Gallagher Leaving NTIA; Hails Spectrum, Broadband Successes

Gallagher told us he will stay in the D.C. area but hasn’t decided whether to practice law or work for a company. The timing was right to leave, he said. “There’s a natural window of opportunity,” Gallagher said. “We're coming off the tremendous success in Tunisia and the clear establishment of the private sector leadership of the Internet. Also, it’s the end of the year and the other issues we're working on are at the point of ready handoff.”

U.S. success in Tunisia meant “the Internet was safe to live another day,” leading Gallagher to spend part of the 15-hour trip home thinking about stepping down. Gallagher said he was fortunate to work for a White House that has been “a staunch advocate for what we care about at NTIA” and is proud of his role as “the president’s traveling broadband salesman for the past 2 years.” The tale of more widespread broadband growth, faster speeds and lower prices is “a great story to tell,” Gallagher said.

Gallagher, who was a candidate for FCC chairman before Kevin Martin was named, has strong ties to the White House and was considered a protege of former Commerce Secy. Don Evans. He is perhaps best known for overseeing development of the Administration’s spectrum management plan and promoting spectrum initiatives such as the ultra wideband rollout and the pending advanced wireless services auction. He was also a defender of the Administration’s broadband policy against charges that the U.S. is falling behind much of the world.

Critics say Gallagher has made NTIA more political, a charge similarly leveled at Martin and at the Bush Administration as a whole. But Scott Harris, former International Bureau chief, said Gallagher’s focus has been on “technology, not politics” at NTIA.

“No one has ever done a better job at NTIA than Mike Gallagher did,” Harris told us. “He was able to bring a perspective to the job that included protecting federal use of the spectrum while enhancing its commercial use. He also represented the U.S. ably overseas on many high- tech issues.”

“I hope the Administration moves quickly to replace him,” said Greg Rohde, NTIA dir. under President Bill Clinton. “Mike brought a lot to the table. He was smart, particularly on wireless issues. He paid a lot of attention.” He added: “Spectrum management is only going to increase in importance. The position is very important to how this country is going forward.”

Rudy Baca, an analyst with Precursor, said Gallagher’s departure is “unfortunate” for businesses. “He was widely respected in the business community,” Baca said. “He took issues seriously and was very much focused on the business implications of spectrum decisions. The Administration needs to build on his success.”

Gallagher listed among his spectrum successes the coming June auction of 90 MHz of spectrum for advanced wireless services. “That started with work in the dark days right after Sept. 11 when people said those discussions were over, that in that environment the Pentagon would have no incentive to engage in productive dialogue, and we proved them wrong,” he said.

Gallagher also listed UWB, with the first products expected in 2006, as a success story. UWB “required us to look at the spectrum chart horizontally and not just vertically,” he said. “It established the primacy of engineers over lawyers.” And he highlighted an effort NTIA has helped lead to provide 255 MHz more spectrum at 5.470-5.725 GHz for unlicensed use. NTIA recently completed laboratory testing of technology that allows offering the 5 GHz spectrum.

On broadband, Gallagher highlighted changes in the regulatory treatment at the FCC. That has led to wider fiber-optic deployment and the U.N.’s recent World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia as major policy successes for the Administration. Gallagher said of Tunisia: “It was a resounding success… that the private sector should govern the future growth of the Internet. We actually got the rest of the world to go along.”

Before working in the Administration, Gallagher was Vp-state public policy at Verizon Wireless in Wash. and managing dir.-govt. relations at AirTouch, also in Wash. state. He was administrative assistant to former Rep. Rick White (R-Wash.) 1995-1997.

Regardless of where he lands, Gallagher said, the issues he worked on at NTIA will be personal interests forever. “I don’t know as I sit here today what that decision will be but separate from my employment prospects, I care about issues for a very long time,” he said: “I've given with great passion of myself to those causes.”

Cisco Govt. Affairs Vp Laura Ipsen called Gallagher “a tireless advocate for enabling new wireless technologies” in times of “change and uncertainty.” Shane Tews, VeriSign’s senior Washington representative, said Gallagher “had a lot on his plate… but never lost focus on what mattered: Ensuring that innovative new technologies are developed and that the nation’s Internet infrastructure remain secure and stable.”

“Without a doubt he has kept his eye on the national and international economic and social implications of ubiquitous broadband connectivity in all its forms,” TIA said of Gallagher. USTelecom said he has been “a strong voice for the Bush Administration and has vigorously advocated for policies that help spur the nation'’s economy and bring more choice and innovative technologies to consumers.”