DoD Moves Forward With Next Steps For Spectrum Relocation
July 16, 2007

The Department of Defense has established the Defense Spectrum Relocation Management Activity (DSRMA) within the Defense Information Systems Agency’s (DISA) Defense Spectrum Organization to advance the President’s Spectrum Policy Initiative goals of fostering economic growth and promoting national security.

The DSRMA will oversee DoD’s relocation efforts connected to the Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) auction. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration (OASD NII) will provide policy, oversight and guidance to the DSRMA and across all DoD relocation activities.

This initiative is part of the on-going and proactive measures the Department has taken to successfully relocate DoD systems to new frequency bands from spectrum sold last year by the federal government to meet demands for new wireless services.

With the release of funds to DoD from the Spectrum Relocation Fund, which was financed by proceeds from the AWS auction, the Department has begun the relocation of affected DoD systems to new frequency bands in accordance with published timelines.

The DSRMA will coordinate with the military departments and commercial AWS licensees to accomplish the successful and timely transition of DoD systems out of the affected band of 1710-1755 MHz and to enable a national build-out of AWS systems, including access to this MHz band prior to the scheduled relocation wherever possible.

To address the possibility of concurrent AWS operations with DoD systems, the DSRMA will provide the focal point for coordination among DoD components and AWS licensees to process requests, perform interference analyses, and grant access. The DSRMA also will provide fair and equitable electromagnetic compatibility analyses support for access to the 1710-1755 MHz band by commercial users.

To expedite relocation activities, DoD is establishing a secure interactive portal for AWS licensees to submit a prior coordination notice on their market areas. Each AWS licensee will be required to set up an account to access and submit data through the DoD portal. The DoD portal, currently under construction, will be available by July 31, 2007. Directions for its use will be distributed to the AWS community.