(AP) -- Federal officials looking for more airwaves to deliver wireless broadband services are recommending that the government reallocate a sizeable chunk of radio spectrum currently used for weather satellites and naval radar systems.
The proposal is intended to keep up with ballooning demand for iPhones, laptops and other mobile devices that connect to the Internet. The recommendation is outlined in a report released Monday by the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
In June, Obama administration committed the federal government to making available an additional 500 megahertz of airwaves for wireless broadband over the next 10 years. The new proposal would free up 115 megahertz of spectrum over the next five years. Lawrence Strickling, head of the NTIA, calls it a "significant down payment towards realizing that goal."
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