Proposed wireless spectrum auction would crush innovation, industry claims in letter to lawmakers

A group of 23 internet service providers in Texas, backed by the industry group Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, sent a letter to two Senators with concerns about proposed changes to a widely used stretch of shared spectrum featured in the president’s budget bill. The letter notes several concerns about the spectrum policy proposals included in the Senate version of the budget reconciliation bill, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, championed by the Trump administration. Its proposals would restore the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to auction off certain parts of the wireless spectrum it maintains, including the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, a freely accessible portion of the 3.5 gigahertz band. “As Congress continues to work on spectrum policy, we are writing to emphasize the importance of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service to your constituents across Texas and the country,” the letter reads. “CBRS is a proven and innovative method to increase spectrum availability and connect communities that have been left behind. Any proposal that curtails or eliminates the use of CBRS will have far-reaching negative consequences for innovation and deployment for your constituents across Texas.”