President Obama may still be facing many questions over the NSA surveillance efforts of phone and internet users, but he’s moving forward with another government technology effort that’s not likely to draw quite as much controversy. In an executive order announced on Friday, the president issued a memorandum ordering the government to free up a huge chunk of the wireless spectrum currently reserved for federal agencies and use it to expand wireless broadband internet access for individuals across the country. “These efforts will provide access to more spectrum for wireless broadband providers and equipment vendors as they respond to increasingly rapid consumer adoption of smartphones, tablets, and other wireless devices,” reads a White House fact sheet on the new initiative. The government will be awarding $100 million for researching new spectrum-sharing plans through agencies including DARPA and the National Science Foundation.
