The Department of Commerce (DOC) www.commerce.gov and the Department of Defense (DOD) www.defense.gov are working together on research to provide access to a wide range of laboratory and test facilities to help improve methods for sharing spectrum.
The National Advanced Spectrum and Communications Test Network (NASCTN) www.nist.gov/ctl/nasctn.cfm was established as an adjunct of the new Center for Advanced Communications (CAC), a joint effort of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) www.nist.gov and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) www.ntia.doc.gov both within DOC.
The NASCTN relies on a network of members who supply and share intellectual capacity, modeling and simulation capabilities, lab facilities, and test ranges. Initial NASCTN projects will look at finding ways for spectrum users to share specific bands of spectrum and resolve pressing challenges.
NASCTN will accurately measure and model potential harmful interference between government users and commercial wireless systems. By sharing information on spectrum sharing technologies, there should be more access to wireless spectrum.
Lawrence E. Strickling, Assistant Secretary for Commerce for Communications and Information and also NTIA Administrator, said, “NASCTN will play a critical role as we work toward fulfilling the Administration’s commitment to make an additional 500 megahertz of spectrum available for commercial use by 2020.”