CTIA Wants FCC to Make July 'Mid-Band Month'

Wireless carriers want the Federal Communications Commission to add a vote on opening up the 3.5 GHz (CBRS) band at its July meeting, and an auction of that spectrum by 2019, according to a letter from CTIA President Meredith Attwell Baker. "The wireless industry urges the Commission to move forward in July on key mid-band spectrum opportunities—the 3.5 GHz band and the 3.7-4.2 GHz band—to address the United States’ international deficit with respect to mid-band spectrum availability," She wrote to the FCC. The commission is already planning to vote on opening up the 3.7-4.2 GHz mid-band spectrum at the meeting, which CTIA is all for. But Attwell Baker wants to turn July into "mid-band spectrum month" by moving on the 3.5 GHZ band as well as the rest of the world races toward 5G.