The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued its much-expected Notice of Proposed Rulemaking covering its wish to tap into satellite’s Upper C-band (3.84-4.2 GHz) spectrum.

The FCC is inviting comments on a range of options including auctioning up to 180 MHz with the ultimate goal of maximizing the amount of spectrum for next-gen wireless services as well as improved aviation safety upgrades in the adjacent band.

Donald Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ requires the FCC to complete a system of competitive bidding for at least 100 MHz in the Upper C-band no later than July 2027.

FCC chairman Brendan Carr said: “Success in the Upper C-band doesn’t just mean moving fast. The lightning speed with which the FCC must act requires seamless interagency coordination, especially with our federal partners at the FAA and NTIA. It also requires extensive cooperation and information sharing between the wireless and aviation sectors. We have been working hard with all of those stakeholders, and I am pleased with the collaboration we’ve been seeing.”

To meet that 2027 deadline, the FCC proposes to leverage its highly successful framework from the first C-band proceeding. In 2020, the Commission auctioned 280 MHz in the lower portion of the C-band (3.7-3.98 GHz) for flexible wireless use. That auction brought enhanced 5G to countless communities, accelerated new builds, and enabled game-changing competitive offerings for in-home broadband.

Now the goal is to prepare for terrestrial transmission to ‘next-gen’ 6G availability.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comments on how to accommodate incumbent satellite users and other services presently using the Upper C-band. It also explores ways to promote co-existence with adjacent band radio altimeters, along with a range of related technical issues. The formal Notice reflects input and coordination from the FCC’s federal partners, including the FAA and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

Chairman Carr added: “At my first Commission meeting as Chair, I said that we would work to restore U.S. leadership in wireless—that we needed to get back to freeing up spectrum and ensuring that Americans would benefit from the robust buildout and use of commercial airwaves. Since then, we have made freeing up spectrum one of the core pillars of the agency’s Build America Agenda. And we are seeing good progress already. We are full steam ahead on FCC auctions as well. Today’s item is a prime example—we are now proposing to auction up to 180 MHz in the Upper C-band. Bringing this broad segment of mid-band spectrum to market will strengthen America’s foundation for emerging 5G and 6G innovations while delivering new and affordable broadband services to communities across the country.”

“When we auctioned 280 megahertz in the Lower C-band back in 2020, we confronted an unprecedented set of challenges—especially when it came to incumbent satellite services. The FCC’s talented team rose to the occasion and found a path forward. That hard work paid off. Today, the Lower C-band powers new and competitive offerings from in-home broadband to high-speed mobile offerings from coast to coast. In fact, the FCC’s work on spectrum, including the Lower C-band, is one reason that consumers have been benefiting from falling prices, especially for in-home broadband services delivered over 5G networks,” said Carr.

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Categories: Articles, Regulation, Spectrum

Tags: Brendan Carr, cband, FCC, usa