The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has implemented an incentive program to encourage wireless service providers to share underutilized spectrum in an effort to expand national access to broadband services.
The Commission’s Enhanced Competition Incentive Program (ECIP) is intended to encourage current wireless licensees to make their unused or underutilized spectrum available to small carriers, Tribal Nations, and providers focused on rural geographies. According to the FCC, wireless licensees who negotiate such sharing arrangements with providers who reach underserved populations will benefit from longer license terms, extensions on construction obligations, and more flexible construction requirements.
The FCC notes that the ECIP is built on its 2022 Report and Order that details the essential elements of the program, and that its implementation will help “broaden greater access to licensed spectrum among a wider range of providers, including in rural areas.”
