WASHINGTON—Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said he has circulated a proposal for the agency to auction additional midband spectrum in the Upper C-band to commissioners.
The proposal would allow the FCC to take an important step towards implementing actions mandated in President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which restored the agency’s auction authority and requires it to complete a system of competitive bidding for at least 100 MHz in the Upper C-band no later than July 2027.
The commission will vote on the draft notice at its November open meeting.
Few details about the draft are available. It is being circulated among the commissioners, but is not on the agency’s website.
The proposals, however, are likely to be controversial among broadcasters because some of the spectrum in question is widely used for satellite delivery of TV, radio, video, sports, news and other media.
The Oct. 29 draft notice of proposed rulemaking is in addition to a proposal Carr made in February to auction additional spectrum. As part of a notice of inquiry adopted at the FCC’s Feb, 27 open meeting, the agency is seeking comment on the possibility of opening up additional portions of the midband spectrum range known as the Upper C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz) to help meet projected spectrum demand, spur economic growth, and advance American security interests.
If the draft of the newest spectrum auction proposal is adopted on Nov. 20, the FCC will seek comment on a range of options, including auctioning up to 180 megahertz of spectrum in the 3.98-4.2 GHz band for next-gen wireless services.
The FCC said it will consider "all options within that range, with the ultimate goal of maximizing the amount of spectrum to be repurposed as generational aviation safety upgrades occur in the adjacent band."
“President Trump has been clear that America is going to lead the world in next-generation technologies,” Carr said in a statement announcing the new proposals on Oct. 29. “That is why the FCC’s Build America Agenda prioritizes the work needed to restore U.S. leadership in wireless. And thanks to President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, the Commission now has the tools to deliver on that goal. Specifically, the Bill authorizes and requires the FCC to auction prime, mid-band spectrum in the Upper C-Band, and my proposal aims to maximize the amount of spectrum available for 5G and 6G services.”
“Restoring America’s leadership position is important," Carr added. "After all, freeing up spectrum drives down prices for consumers, creates jobs, and increases competition. It also plays a vital role in promoting our national security and geopolitical interests. We’ve seen how the Lower C-band powers in-home and high-speed mobile broadband across the country."
