In order to deal with the data congestion issues that commercial communications companies incur as smartphones continue multiplying like bunnies, the government is appealing to NASA, the Defense Department and other organizations, requesting that they switch bandwidths.

The government wants to sell 95 megahertz-worth of “prime real estate” bandwidth to commercial communications companies. 95 megahertz is enough room to accommodate more than two new companies of this type. The bandwidth area in question represents a particularly tasty fillet for communications companies because it is near the existing frequencies already cordoned off for cell phone use.

This proposal isn’t cheap, and it is definitely not convenient. Currently, the army uses the bandwidth in question for missile-guidance. Both NASA and the Pentagon use it to send commands to pilot-less flight devices. The police use it to transmit video-surveillance data. If the proposal goes through, these bandwidths will instead transmit Johnny Blogface’s thoughts on the new episode of True Blood.

The project represents over a decade-worth of work and it will cost as much as $18 billion to upgrade and replace government hardware.

This type of proposal does not come without precedent. As recently as January of 2012, the FCC (News - Alert) sold 54 megahertz-worth of bandwidth to a group of companies including AT&T and Verizon for nearly $20 million. Of all people, a variety of non-profit arts centers found themselves spending tens of thousands of dollars in order to upgrade wireless microphone systems.

How much does the government intend to ask for the bandwidth in question? If the government sells this bandwidth for less money than the upgrades end up cost them, we (taxpayers) will get stuck with the tab, this time.

Remember how in 2009, Obama gave over $40 billion to ISP’s in order to “stimulate” the development of broadband solutions? The resounding question is the same: How much of the taxpayer’s responsibility is it to help out these communications companies (and banks, for that matter), every time they fall down and scrape their knees?