White House Wireless Spectrum Memo June 14 2013

7/28/2019 White House Wireless Spectrum Memo June 14 2013

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THE WHI TE HOUSE

Of f i ce of t he Pr ess Secr et ar y

For I mmedi at e Rel ease J une 14, 2013

J une 14, 2013

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTI VE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCI ES

SUBJ ECT: Expandi ng Amer i ca' s Leader shi p i n Wi r el essI nnovat i on

A combi nat i on of Amer i can ent r epr eneur shi p and i nnovat i on,pr i vat e i nvest ment , and smar t pol i cy has posi t i oned t heUni t ed St at es as t he gl obal l eader i n wi r el ess br oadbandt echnol ogi es. Expandi ng t he avai l abi l i t y of spect r um f ori nnovat i ve and f l exi bl e commer ci al uses, i ncl udi ng f or br oadbandservi ces, wi l l f ur t her pr omot e our Nat i on' s economi c devel opmentby pr ovi di ng ci t i zens and busi nesses wi t h gr eat er speed and

avai l abi l i t y of cover age, encour age f ur t her devel opment ofcut t i ng- edge wi r el ess t echnol ogi es, appl i cat i ons, and ser vi ces,and hel p reduce usage charges f or househol ds and busi nesses.We must cont i nue t o make addi t i onal spect r um avai l abl e aspr ompt l y as possi bl e f or t he benef i t of consumer s andbusi nesses. At t he same t i me, we must ensur e t hat Federal ,St at e, l ocal , t r i bal , and t er r i t or i al gover nment s ar e abl e t omai nt ai n mi ssi on cr i t i cal capabi l i t i es t hat depend on spect r umt oday, as wel l as ef f ect i vel y and ef f i ci ent l y meet f ut ur er equi r ement s.

I n my memorandum of J une 28, 2010 (Unl eashi ng t he Wi r el essBr oadband Revol ut i on) , I di r ect ed the Secr et ary of Commer ce,worki ng t hr ough t he Nat i onal Tel ecommuni cat i ons and I nf ormat i onAdmi ni st r at i on ( NTI A) , t o col l abor at e wi t h the Feder alCommuni cat i ons Commi ssi on ( FCC) t o make 500 MHz of Federal andnonf eder al spect r um avai l abl e f or wi r el ess br oadband use wi t hi n10 years. Execut i ve depar t ment s and agenci es ( agenci es) ,i ncl udi ng NTI A, have done an excel l ent j ob of pur sui ng t het wi n goal s of advanci ng t hei r agency mi ssi ons and pr omot i ngi nnovat i on and economi c gr owt h. Al t hough exi st i ng ef f or t s wi l lal most doubl e t he amount of spect r um avai l abl e f or wi r el ess

broadband, we must make avai l abl e even mor e spect r um and cr eat enew avenues f or wi r el ess i nnovat i on. One means of doi ng soi s by al l owi ng and encour agi ng shar ed access t o spect r um t hati s cur r ent l y al l ocat ed excl usi vel y f or Feder al use. Wher et echni cal l y and economi cal l y f easi bl e, shar i ng can andshoul d be used t o enhance ef f i ci ency among al l user s andexpedi t e commer ci al access t o addi t i onal spect r um bands,subj ect t o adequat e i nt er f er ence pr ot ect i on f or Feder al user s,especi al l y user s wi t h nat i onal secur i t y, l aw enf or cement , andsaf et y- of - l i f e r esponsi bi l i t i es. I n or der t o meet gr owi ngFeder al spect r um r equi r ement s, we shoul d al so seek t o el i mi nat er est r i cti ons on commer ci al car r i er s' abi l i t y to negot i at eshar i ng ar r angement s wi t h agenci es. To f ur t her t hese ef f or t s,


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whi l e st i l l saf eguar di ng pr ot ect ed i ncumbent syst ems t hat ar evi t al t o Feder al i nt er est s and economi c gr owt h, t hi s memorandumdi r ect s agenci es and of f i ces t o t ake a number of addi t i onalact i ons t o accel er at e shared access t o spect r um.

