)
Abstract: The Federal Communications Commission currently has unlimited authority over governance of electromagnetic spectrum on sovereign tribal lands in the United States. This monocentric system, with spectrum governed exclusively by the FCC, essentially eliminates opportunities for tribal governments to develop innovative ways to manage spectrum to close the digital divide on Tribal lands, to choose how much of spectrum is available for commercial, public, or community use, and eliminates ability of tribes to fully control revenue from spectrum on tribal lands. The Deploying the Internet by Guaranteeing Indian Tribes Autonomy over Licensing (DIGITAL) Reservations Act envisions a new path for spectrum governance which affirms self-management and self-governance of spectrum on tribal lands. In this paper, we consider the extent to which the DIGITAL Reservations Act contrasts with current spectrum governance in the United States. We argue that the DIGITAL Reservations Act envisions a polycentric system of spectrum governance and that it is a workable system of spectrum governance that acknowledges tribal sovereignty over one of its most valuable assets.
Published on SSRN, August 15, 2022
Authored by: Pedro Bustamante, University of Pittsburgh – School of Information Sciences, Students; Carnegie Mellon University
Abstract: As spectrum sharing matures, usage conflict situations (e.g., harmful interference) remain a common concern. To deal with the challenges associated with conflict situations, multiple solutions have been proposed. Examples of approaches to mitigate conflict situations include the creation of exclusion and coordination zones, the development of spectrum coordinators (e.g., SAS), or the implementation of sensing-based mechanisms. Nonetheless, most of these solutions are designed as “one-size-fits-all” or global solutions. In this paper, we propose a local analysis of conflict situations in spectrum sharing settings through the design, development, and deployment of polycentric and self-governance systems. We have created a multi-tiered spectrum sharing model to analyze such systems using Agent-Based Modeling, Common-Pool Resource frameworks, and the core definitions of Radio Environment Maps (REMs).
