FCC Opens Priority Window for Rural Tribes to Access Mid-Band Spectrum

The Federal Communications Commission announced that the Tribal priority window has officially opened for federally recognized Tribes and Alaska Native Villages to apply for spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band. This band—the single largest band of contiguous spectrum below 3 GHz—offers favorable coverage and capacity characteristics for next-generation mobile services, such as 5G. In 2019, the FCC modernized the regulatory framework for this swath of vital mid-band spectrum to make it available for advanced wireless services. Through the first-of-its-kind priority window, Tribes can obtain 2.5 GHz spectrum for free before any commercial auction. The Rural Tribal Priority Window opened today, February 3, 2020, and will close on Monday, August 3, 2020. As a result of Tribal input, the window will be open for six months, from February 3 to August 3. Following the Tribal priority window, the remaining unassigned 2.5 GHz spectrum will be made available for commercial use through a spectrum auction.