Ther ef or e, by t he aut hor i t y vest ed i n me as Pr esi dent by t heConst i t ut i on and t he l aws of t he Uni t ed St at es of Amer i ca,i ncl udi ng t he Feder al Pr oper t y and Admi ni st r at i ve Ser vi ces Act ,40 U. S. C. 101 et seq. , and i n or der t o pr omot e economy andef f i ci ency i n Feder al pr ocur ement , I her eby di r ect t hef ol l owi ng:

Sect i on 1. Spect r um Pol i cy Team. ( a) The Chi efTechnol ogy Of f i cer and t he Di r ect or of t he Nat i onal Economi cCounci l , or t hei r desi gnees, shal l co- chai r a Spect r um Pol i cy

Team t hat shal l i ncl ude r epresent at i ves f r om t he Of f i ce ofManagement and Budget ( OMB) , t he Nat i onal Secur i t y St af f , andt he Counci l of Economi c Advi sers. The Spect r um Pol i cy Teamshal l work wi t h NTI A t o i mpl ement t hi s memorandum. The Spect r umPol i cy Team may i nvi t e t he FCC t o pr ovi de advi ce and assi st ance.

( b) The Spect r um Pol i cy Team shal l moni t or and suppor tadvances i n spect r um shar i ng pol i ci es and t echnol ogi es. Wi t hi n1 year of t he dat e of t hi s memorandum, t he Spect r um Pol i cy Teamshal l publ i sh a r epor t descr i bi ng how NTI A and FCC ar ei ncor porat i ng spect r um shar i ng i nt o thei r spect r um management

pr act i ces. The r epor t shal l i ncl ude r ecommendat i ons t hat enabl emore pr oduct i ve uses of spect r um t hr oughout our economy andsoci et y and pr ot ect t he cur r ent and f ut ur e mi ssi on capabi l i t i esof agenci es. The Spect r um Pol i cy Team shal l al so assessnat i onal secur i t y, l aw enf or cement , saf et y- of - l i f e, economi c,sci ent i f i c, soci al , i nt er nat i onal , and ot her pol i cyconsi der at i ons r el at ed t o l i censed and unl i censed spect r um use,i ncl udi ng st andar di zat i on as wel l as t he ext ent t o whi ch t her evenue pot ent i al of spect r um auct i ons af f ect s spect r um pol i cy.

Sec. 2. Col l abor at i on on Spect r um Shar i ng. ( a) The

Secr et ar y of Commerce, wor ki ng t hrough NTI A, has beenf aci l i t at i ng di scussi ons bet ween agenci es and nonf eder alent i t i es t hat have pr oduced an unpr ecedent ed l evel ofi nf or mat i on- shar i ng and col l abor at i on t o i dent i f y oppor t uni t i esf or agenci es t o rel i nqui sh or shar e spect r um, cur r ent l y f ocusi ngon t he 1695- 1710 MHz band, t he 1755- 1850 MHz band, and t he5350- 5470 and 5850- 5925 MHz bands. The NTI A shal l cont i nue t of aci l i t at e t hese di scussi ons and t he shar i ng of dat a t o expedi t ecommer ci al ent r y i nt o these bands wher e possi bl e, pr ovi ded t hatt he mi ssi on capabi l i t i es of Feder al syst ems desi gned t o oper at ei n these bands ar e mai nt ai ned and pr ot ect ed, i ncl udi ng thr ough

r el ocat i on, ei t her t o al t er nat i ve spect r um or non- spect r umdependent syst ems, or t hr ough accept abl e shar i ng ar r angement s.These di scussi ons shal l al so be expanded t o encompass mor espect r um bands t hat may be candi dat es f or shar ed access,speci f i cal l y t hose i n t he r ange bel ow 6 GHz, subj ect t o t hepr ot ect i on of t he capabi l i t i es of Feder al syst ems desi gned t ooper ate i n t hose bands.

