Unlicensed

For the most part, CTIA is happy about the spectrum provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Trump signed on July 4. The OBBBA calls for freeing up 800 megahertz of spectrum for commercial use over the next decade. To kick things off, the Federal Communications Commission will vote on a proposal that seeks comments on how to auction at least 100 megahertz—and possibly up to 180 megahertz—of spectrum in the 3.98-4.2 GHz band, aka the upper C-band.

There are around 2,000 U.S. wireless internet service providers, and about nine million Americans get their internet service from these companies, according to the Wireless ISP Association. Many of these WISPs are very small and provide service to just a few hundred customers. Using Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence data, we examined the performance of eight of the larger US WISPs from Q1 2021 through Q2 2025. Highlights include:

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information Arielle Roth delivered remarks at the 2025 National Telecommunications and Information Administration Spectrum Policy Symposium on September 10. "President Reagan once joked: 'The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.''  And let’s be honest—when it comes to spectrum policy, history has often proven him right.  From the decades-long delay of FM radio in the 1940s to foot-dragging on cellular licensing in the 1980s, rigid government gatekeeping too often sideline

Once again, there’s a lot of talk in the wireless industry about what constitutes the fourth biggest wireless competitor in the U.S. after Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T. Is it EchoStar's Boost Mobile wireless entity, cable, or something else entirely? According to the OnGo Alliance, it’s that last bucket, which is served by Citizens Broadband Radio Service, that constitutes the fourth entity powering more than 420,000 wireless radios from all walks of life.

Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) represents a fundamental shift in how we think about spectrum use. Traditionally, sensing and communications have been two separate functions. You had radar systems designed to detect and track objects, and you had communications systems designed to transmit data. They lived in different spectral lanes, were managed by different agencies, and developed along different paths. ISAC breaks that mold. In an ISAC world, sensing and communications co-exist in a single, harmonized system.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has leaned into supporting fixed wireless throughout the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. In June 2025, NTIA surprised State Broadband Offices by announcing they would need to remove areas already served by unlicensed fixed wireless from BEAD eligibility. NTIA's new BEAD guidelines, which prioritize the cheapest technology, make it likely that many awards will go to wireless internet service providers that rely heavily on CBRS and 6 GHz spectrum.

On Independence Day, President Donald Trump signed into law "The One, Big Beautiful Bill," revising the federal budget to fit the priorities of his administration. The legislation has made headlines for redirecting funding to military operations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and away from Medicaid and other social programs.

The federal government needs to get its broadband policy straight. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration just overhauled a major broadband infrastructure program to shift billions in funding from fiber networks to unlicensed fixed wireless, or ULFW, a high-capacity Wi-Fi connection that's transmitted over the airwaves to a location.

CTIA popped the proverbial champagne corks after the Senate narrowly passed the "One Big Beautiful Bill," but the Wi-Fi crowd is having none of it, fearing the U.S. government will take away precious Wi-Fi airwaves and put them up for auction. The Senate version of the bill includes many of the same spectrum provisions that the House version addressed. For example, the Federal Communications Commission will get its auction authority reinstated, and the 3.1-3.45 GHz and 7.4-8.4 GHz spectrum bands will be exempt from any auction.

Congress is poised to vote on the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act to fund the government, including a portion drafted by Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX) that would both jeopardize the future of Wi-Fi and threaten to kill the growth of private networking.