The US Has a Perfect Opportunity to Bring Better Internet to Rural Areas

The Federal Communications Commission will conduct a transparent public auction that allows all bidders the opportunity to buy what the mobile industry deems prime real estate in their effort to roll out 5G networks nationwide. The sale could yield an estimated $20 billion to $40 billion for the US Treasury, help mobile carriers build 5G networks, and offer wireless internet service providers the opportunity to bring high-speed broadband to rural and hard-to-serve areas—if policymakers get this moment right.

Everyone agrees that roughly half the spectrum should go to mobile 5G broadband providers. But the satellite companies wanted to privately sell the spectrum, even though they only have a temporary license to share the C-band. The lower portion of C-band that is auctioned will generate billions. Congress should invest that money in fiber and other broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas. In addition, the upper portion of C-band, which will remain in use for satellites, should be shared on the ground to allow rural wireless internet service providers to deploy their own networks. This would present providers with an affordable way to access the airwaves needed to extend high-capacity wireless services to homes and small businesses in those same areas where building out fiber is too slow and expensive.

[Michael Calabrese is director of the Wireless Future Project, which is part of New America’s Open Technology Institute. Amir Nasr is a policy analyst at New America’s Open Technology Institute.]