Media Contact: 
Will Wiquist
will.wiquist@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

FCC POLICY STATEMENT ESTABLISHES SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES FOR TRANSMITTERS AND RECEIVERS
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WASHINGTON, April 20, 2023—The Federal Communications Commission today takes a fresh look at spectrum management and establishes a set of high-level principles on how the Commission intends to manage spectrum going forward.  The Policy Statement is part of the Commission’s effort to reorient its spectrum management framework to a holistic consideration of both transmitter and receiver components of wireless systems.  The Policy Statement underscores the important role that improved receiver performance can play in promoting more efficient spectrum use and enabling valuable new services to be introduced that will benefit the American public.

The Policy Statement adopted today will help inform potential future Commission considerations and actions concerning harmful interference issues, the responsibilities of both transmitters and receivers to mitigate interference, and the further regulatory steps to ensure coexistence among services in increasingly congested spectrum bands.

As spectrum bands grow more congested, networks continue to require greater bandwidth to support next-generation applications like robotics, artificial intelligence, precision farming, augmented reality, and cloud computing.  To maximize spectrum access and promote coexistence among different services, the Commission has traditionally regulated transmitters and their operations.  But recent technological advances in receiver properties, especially their immunity to out-of-band interference, offer an increasingly promising pathway to manage spectrum needs in a balanced and comprehensive way.

In 2022, the Commission launched an inquiry to take a fresh look at how receiver improvements could provide greater opportunities for efficient use of spectrum.  The Policy Statement builds on the record from this proceeding and the work of the FCC’s Technological Advisory Council. 

Action by the Commission April 20, 2023 by Policy Statement (FCC 23-27).  Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr, Starks, and Simington approving.  Chairwoman Rosenworcel and Commissioner Simington issuing separate statements.

ET Docket No. 23-122, 22-137

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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).