Several Republican lawmakers questioned the pace of the U.S. government's effort to transfer agency-held spectrum into commercial hands. The comments regarding government spectrum holdings took place at a hearing before the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee's communications subcommittee.

During the hearing, the U.S. Government Accountability Office the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which manages federal spectrum, hasn't identified governmentwide spectrum needs even though the agency was required to by former President George W. Bush in 2003.

Instead of independently evaluating the spectrum needs of federal spectrum users, the NTIA "depends on agency self-evaluation of spectrum needs," the GAO report said. The report also called the NTIA's spectrum data management system "antiquated" and lacking in internal controls to ensure the accuracy of agency-reported data.

Mobile carriers say they are facing a spectrum shortage with skyrocketing use of mobile data plans. But several Republicans on the subcommittee questioned whether spectrum sharing between federal and commercial users would work. Commercial mobile providers would have more predictable business plans with spectrum they alone control, said Representative Greg Walden, an Oregon Republican.

"We need more rigorous analysis before giving up on clearing spectrum and working to maximize efficiency on how the government uses that spectrum," Walden said. "Working together, we must increase efficiency, upgrade government systems and make spectrum available to meet our country's wireless broadband demand."