FCC Begins Mid-Band Spectrum Auction

The Federal Communications Commission kicked off a mid-band spectrum auction to support next-generation wireless services – including 5G – in the 3.45 GHz band. Auction 110 will make available 100 megahertz of contiguous mid-band spectrum for commercial use in 2021. “We are moving with record speed and collaboration to free up more mid-band spectrum for 5G,” said FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “These airwaves are a critical part of unlocking the 5G promise everywhere in the country." Bidding in the first phase of the auction, the clock phase, kicked off at 10 am EST. As required by law, auction proceeds must cover 110 percent of the expected sharing and relocation costs for federal users currently operating in the band – in this case, $14,775,354,330 based on a January 14, 2021 estimate from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). License winners will operate within a cooperative sharing framework that will enable commercial use by an array of service providers, while also ensuring that federal incumbents are still protected from harmful interference where and when they require continued access to the band.