( b) Wi t hi n 3 mont hs of t he dat e of t hi s memorandum, t heSecr et ar y of Commerce, wor ki ng t hrough NTI A and t he Nat i onalI nst i t ut e of St andar ds and Technol ogy ( NI ST) , and bui l di ng ont he r esul t s f r om t he Net wor ki ng and I nf or mat i on Technol ogyResearch and Devel opment Progr am, shal l publ i sh an i nvent ory and


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descri pt i on of Feder al t est f aci l i t i es avai l abl e t o commer ci aland ot her st akehol ders engaged i n r esearch, devel opment ,t est i ng, and eval uat i on of t echnol ogi es t o enhance spect r umshar i ng and ot her spect r um- r el at ed ef f i ci enci es. To maxi mi zet he pr oduct i ve use of t hese f aci l i t i es and t o f aci l i t at e gr eat ercol l aborat i on among agenci es and nonf eder al st akehol der s, t heSecretary of Commerce, worki ng t hr ough NTI A, NI ST, and ot herappr opr i at e agenci es, shal l , wi t hi n 6 mont hs of t he dat e oft hi s memorandum, est abl i sh a pl an f or t he devel opment andpr omul gat i on of st andar d pol i ci es, best pr act i ces, and t empl at esgover ni ng t he f ol l owi ng: r esear ch, devel opment , t est i ng, andeval uat i on of spect r um shar i ng t echnol ogi es by and amongcommerci al , Gover nment , and academi c st akehol der s at Federalf aci l i t i es.

( c) Al l pol i ci es, pr acti ces, and t empl at es shal l besubj ect t o saf eguar ds r easonabl y necessar y t o pr ot ectcl assi f i ed, sensi t i ve, and pr opr i et ar y dat a. Wi t hi n 6 mont hsof t he dat e of t hi s memorandum, t he Spect r um Pol i cy Team,i n consul t at i on wi t h t he Depar t ment of J ust i ce, t he Nat i onalAr chi ves and Recor ds Admi ni st r at i on, t he Of f i ce of t he Di r ect orof Nat i onal I nt el l i gence, and ot her appr opr i at e agenci es,shal l , consi st ent wi t h appl i cabl e l aw, i ncl udi ng 5 U. S. C. 552,as amended by Publ i c Law 107- 306 and Publ i c Law 11- 175, andExecut i ve Or der 13526 of December 29, 2009 ( Cl assi f i ed Nat i onalSecur i t y I nf or mat i on) , i mpl ement pol i ci es f or t he shar i ng wi t h

aut hor i zed nonf eder al par t i es of cl assi f i ed, sensi t i ve, orpr opr i et ar y dat a r egar di ng assi gnment s, ut i l i zat i on of spect r um,syst em conf i gur at i ons, busi ness pl ans, and ot her i nf or mat i on.

Sec. 3. Agency Usage of Spect r um. ( a) The NTI A, i nconsul t at i on wi t h t he Spect r um Pol i cy Team and appr opr i at eagenci es, shal l i ncl ude i n i t s Fourth Interim Report r equi r ed bysect i on 1( d) of my memorandum of J une 28, 2010, a pl an di r ect i ngappl i cabl e agenci es t o pr ovi de quant i t at i ve assessment s of t heact ual usage of spect r um i n those spect r um bands t hat NTI Apr evi ousl y i dent i f i ed and pr i or i t i zed i n i t s Third Interim

Report and such ot her bands as NTI A and t he Spect r um Pol i cyTeam det er mi ne have t he gr eat est pot ent i al t o be shared wi t hnonf ederal user s. Each agency' s assessment shal l be pr eparedaccor di ng to such met r i cs and ot her parameter s as ar e reasonabl ynecessary to det er mi ne t he ext ent t o whi ch spect r um assi gnedt o t he agency coul d pot ent i al l y be made avai l abl e f or shar i ngwi t h or r el ease t o commer ci al user s, par t i cul ar l y i n maj ormet r opol i t an ar eas, wi t hout adver sel y af f ect i ng agenci es'mi ssi ons, especi al l y t hose r el at ed t o nat i onal secur i t y, l awenf or cement , and saf et y of l i f e. Each assessment shal l al soi ncl ude a di scussi on of pr oj ect ed i ncr eases i n spect r um usage

