Full Spectrum: A Q&A with Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information John Kneuer

As the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information at the Department of Commerce and Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), John M. R. Kneuer is one of President Bush’s lead advisors on Telecommunications Policy. Kneuer recently talked with Wireless Wave about a number of issues including wireless broadband, the recent advanced Wireless Services Spectrum Auction (AWS), and the scheduled 700 MHz Auction.

Wave: I’d like to read you comments President Bush made back in 2004 about broadband and get your reaction. The president said, "This country needs a national goal for broadband technology universal, affordable access for broadband technology by 2007." Now that the year has arrived, how do you feel about that goal and where do you think wireless fits into that equation?

Mr. Kneuer: In setting that goal I think the president did what he’s supposed to do; he exerted his leadership. He put a marker down for his administration and industry to drive forward on this important goal. It's important for our economy.
It's important for the provision of government services. It's important for our comparative advantage in the global economy. And I'm confident that we are going to get there.

I believe wireless plays an enormous part in this and I think that the actions this administration has taken to further the president's goal through our technology policies, through our fiscal policies, and through our spectrum policies, are clearly and explicitly an acknowledgement of the value that we think that licensed and unlicensed wireless services bring to this equation.

You know, I have two broadband devices on me as we speak, this one (displaying a pda) and one here (tapping his jacket pocket).. so believe me, I really understand the value of wireless broadband.

Wave: So, let’s talk about what the government is doing to enhance that value to which you’re referring.

Mr. Kneuer: We just had 90 MHz of spectrum purchased in the very successful AWS
auction. This spectrum allows them all to expand their services to other geographic
regions, and improve their broadband services with increased speeds and more functionality. So that is, obviously, a critical piece of this.

“I think Congress is to be commended for its work in passing the  Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act that gave us the mechanism to rationalize reimbursement
for relocation expenses.”

 

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