More spectrum means more opportunities for digital technologies and benefits to Floridians

Special to Capital Outlook

In late June, President Obama’s administration announced that it planned to double the nation’s available spectrum – the radio waves that allow the information to and from wireless devices to travel – for wireless high-speed communications over the next ten years. The move is designed to keep up with exploding demand for expanding wireless technologies.

In the presidential memorandum announcing the plan, Obama said “America’s future competitiveness and global technology leadership depend, in part, on the availability of additional spectrum. The world is going wireless, and we must not fall behind.” Citizens for a Digital Future, a coalition of businesses and community organizations, agrees, and we applaud the administration’s initiative.

We believe that the widespread deployment of broadband capacity is the key to economic growth, innovation and job growth. It is our goal to encourage policies that make digital technology more available and more accessible to every Floridian. The additional spectrum announced in June should go a long way towards assuring that all wireless providers will be able to meet the ever-growing demands of their customers. This will be critical in all parts of our state.

In our heavily-populated urban areas, it can head off what the FCC says could be a serious spectrum shortage as more and more of us use our wireless devices for everything from connecting to Facebook to finding the nearest restaurant – and even making a phone call once in while. And for some Floridians for whom wireline broadband is not a viable option, this increase in spectrum can mean more people can take reap the benefits of the Information Super Highway through wireless connectivity. The Internet world is literally in our hands; now more consumers will have the opportunity to take advantage of it.

While the Administration’s announcement is great news, the next step is to make sure Florida’s regulatory environment doesn’t get in the way of using this expanded capacity to the fullest. Our state’s current regulatory structure was designed for a bygone era. We are saddled, one observer said, with a rotary dial regulatory scheme in an iPhone world. It’s time to modernize that scheme.

Many other states – including our neighbors in Georgia and Alabama – have updated their regulatory structures to encourage investment in broadband and digital technology. We need to look to those examples to ensure that our own marketplace can remain competitive in the digital world. We look forward to participating in discussions about updating and modernizing our regulatory structure. In the meantime, we look at the Administration’s announcement on spectrum and say: Great News!

Citizens for a Digital Future is a coalition that recognizes that adoption of and access to broadband technology has become increasingly important to economic growth, innovation, job creation, the environment, education and health care. Members include broadband providers, manufacturers, non-profit organizations, agricultural interests, and state and local community groups.