Radio spectrum, broadband grants, and the federal government’s advice on communications policy sit in this administration, inside the commerce department. It used to oversee the contract for the internet’s numbering and name functions. Those functions now belong to Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
What the Administration Does
- Spectrum. Federal agencies that use radio frequencies coordinate their assignments here.
- Broadband. Grant programs pay for infrastructure in places private carriers have not built.
- Policy advice. The administration recommends positions on communications issues for the executive branch.
Federal Spectrum and the Public Internet
| Topic | This administration | The name and number body |
| Radio used by federal agencies | Coordinates the assignments | Does not assign federal spectrum |
| Domain names and addresses | No longer holds the oversight contract | Runs the coordination |
| Broadband construction | Can fund a project | Does not build networks |