and needs and shal l i dent i f y wher e access t o nonf eder al spect r umcoul d ai d i n f ul f i l l i ng agency mi ssi ons. The pl an shal l f ur t herr equi r e each agency t o submi t i t s assessment s t o NTI A and t heSpect r um Pol i cy Team wi t hi n 12 mont hs of t he pl an' s r el ease.I n i dent i f yi ng spect r um bands wi t h t he gr eat est pot ent i al t obe shar ed, NTI A and t he Spect r um Pol i cy Team shal l consi dert he number and nat ur e of Federal and nonf ederal syst ems i n aband, t he t echni cal sui t abi l i t y of t he band f or shar ed use,i nt er nat i onal i mpl i cat i ons, any pot ent i al f or r el ocat i ng Feder alsyst ems t o comparabl e spect r um or ot herwi se enabl i ng comparabl ecapabi l i t i es, and ot her f act or s NTI A and t he Spect r um Pol i cyTeam deem r el evant based on consul t at i on wi t h agenci es and ot her


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st akehol der s. A band shal l be i dent i f i ed as a candi dat e f orshar ed access under t hi s subsect i on onl y i f i t has been l i kewi sei dent i f i ed under sect i on 2( a) of t hi s memorandum.

( b) The r epor t i ng of i nf or mat i on under t hi s sect i onshal l be subj ect t o exi st i ng saf eguar ds pr ot ect i ng cl assi f i ed,sensi t i ve, and pr opr i et ar y dat a. The NTI A shal l r el ease asummary of t he assessment s publ i cl y t o t he ext ent consi st entwi t h l aw. The NTI A and t he Spect r um Pol i cy Team shal l make anyappr opr i at e recommendat i ons r egar di ng t he possi bl e avai l abi l i t yof spect r um i n t he subj ect bands f or i nnovat i ve and f l exi bl ecommer ci al uses, i ncl udi ng br oadband, t aki ng i nt o accountf actors such as t he natur e of t he Feder al syst ems i n t he bandsand t he ext ent t o whi ch t hose syst ems occupy and use t he bands.

( c) The NTI A shal l desi gn and conduct a pi l ot pr ogr am t omoni t or spect r um usage i n real t i me i n sel ect ed communi t i est hroughout t he count r y to det ermi ne whet her a comprehensi vemoni t or i ng pr ogr am i n maj or met r opol i t an ar eas coul d di scl oseoppor t uni t i es f or mor e ef f i ci ent spect r um access, i ncl udi ngvi a shar i ng. The NTI A shal l wor k wi t h agenci es t o ensur e t hepr ogr am wi l l not r eveal sensi t i ve or cl assi f i ed i nf or mat i on.The NTI A shal l consul t wi t h each agency t o deter mi ne t he cor r ectt echni cal paramet er s t o moni t or usage.

( d) Wi t hi n 6 mont hs of t he dat e of t hi s memorandum, NTI A

shal l t ake such act i ons as ar e necessary t o requi r e t hat eachagency' s r egul ar r evi ews of i t s f r equency assi gnment s i ncl ude aquant i t at i ve assessment of i t s act ual usage of spect r um undersuch assi gnment s.

( e) The NTI A shal l al so t ake such act i ons as ar e necessar yt o r equi r e t hat an agency r equest i ng a f r equency assi gnment orspect r um cer t i f i cat i on f or syst ems oper at i ng bet ween 400 MHz and6 GHz ver i f y t hat i t must oper at e i n t hi s cr i t i cal r ange, andt hat i t wi l l use t he mi ni mum spect r um r easonabl y necessary t omost ef f ect i vel y meet mi ssi on r equi r ement s. The r equest i ng

agency shal l al so ver i f y t hat i t i s not r easonabl e t o sat i sf ysuch requi r ement s i n some ot her manner , such as at hi gherf r equenci es, vi a commer ci al ser vi ces, or vi a a syst em t hati s not spect r umdependent , whet her due to cost , t echnol ogy,i mpl ement at i on, per f or mance r easons, i nt er nat i onal obl i gat i ons,or ot her pr act i cal or l egal const r ai nt s. I n t he case of syst emcer t i f i cat i on r equest s onl y, t he r equest i ng agency shal l al sopr esent wi t h i t s r equest a nar r at i ve expl ai ni ng why i t s pr oposedsol ut i on wi l l most ef f ect i vel y meet i t s mi ssi on r equi r ement s,i n l i ght of pot ent i al al t er nat i ve appr oaches and al l pr act i caland l egal const r ai nt s. Fur t her , r equest i ng agenci es shal l

i dent i f y spect r um t hat wi l l no l onger be used by any l egacysyst ems that ar e r epl aced. I n i mpl ement i ng t hi s subsect i on,NTI A shal l t ake al l st eps necessary t o pr ot ect agai nstdi scl osur e of sensi t i ve and cl assi f i ed i nf or mat i on.

