WASHINGTON—The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) today welcomes the forward progress on the bipartisan Making Opportunities for Broadband Investment and Limiting Excessive and Needless Obstacles to Wireless (MOBILE NOW) Act, which is expected to move into mark up tomorrow. ITIF released the following statement from Doug Brake, telecommunications policy analyst:
Both additional spectrum and access to infrastructure will be increasingly important as the United States moves into a 5G world. We applaud Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) for their work to help meet the booming demand for more and more wireless services. We are pleased to see this legislation move forward into mark up.
The MOBILE NOW Act puts forth a number of innovation-advancing proposals, some commonsense—like allocating additional spectrum to mobile broadband—and also some more forward-looking—like examining new levers to push federal entities to relinquish or share their spectrum.
ITIF also supports proposals to put “dig once” policies firmly in place, in particular the amendment offered by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). A dig-once provision, requiring broadband conduit to be installed during federally funded highway work, would help drive additional broadband investment and deployment.
