In an effort to advance wireless access across the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comment on its plan to auction additional spectrum in the Upper C-band.
According to a press release issued in late October, the Commission is considering a number of options for increasing wireless spectrum access for next-gen wireless services, including the auctioning of up to 180 megahertz of spectrum in the 3.98-4.2 GHz band. The proposal is consistent with the requirement that the Commission complete a system for competitive bidding for at least 100 MHz in the Upper C-band by not later than July 2027.
The Commission will vote on a draft of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) at its next Open Meeting, scheduled for November 20th.
The Commission’s last effort to auction spectrum in support of wireless communications technology was in 2020, when it auctioned the Lower-C band (3.7-3.98 GHz) to support access to 5G wireless services in additional locations around the U.S.
The FCC’s press release on its C-band proposal is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-415172A1.pdf.
