Interruptible Spectrum

{{multiple issues, {{original research, date=January 2015 {{primary sources, date=January 2015

Radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transm ...

wireless Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided medium for the transfer. The mos ...

systems use radio frequencies or

spectrum A spectrum (plural ''spectra'' or ''spectrums'') is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary, without gaps, across a continuum. The word was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of color ...

as the medium for transmitting information from one location to the other. Traditionally each user is given dedicated frequencies on a long term basis. For example, broadcast stations and public safety organizations have dedicated full-time frequencies. Similarly, cellular carriers also have dedicated full-time frequencies that they assign to individual users for the duration of a call. Interruptible spectrum is a concept for sharing spectrum among multiple prioritized users. It is based on interruptible concepts in other public utilities, mainly the electric power industry, where the commodity is made available at a low price provided that it can be preempted under stated circumstances by other users. The application of this concept to spectrum was first proposed in
conference paper
by

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisd ...

(FCC) staffers Mark Bykowsky and Michael Marcus in 2002. In 2003, FCC proposed i
Docket 03-108
to use interruptible spectrum for sharing public safety spectrum that has low average use but high peak use with commercial users subject to immediate interruption. In 2004 it decided to implement this proposal by in the narrow context of public safety users sharing with only other local and state government users. In 2006, FCC proposed i
Docket 06-229
that then could be used for sharing public safety spectrum with commercial users in former UHF-TV spectrum after the transition to

digital television Digital television (DTV) is the transmission of television signals using digital encoding, in contrast to the earlier analog television technology which used analog signals. At the time of its development it was considered an innovative advanc ...

. In its August 2007 Docket 06-229 decision, FCC
voted
to implement the 700 MHz Public/Private Partnership, an implementation of interruptible spectrum concepts in the 700 MHz band subject to a minimum bid of $1.4 billion in the band auction. It later designated the

Public Safety Spectrum Trust The Public Safety Spectrum Trust Corporation (PSST) was a non-profit organization which represents the radio spectrum needs of police, fire and ambulance agencies in the United States. The PSST was selected by the Federal Communications Commission ...

to represent public safety interests in this band and negotiate with the auction winner for a mutual agreement on band use and public and private access to it. Telecommunications in the United States