Spectrum Sale Helps Pay for Budget Deal

The budget deal released Oct 26 includes a ton of spectrum policy changes.

Under the bill, the Department of Commerce would have until the beginning of 2022 to identify 30 MHz of federally-held spectrum below 6 GHz that can be auctioned off by July 1, 2024. The Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration would have to report to Congress on plans to free up and auction off 50 MHz below 6 GHz by the beginning of 2022 and another 50 MHz two years later. The FCC would also have to report on the effects of new rules governing the 3.5 GHz band and on proposals to assign at least 1 GHz of spectrum between 6 GHz and 57 GHz. Additionally, the budget deal would change restrictions on how federal agencies can use the Spectrum Relocation Fund, which is currently available only once an agency has decided which of its spectrum it wants to sell. Following suggestions from the Administration, the bill would allow federal agencies to use some of the money in the fund to study ways to use their spectrum more efficiently in the hopes of freeing up more airwaves for consumer use.

The deal would also extend the FCC's authority to auction off spectrum until Sept. 30, 2025.