1. Monthly archive
  2. December 2020

December 2020

FCC Begins Major 5G Spectrum Auction

The Federal Communications Commission kicked off its latest 5G spectrum auction, making available 280 megahertz of prime mid-band spectrum in the 3.7-3.98 GHz band—a portion of the C-band. This is the FCC’s largest midband 5G spectrum auction to date. The first round of the clock phase of the auction will start Dec 8 at 10 a.m. ET. This auction will offer 5,684 new flexible-use overlay licenses based on Partial Economic Areas (PEAs) for spectrum in the 3.7–3.98 GHz band.

Chairman Pai Remarks to International Telecommunication Union Webinar

On spectrum, we’ve been the most aggressive and successful Federal Communications Commission in history. With three high-band auctions, we’ve made available more spectrum for commercial use than was previously used by all mobile broadband providers in the United States combined. We’ve already finished repurposing low-band spectrum in the 600 MHz band for mobile broadband, which is now being used to provide 5G service coverage to more than 250 million American. And over the past couple of years, we’ve been primarily focused on mid-band spectrum.

In the Republican War on the Biden FCC, Wall Street May End Up the Biggest Loser

Urged on by broadband giants such as Charter Communications, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is pushing to confirm a Republican to the Federal Communications Commission. However, Majority Leader McConnell’s goal seems to extend further: creating a deadlocked Biden FCC 2–2, then blocking confirmation of a third Democrat. What Majority Leader McConnell intends as a gift to his corporate patrons could turn into a nightmare for them.

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