Sec. 4. Spect r um Ef f i ci ency i n Pr ocur ement s. Agenci esshal l i ncl ude spect r um ef f i ci ency when consi der i ng pr ocur ementof spect r umdependent syst ems and har dware, as a techni calr equi r ement , an eval uat i on cr i t er i on f or awar d, or bot h. TheDi r ect or of OMB, i n consul t at i on wi t h NTI A, shal l devel op andi ncor por at e spect r um ef f i ci ency gui del i nes i nt o budget andpr ocur ement pr ocesses. These gui del i nes shal l f aci l i t at e, asappr opr i ate, t he desi gn and pr ocur ement of syst ems t hat i ncr ease


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f l exi bi l i t y t hr ough means such as mul t i pl e- band t uni ngcapabi l i t i es and t he use of commer ci al syst ems. The gui del i nesal so shal l r equi r e, t o the ext ent possi bl e, pr ocur ement s ofFeder al syst ems such t hat emi ssi on l evel s r esul t i ng f r omr easonabl e use of adj acent spect r um wi l l not i mpai r t hef unct i oni ng of such syst ems, consi st ent wi t h any appl i cabl er adi o r ecei ver per f or mance cr i t er i a and i nt er nat i onalobl i gat i ons.

Sec. 5. Per f or mance Cr i t er i a f or Radi o Recei ver s. TheFCC i s st r ongl y encour aged, i n consul t at i on wi t h NTI A, wher eappr opr i at e, t he i ndust r y, and ot her st akehol der s, t o devel opt o t he f ul l est ext ent of i t s l egal aut hor i t y a pr ogr am ofper f or mance cr i t er i a, r at i ngs, and ot her measur es, i ncl udi ngst andards, t o encour age t he desi gn, manuf act ur e, and sal e of

r adi o r ecei ver s such t hat emi ssi on l evel s r esul t i ng f r omr easonabl e use of adj acent spect r um wi l l not endanger t hef unct i oni ng of t he r ecei ver or ser i ousl y degr ade, obst r uct ,or r epeat edl y i nt er r upt t he oper at i ons of t he r ecei ver . I ndevel opi ng such a pr ogr am, t he FCC i s st r ongl y encour agedt o gi ve due consi der at i on t o exi st i ng pol i ci es and pr udenti nvest ment s t hat have been pr evi ousl y made i n syst ems, i ncl udi ngr ecei ver s. I n i t s consul t at i on wi t h t he FCC, NTI A shal l pr ovi dei nf or mat i on regar di ng Feder al r ecei ver st andar ds and agencypr act i ces under t hose st andar ds.

Sec. 6. I ncent i ves f or Agenci es. The Spect r um Pol i cyTeam shal l , wi t hi n 6 mont hs of t he dat e of t hi s memor andum,publ i sh a repor t maki ng r ecommendat i ons t o t he Pr esi dentr egardi ng market - based or other appr oaches t hat coul d gi veagenci es great er i ncent i ve t o shar e or r el i nqui sh spect r um,whi l e pr ot ect i ng t he mi ssi on capabi l i t i es of exi st i ng and f ut ur esyst ems t hat r el y on spect r um use. The r epor t shal l consi derwhet her t he Spect r um Cur r ency and Spect r um Ef f i ci ency Fundpr oposal s made by t he Pr esi dent ' s Counci l of Advi sors on Sci enceand Technol ogy woul d be ef f ect i ve. The r epor t shal l al soanal yze t he i mpact of t he Commerci al Spect r um Enhancement Act

of 2004 ( Ti t l e I I of Publ i c Law 108- 494) , as modi f i ed by t heMi ddl e Cl ass Tax Rel i ef and J ob Cr eat i on Act of 2012 ( Publ i cLaw 112- 96) .

