Growing and competing demands for spectrum will “require...

on repurposing some bands as a way of addressing changing spectrum needs, as well as more spectrum sharing among different uses. Its 10-year strategy will be to: (1) Proactively explore new forms of spectrum sharing. (2) Maintain its focus on coexistence challenges associated with changes in spectrum use. (3) Promote improvements in radio frequency performance standards to reduce coexistence issues. (4) Boost the quantity and quality of information available on spectrum use. (5) Take a leading role in key international spectrum forums. Ofcom will address future mobile data demands and put in place its strategy for the 700 MHz band. It will support the government’s release of spectrum to private parties and address challenges arising from future wireless mic spectrum uses. The regulator also said it will enable growth and innovation in machine-to-machine/Internet of Things (IoT) applications, and help the government address the future wireless communication needs of emergency services. Ofcom outlined its plans for spectrum sharing in a separate document (http://bit.ly/1fsjMPO). To encourage wider use of spectrum sharing, Ofcom said it will: (1) Carry out further studies into the risk that future extension of the 5 GHz band for license-exempt Wi-Fi could cause new coexistence issues with incumbents. (2) Continue to monitor spectrum usage by Wi-Fi devices to provide an early warning of possible congestion. (3) Investigate the feasibility of making new shared spectrum bands available for mobile broadband. (4) Look into the possibility of making more narrowband shared spectrum available below 1 GHz to help meet emerging IoT spectrum demands. (5) Seek to extend the application of the geolocation database approach beyond TV white spaces and consider a tiered spectrum approach. (6) Pilot measures for pre-agreeing arrangements for research and development access for bands of special interest for innovation.