Redl Departure Seen as Big Loss for NTIA; Work on 5G Continues

NTIA has been without a permanent associate administrator for spectrum since Paige Atkins left last summer. Acting NTIA Administrator Diane Rinaldo earlier recused herself from spectrum deployment issues because her husband works as a lobbyist for T-Mobile but is focused on 5G security. Doug Kinkoph, associate administrator for the Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications, is Rinaldo’s deputy and has been delegated to oversee wireless issues in the interim, a spokesperson said.

Redl, who endured a prolonged confirmation process, had been on the job 18 months. He was longtime House staffer on communications issues and before that worked for CTIA. An NTIA spokesperson said the 150 or so staffers in the spectrum office continue their work as before. Peter Tenhula was immediately named acting associate administrator when Atkins resigned and has the support of NTIA senior spectrum adviser Derek Khlopin, the spokesperson said.

“Redl was singularly focused on ensuring a continued flow of spectrum would be available for essential new applications and network technologies” with “unique expertise and years of institutional context,” said Larry Downes, public policy project director at the Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy. Many questions remain, Downes noted. The departure “suggests there is still considerable tension within the administration between staying the course of wise, long-standing efforts to rationalize federal spectrum policy for both commercial and government bands, and dangerous, ill-considered, and ill-informed calls for radical departures from that course, particularly with regard to 5G,” Downes emailed.

A former senior FCC official said Redl’s exit was a huge blow for the administration since he had a rare set of talents.

Redl “will be hard to replace,” said Brent Skorup of the Mercatus Center. “He knew the political dynamics surrounding spectrum policy and the economic importance of 5G as well as anyone even before his NTIA appointment because of his years advising on telecom issues in the House. It’s hard to match David’s expertise but hopefully his successor will quickly collaborate with the FCC on the broadband deployment priorities of the administration.”

“Whenever there is a departure of a senior official … and a transition to new leadership, there is a realistic ‘process’ concern about loss of momentum,” emailed Free State Foundation President Randolph May. “This certainly includes spectrum matters, given David’s acknowledged spectrum expertise.” May said why Redl left is also important. “If he was forced out ... because he was advocating positions that were consistent with the President’s but not top Commerce Department leadership, that could be problematical for the development of sound spectrum policy going forward,” he said.

The administration should move quickly to replace Redl, said Tom Struble, technology policy manager at the R Street Institute. Preparation for the World Radiocommunications Conference is likely in good hands with Grace Koh heading the U.S. delegation, Struble said. “NTIA still needs a full staff and good leadership to continue doing its important work here at home,” he said. “The role of NTIA in identifying more low-, mid- and high-band spectrum that can be repurposed from government to commercial use will be vital for the U.S. in maintaining its global leadership in wireless technologies. Losing a qualified expert from a key leadership position could be detrimental to our efforts to win the so-called race to 5G,” he said. The White House should “find a similarly qualified expert to replace Redl as soon as possible,” he said.

Others said the process will steam forward without Redl.

The timing is “unfortunate,” said Tech Knowledge Director Fred Campbell. But he said the loss won’t handicap U.S. policy. “Remaining spectrum issues and the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund are largely in the hands of the FCC, which has been very effective under" Chairman Ajit Pai, Campbell said.

The timing was a surprise, said Kristian Stout, associate director of the International Center for Law & Economics. Still, the administration “has consistently signaled its interest in being out on the forefront of promoting 5G deployment,” he said: “I wouldn’t be concerned that this is a major step back.”

"Effective spectrum management and oversight is essential to our success in 5G,” said Adonis Hoffman, chairman of for-profit Business in the Public Interest. Redl's departure “has got to be a blow to achieving U.S. objectives in the short term. He was a key player."