Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Joins 5G for 12GHz Coalition

The 5G for 12 GHz Coalition announced the addition of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society—one of the most respected voices in shaping communications policy. With the support of the Benton Institute—a nonprofit organization founded with the objective to “bring open, affordable, high-performance broadband to all people in the US to ensure a thriving democracy”—the Coalition’s calls for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to open up the 12 GHz spectrum band for two-way terrestrial and 5G mobile services is gaining strength from a wide array of policy thought leaders, public interest groups, service providers large and small, and more. Executive Director of the Benton Institute, Adrianne B. Furniss, expressed her eagerness to work with the Coalition. “Benton enthusiastically joins the call for the FCC to allow airwaves currently reserved for satellites also to be deployed for simultaneous reuse on the ground,” Furniss said. The Coalition urges the FCC to rely on the substantial engineering, economic, and technical data submitted into the record to inform its decision to unleash an additional 500 MHz of available capacity in the 12 GHz band for terrestrial two-way 5G services. The Coalition calls on the FCC to act on its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Expanding Flexible Use of the 12.2-12.7 GHz Band, et al., WT Docket No. 20-443, et al) to allow the 12 GHz band to unlock the power of 5G for all Americans. For more information, visit 5Gfor12GHZ.com and learn why the 12 GHz band is the best option for opening more mid-band spectrum here.