TIA says bi-partisan DIGIT Act creates needed foundation for IoT deployments; cites healthcare, smart city, agriculture sectors

Arlington, Va. -- The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the trade group representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, has expressed strong support for the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act (DIGIT) Act (S. 2607), and applauded its passage by the Senate Commerce Committee.

As reported in March by ITIF.org, "the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation's Center for Data Innovation...welcomed the introduction of the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act by Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Brian Schatz (D-HI)."

Center director Daniel Castro commented, "The DIGIT Act creates a working group that will address some of the most pressing challenges facing the Internet of Things, such as ensuring federal agencies are prepared to adopt the Internet of Things and identifying spectrum needs, both of which market forces alone cannot readily overcome. With the Secretary of Commerce at the helm, the working group promises to help the United States capitalize on the enormous economic benefits the Internet of Things will offer. The findings of this working group will provide policymakers with the necessary framework to craft a national strategy for the Internet of Things, which would ensure the technology develops cohesively and rapidly, that consumers and businesses do not face barriers to adoption, and that the public and private sectors can take full advantage of the opportunities the Internet of Things can create. If the United States gets its national strategy right, there is simply no telling the scope of the benefits it can provide. For this to be a success though, the Secretary should broaden the focus to examine additional challenges facing the Internet of Things. For example, as the Internet of Things generates huge amounts of data for the public and private sectors to act upon, the United States will need to ensure that it produces a workforce capable of taking advantage of this data. Finally, given the transformative potential of the Internet of Things for health care, cities, agriculture, and other important sectors, the Secretary should also include representatives from agencies that can help maximize these opportunities, such as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Agriculture."

TIA CEO Scott Belcher issued the following statement:

“The DIGIT Act is important legislation that will help foster a unified federal policy towards the Internet of Things. As policymakers consider the future of IoT, it is important that IoT devices and systems are viewed as being part a broad ecosystem. While connected devices are now being used in unique ways to serve specific industries, there is significant risk of adopting a balkanized regulatory framework. The DIGIT Act will bring federal agencies together to coordinate IoT deployments and examine how IoT technologies will impact future spectrum needs. This is an important step towards ensuring companies can effectively develop and implement IoT solutions across industries, allowing our country to realize IoT’s enormous potential to transform fields like healthcare, transportation and more. We strongly support the work of the Senate Commerce Committee in advancing this legislation.”

In February of this year, TIA expressed support for S. 2607 in a letter to the bill’s sponsors. Learn more at the TIA's website.