Auctions

If you follow spectrum policy at all, you will have heard about the C-Band Auction and the 5.9 GHz fight. But you would be forgiven if you hadn’t heard much about the fight over opening the

The Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules to auction and make available quickly and efficiently 280 megahertz of midband spectrum for flexible use, including 5G. Making this critical spectrum available represents another important step to closing the digital divide, especially in rural areas, and secures US leadership in 5G.

Wall Street has become fascinated with a battle over 5G airwaves at the Federal Communications Commission — not because of the next-generation technology itself, but because of the potential investment wins. The spotlight has been brightest on Intelsat, which has about 

Reps. Billy Long (R-MO) and Susan Brooks (R-IN) are siding with the wireless industry and asking Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to reserve a portion of the 6 GHz airwaves for auctioning off spectrum for licensed use.

Sen. John Neely Kennedy has yet to go directly to President Donald Trump with his outrage over the Federal Communications Commission’s planned approach for auctioning the 5G-friendly C-band airwaves — but “I will,” he said. “There’s no big rush,” Sen Kennedy said. “The FCC is going to do what the FCC is going to do [Feb 28]. But what counts is what we do.

The 5G Spectrum Act of 2019 (S. 2881) would amend existing law regarding the disposition of offsetting receipts from an auction of licenses to use a section of electromagnetic spectrum often called the C-band. Under the bill, the Federal Communications Commission would be authorized to spend, without further appropriation, up to 50 percent of the auction proceeds to compensate current users and another 10 percent for programs that support the deployment of broadband infrastructure in rural areas.

Vice President Mike Pence (R-IN) and White House Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow have both prominently endorsed Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai’s plan for auctioning off the 5G-friendly C-band airwaves, and this GOP support could dim congressional Republican interest in legislative deal-making. But prominent Democrats and Republicans who wanted to legislate say there’s still a chance.

At the February 2020 open meeting, the Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to vote on procedures for the 3.5 GHz Priority Access License, or PAL, auction. Having taken the lead on the issue, I'll admit that it has been a long road to get here, but this important step represents one of the last actions the FCC needs to take to make these critical mid-band licenses available for 5G and other next-generation wireless services.

On Feb 6, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that he has circulated draft rules that would reform the use of the C-band, make a large amount of spectrum available for 5G, and generate significant revenue for the U.S. Treasury through a public auction. It seeks to strike a compromise with the many stakeholders at the table — with billions of dollars at stake. And it gets it all done quickly, to help the U.S. "win the race to 5G." The FCC is scheduled to vote on the proposal at its open meeting on February 28. 

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the February Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Friday, February 28, 2020: