Seventeen members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have written FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and National Telecommunications and Information Administration head Lawrence E. Strickling urging them to make the 1675-1680 megahertz band available for commercial wireless services.

The letter noted that 2015 appropriations report language supported repurposing the 1675-1680 MHz band and that multiple Obama administration budgets have called for the repurposing the spectrum. The fiscal year 2017 budget released yesterday was the latest (TRDaily Feb. 9).

LightSquared, which has been renamed Ligado Networks LLC, wants the Commission to launch a proceeding to reallocate and auction the 1675-1680 MHz band (TRDaily, Jan. 4), which is used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The lawmakers in their letter noted that funding is available to relocate those radiosonde systems.

 Sending of the letter was led by Reps. Brett Guthrie (R., Ky.) and Doris Matsui (D., Calif.), co-chairs of the Congressional Spectrum Caucus. – Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterskluwer.com

Courtesy TRDaily