CTIA President Meredith Attwell Baker Lobbies FCC on 5G Airwaves

CTIA President Meredith Attwell Baker, representing wireless giants like AT&T and Verizon, paid a visit to Federal Communications Commission Ajit Pai Pai and FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly to lobby them to auction off licenses in the upper portion of the 6 GHz airwaves. Chairman Pai has eyed freeing up this swath of airwaves for unlicensed uses, such as for Wi-Fi — a contentious battle in its own right, given a mix of utilities occupying the band who are wary about potential disruptions to their services. But the wireless industry prefers access to more prime licensed mid-band spectrum, well suited for 5G, and argues that the FCC can move to slice up the upper portion for licensed service without disrupting plans to make the lower part available for unlicensed use, according to CTIA’s filing disclosing the meeting, framing the issue as a global imperative: “All told, 24 other nations are conducting mid-band auctions to fuel 5G deployments.” This wireless push encountered strong opposition last year from public interest and tech industry advocates eager to see 6 GHz freed for Wi-Fi. Expect intense lobbying to continue, with many FCC watchers eyeing potential commission action on the band early this year.