The complex story behind T-Mobile's spectrum struggles

T-Mobile won thousands of 2.5GHz spectrum licenses around the US in a Federal Communications Commission auction that ended in 2022. But the FCC would face "criminal penalties" if it gave T-Mobile its 2.5GHz license winnings. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel explained that the FCC's "auction authority" expired in March and so far has not been renewed by Congress, which means the agency no longer has the regulatory authority to issue spectrum licenses. Additionally, T-Mobile is enmeshed in an increasingly litigious fight with investment company WCO, and it's battling Dish Network over the fate of some of its 800MHz licenses. Further, looming over the entire situation is a highly anticipated report from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration that could have a massive impact on the future of spectrum sharing in the 3100-3450MHz spectrum band.