Auctions
Dish gets Department of Justice support for 800 MHz extension
The Department of Justice (DoJ) supports Dish Network’s request for more time to buy 800 MHz spectrum licenses from T-Mobile but says seven more months is sufficient rather than the ten months that Dish had requested. In a September 18 filing with the US District Court for the District of Columbia, the DoJ said a modest extension of the deadline for Dish to acquire the spectrum licenses will serve the competition goals of the final judgment that enabled Sprint to merge with T-Mobile. The DoJ referred back to a 2013 petition that T-Mobile filed with the Federal Communications Commission when
Sen. Kennedy introduces bill to require FCC to release previously auctioned spectrum, expand 5G access to rural Americans
Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) introduced the 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement (SALE) Act to require the Federal Communications Commission to release previously auctioned spectrum in order to expand 5G broadband access to rural communities. The legislation would temporarily grant the FCC auction authority so that it may complete spectrum transfers and allow broadband services to provide 5G network coverage to Americans in rural areas. Kennedy’s legislation would grant the FCC a one-time, temporary authority to issue licenses purchased in auctions that were held before March 9, 2023
The complex story behind T-Mobile's spectrum struggles
T-Mobile won thousands of 2.5GHz spectrum licenses around the US in a Federal Communications Commission auction that ended in 2022. But the FCC would face "criminal penalties" if it gave T-Mobile its 2.5GHz license winnings. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel explained that the FCC's "auction authority" expired in March and so far has not been renewed by Congress, which means the agency no longer has the regulatory authority to issue spectrum licenses.
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Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s Response to Senators Cruz and Thune Regarding the 2.5 GHz Auction
On August 14, Sens Ted Cruz (R-TX) and John Thune (R-SD) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel with concerns about the FCC’s failure to grant approximately 90% of licenses won in the 2496-2690 MHz (“2.5 GHz”) auction.
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Reinstating the FCC’s auction authority could save the Affordable Connectivity Program
The $14.2 billion allocated to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is projected to run out by mid-2024. With the options running thin, there may be a potential source of funding for the ACP for Congress to consider—only this time, it’s intricately connected to the US spectrum auctions that were formerly under Federal Communications Commission jurisdiction.
Let’s Put Spectrum to Use Now for American Consumers
To maintain American leadership in the global 5G economy, the wireless industry must keep deploying more spectrum for consumers. It’s as simple as that. At T-Mobile, we have a record of putting our spectrum to good use quickly, now covering 326 million Americans with 5G service, 285 million of whom are covered by Ultra Capacity 5G. But in 2023, the government has not been doing its part to keep the pipeline flowing and action is needed. In 2022, the Federal Communication Commission completed Auction 108.
AT&T takes advantage of early C-band clearing
AT&T, which was the second biggest spender in the Federal Communications Commission's C-band auction in 2021, is taking advantage of the satellite companies’ early clearing of the band to access its full C-band spectrum holdings. AT&T has been deploying a combination of C-band and 3.45 GHz across the country, with its 5G network mid-band network now covering more than 175 million people. AT&T’s nationwide 5G network, which includes low-band spectrum, covers about 290 million people. AT&T said it’s now doubling its available C-band spectrum for deployment.
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On 30th Anniversary of FCC Spectrum Auctions, Chairwoman Rosenworcel Calls for Congressional Renewal of Expired Authority
Federal Communications Commission spectrum auctions have fueled American growth for three decades. The agency has held 100 auctions and in the process raised more than $233 billion for the United States Treasury. It’s not just that these auctions are a good deal; they are a big reason why the United States leads the world in wireless innovation. They are also an essential part of our economic and national security. The current lapse in spectrum auction authority is unprecedented and it puts this leadership at risk.
Satellite operators poised for $9 billion payday after clearing C-band spectrum
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched early with the last of a dozen new C-band video relay satellites purchased by Intelsat and SES to help clear spectrum for the rollout of 5G wireless services in the US. Intelsat and SES, two of the world's largest geostationary communications satellites operators, are on track to receive nearly $9 billion in incentive payments from 5G cell network operators by the end of 2024. The payments are due after Intelsat and SES clear the lower 300 MHz of C-band spectrum, which is being transitioned from satellite services to terrestrial 5G under the supervision of
Spectrum authority lapse impinges on broadband, 5G plans
It's been nearly four months since Congress let the Federal Communications Commission's authority to auction spectrum lapse, potentially hindering the deployment of broadband or expanding 5G capabilities.