An Analysis of Aggregate CBRS SAS Data from April 2021 to January 2023

The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band at 3550–3700 MHz was authorized for shared commercial use in the US (established June 23, 2015) through the efforts of the Federal Communications Commission, Department of Defense (DoD), and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The goals of CBRS were to facilitate growth in wireless broadband devices, provide cost-effective wireless broadband access for rural communities, enhance economic competitiveness by creating new jobs and new businesses, increase productivity, spur innovation, and improve public safety. To quantify progress towards meeting these goals, the NTIA’s Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) obtained operational data from the SAS administrators on a quarterly basis to facilitate longitudinal analyses. The report provides a presentation and analysis of the data acquired for the period from April 1, 2021, to January 1, 2023. The following are key findings from this analysis:

• CBRS deployments grew at a steady rate with a mean quarterly increase of 12.0% and a total increase of 121% over the 21-month analysis period;
• On January 1, 2023, there were 128,351 active Citizens Broadband Radio Service Devices (CBSDs) in DPA-impacted counties with a total population of 232,348,897 residents;
• The number of CBSDs with Priority Access License (PAL) grants grew consistently with a mean increase of 17% per quarter, but General Authorized Access (GAA) CBSDs dominated deployments. On January 1, 2023, four out of five active CBSDs were GAA-only, 85% of the active grants were GAA, and two-thirds of active CBSDs with a PAL grant had at least one active GAA grant;
• More than 70% of all active CBSDs were deployed in rural census blocks on January 1, 2023.