Sec. 7. Rapi d Depl oyment of Wi r el ess Br oadband. The FCCi s st r ongl y encour aged, i n col l abor at i on wi t h NTI A, wher eappr opr i at e, t o expedi t e the r epur posi ng of spect r um andot her wi se enabl e i nnovat i ve and f l exi bl e commer ci al uses ofspect r um, i ncl udi ng br oadband, t o be depl oyed as rapi dl y aspossi bl e by:

( a) i dent i f yi ng spect r um al l ocat ed f or nonf eder al usest hat can be made avai l abl e f or l i censed and unl i censed wi r el essbr oadband servi ces and devi ces, and other i nnovat i ve andf l exi bl e uses of spect r um, whi l e f ai r l y accommodat i ng t he r i ght sand reasonabl e expect at i ons of i ncumbent users;

( b) i dent i f yi ng spect r um al l ocat ed f or nonf eder al usest hat can be made avai l abl e t o agenci es, on a shar ed or excl usi vebasi s, part i cul ar l y wher e necessary t o accommodate agenci esseeki ng t o rel ocat e syst ems out of bands t hat coul d be madeavai l abl e f or l i censed ser vi ces or unl i censed devi ces;


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( c) pr omul gat i ng and enf or ci ng r ul es f or l i censed ser vi cest o pr ovi de st r ong i ncent i ves f or l i censees t o put spect r um t ouse and avoi d spect r um warehousi ng. Such r ul es may i ncl udebui l d- out r equi r ement s or ot her l i censi ng condi t i ons asappr opr i at e f or t he par t i cul ar ci r cumst ance;

( d) est abl i shi ng and mai nt ai ni ng condi t i ons t hat promot ea r el i abl e secondar y mar ket f or spect r um, i ncl udi ng pr ovi si onsenabl i ng negot i ated access by agenci es and uses not addr essed i nsubsect i on ( b) of t hi s sect i on;

( e) pr omul gat i ng and enf or ci ng r ul es f or l i censed ser vi cesand unl i censed devi ces t o shar e Feder al spect r um t hataccommodat e mi ssi on changes and t echnol ogy updat es by bot hFeder al and nonf eder al users; and

( f ) consul t i ng wi t h t he Depar t ment of St at e r egar di ngi nt er nat i onal obl i gat i ons r el at ed t o spect r um use.

Sec. 8. Gener al Pr ovi si ons. ( a) Not hi ng i n t hi smemorandum shal l be const r ued t o i mpai r or other wi se af f ect :

( i ) t he aut hor i t y gr ant ed by l aw t o any agency, ort he head t her eof ; or

( i i ) t he f unct i ons of t he Di r ect or of OMB r el at i ng t o

budget ar y, admi ni st r at i ve, or l egi sl at i ve pr oposal s.

( b) Nothi ng i n t hi s memorandum shal l be const r ued t or equi r e t he di scl osur e of cl assi f i ed i nf or mat i on, l awenf or cement sensi t i ve i nf or mat i on, or ot her i nf or mat i on t hatmust be pr ot ect ed i n t he i nt er est of nat i onal secur i t y or publ i csaf et y.

( c) Thi s memorandum shal l be i mpl ement ed consi st ent wi t happl i cabl e l aw and subj ect t o t he avai l abi l i t y ofappr opr i at i ons.

( d) Thi s memorandum i s not i nt ended t o, and does not ,creat e any ri ght or benef i t , subst ant i ve or pr ocedur al ,enf or ceabl e at l aw or i n equi t y by any par t y agai nst t heUni t ed St at es, i t s depar t ment s, agenci es, or ent i t i es, i t sof f i cer s, empl oyees, or agent s, or any ot her per son.

( e) I ndependent agenci es ar e st r ongl y encour aged t o compl ywi t h t he r equi r ement s of t hi s memor andum.

( f ) The Presi dent i al Memorandum of November 30, 2004

( I mpr ovi ng Spect r um Management f or t he 21st Cent ur y) , i s her ebyr evoked.

( g) The Secr et ary of Commer ce i s aut hor i zed and di r ect edt o publ i sh thi s memorandum i n t he Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

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White House Wireless Spectrum Memo June 14 2013

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Transcript of White House Wireless Spectrum Memo June 14 2013