Permitting the auction of 500 megahertz of the wireless communication spectrum for U. S. commerce, President Barack Obama signed a memorandum on Monday.

The White House said in a statement that a memorandum nearly doubles the spectrum available to commercial uses, with 45 percent of the portion to be auctioned coming from government agencies that have been asked to give up portions of the spectrum.

Auctions would take place over a 10-year span and spur innovation, create jobs and provide revenue for investment in public safety and infrastructure, the Obama administration has said.

The White House further said that moreover, making more of the broadband spectrum would eliminate the threat of a "spectrum crunch."

The statement also said, "In recent years, the amount of information flowing over some wireless networks has grown at over 250 percent per year, with some estimates indicating that the next five years will see an increase in wireless data of between 20 and 45 times 2009 levels." (With Inputs from Agencies)