WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today praised the collaborative efforts by the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration for their support of the Department of Defense, and others to put in place a roadmap to make the 1755-1780 MHz band of spectrum available for commercial wireless services:

“Today’s effort marks a critical step toward finally auctioning the 1755 MHz band. I have been working for over a year to get the key agencies to take action on reallocating this spectrum, and I am happy that the administration has listened to the bipartisan calls from Congress to grow our economy by freeing up these valuable airwaves while addressing our military’s needs. It has been a long and bumpy road, but I commend the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, the Federal Communications Commission, and the broadcasting and wireless industries for working cooperatively to make today’s plan a reality. I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that the relocation and auction processes proceed as planned and on schedule.”

Earlier today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration transmitted a letter to the Federal Communications Commission endorsing a proposal, supported by the Department of Defense, to make the 1755-1780 MHz band available for commercial wireless services. 

###