WASHINGTON: The Web site tracking radio frequency spectrum licenses across the country has officially launched. The Federal Communications Commission’s Spectrum Dashboard is out of beta and into prime time. The Dashboard was beta launched last March just after the commission unveiled its National Broadband plan. The intent was to create a public portal listing frequency license holders at the municipal level.
The early version provided requested data as maps, bands, names or license categories, and solicited public feedback. As a result, advanced search that drills down, for example, to channel number. (The Advanced Search consistently produced an error message for TVB in Chrome but not in Firefox; it’s also nearly impossible to back up to the search page from the results page.)
Other basic capabilities--untested by TVB--were added, including auto complete for name search, changes to the filters, and automatic download for up to 65,000 results. Beyond that, searchers get an e-mail letting them know when results will be available.
Future enhancements will include leasing data, information on tribal lands, maps allowing incorporation of third-party data, and APIs to enable it. The FCC’s Spectrum Dashboard is at http://reboot.fcc.gov/reform/systems/spectrum-dashboard.
-- Deborah D. McAdams
