The Commerce Department recommended on Monday that some airwaves used by federal agencies be freed up to address the burgeoning use of wireless devices.
The Obama administration in June endorsed making 500 megahertz of spectrum available over the next 10 years to meet the growing demand for wireless services on laptops and smart phones such as Apple's iPhone.
The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a report on Monday identifying 115 megahertz of spectrum that could be reallocated to wireless broadband services within five years.
"We have identified the first steps for unlocking a significant amount of the spectrum needed to reach the president's 10-year goal," Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said in a statement.
Airwaves used by Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites to disseminate severe weather alerts as well as by the Defense Department's radar systems on ships would be reallocated or shared under the recommendations.
Wireless companies have lobbied for help to deal with a looming spectrum crunch as more consumers turn to mobile devices to surf the Web.
In the next five years, transmission of wireless data could surge between 20 and 45 times 2009 levels, estimates suggest.
AT&T, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile, the U.S. unit of Deutsche Telekom AG, are among wireless companies seeking more spectrum. Verizon Wireless is a venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc.
Still, the report recommends certain limitations on the use of federal spectrum to protect government and commercial operations already reliant on these airwaves, and its recommendations are contingent on funding being made available to ease the transition for federal agencies.
"While we are committed to spurring innovation, we will not sacrifice public safety," Locke said.
In addition to the report on its fast-tracked goal for five years, NTIA released a more comprehensive plan and timetable for meeting the administration's 10-year target that includes input from the Federal Communications Commission and other agencies.
NTIA laid out plans to evaluate 2,200 megahertz of spectrum — of which 28 percent is currently used solely by the government — with the potential for wireless broadband use.
