Bandwidth Is a Hot Commodity in Demand

NEWTOWN, Conn. --- If you can't see it, touch it, or feel it, does it have any worth? In the case of bandwidth (as in the electromagnetic spectrum), the answer is a clear yes. In the not-too-distant future, Bandwidth (specifically, who has it, wants it, and needs it) continues to be a source of contention between military users who need it for national defense and commercial users who need it for overall economic growth.>> The battle for bandwidth continues not only in the United States but in Europe as well, as more companies within the commercial sector demand that the military relinquish some of its huge spectrum holdings, especially unused or seldom-used frequencies.>> In the U.S., the Joint Spectrum Center (JSC) acts as the leading clearinghouse in spectrum planning. Its mission is to ensure the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) makes effective use of the electromagnetic spectrum in support of national security and military objectives. It serves as the DoD center of excellence for Electromagnetic (EM) spectrum management matters in support of the Unified Commands; Joint Staff; Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration, or ASD (NII); Military Departments; and Defense Agencies.>> The Center supports the Electronic Protect missions of Information Warfare (IW) as they relate to spectrum supremacy. It is responsible for developing and maintaining DoD standard information systems that support DoD spectrum-related activities and processes. Specifically, the Center designs, develops, and maintains DoD automated spectrum management systems, evaluation tools, and databases employed by the Unified Commands, Military Departments, and Defense Agencies.