WASHINGTON-While the Pentagon last week downplayed a news report on a letter that sources said is being drafted for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that would convey to President Bush serious concerns about transferring spectrum to the mobile-phone industry, an internal memo written by the Joint Staff suggests Rumsfeld is under heavy pressure to oppose making military frequencies available for third-generation wireless services.
The Joint Staff, in a Feb. 8 memo to the assistant secretary of defense for command, control, communications and intelligence, said it views any reallocation of the 1700 MHz band and relocation of military radio systems to alternative frequencies “with grave concerns.”
“Loss or degradation of DoD operational and training capabilities as a result of IMT 2000 is unacceptable,” stated the Joint Staff in the terse two-page memo. IMT 2000 is another name for 3G. Rumsfeld has been under fire from Capitol Hill and top brass for not engaging them on the defense reform review and other matters generally.
The memo, obtained by RCR Wireless News, was signed by Richard Myers, general of the U.S. Air Force and chairman of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council; Gen. John Keane, U.S. Army; Adm. William Fallon, vice chief of naval operations; Gen. John Handy, U.S. Air Force and vice chief of staff; and Gen. Michael Williams, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.
“Commercial pressure and interest along with presidential guidance caused this study to be developed on a very rapid timeline,” the Joint Staff’s memo states. “It is imperative that current and programmed DoD spectrum-dependent systems/capabilities are protected. It is also important to consider that future warfighting communications capabilities, yet unprogrammed, requiring access to spectrum in the technically desirable frequency band will be restricted or unachievable if this band is reallocated for primary civil use.”
The Joint Staff said it intended the memo to serve as input to the DoD impact report, which was incorporated into a final report issued in late March by the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
The NTIA report said some military-industry sharing of the 1700 MHz band was possible under certain circumstances, a far more optimistic scenario than the one presented in DoD’s spectrum study. Industry insists 1700 MHz sharing is feasible.
The 1700 MHz band occupied by the Pentagon and other federal agencies is one of three frequency ranges identified for 3G, high-speed mobile Internet services being developed. The other 3G-designated bands are 700 MHz, which TV broadcasters partially occupy, and 2500 MHz, home to schools, churches and broadband Internet carriers. The different groups, whose spectrum has been targeted for 3G, are politically connected and have mounted an campaign to keep their licenses.
The mobile-phone industry is lobbying Congress and the White House to gain control of the Pentagon’s 1700 MHz band in exchange for financing the relocation and modernization of military communications systems.
Last week, the Pentagon distanced itself from an RCR story which, citing sources, said a Rumsfeld letter that would oppose the surrender of the 1700 MHz band was in the works. Interestingly, DoD did not deny that drafts of a 3G-spectrum letter were being prepared for Rumsfeld. Moreover, the Pentagon used its reaction to the RCR story to reiterate talking points made in at least one of the drafts.
“Secretary Rumsfeld has not asked for a letter to the president to be drafted on this topic,” said Susan Hansen, a Pentagon spokeswoman. “The department is consulting with other government agencies, including the Department of Commerce, FCC and other interested parties to assist in reaching the best decision for the allocation of spectrum for third-generation wireless services. There are definite impacts and risks for Defense in the relocation of the 1755-1850 MHz band. We want to make sure the implications of reallocating this band and the alternative bands that appear to be available for 3G services are thoroughly being considered.”
Spectrum requirements are being considered in Rumsfeld’s top-to-bottom DoD review.
