FCC to Vote on 160MHz of Upper C-Band Auction for 2027

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will vote this month on an order to auction 160MHz of spectrum in the Upper C-Band, with the sale scheduled to take place in 2027. The move exceeds the minimum requirement set by the US Congress and will create a unified mid-band resource for wireless operators.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced on 30 June that commissioners will vote on 22 July to proceed with the auction of frequencies between 3.98GHz and 4.14GHz.

The rules would harmonise terrestrial wireless operations across the entire C-Band, creating a contiguous 440MHz block spanning 3.70GHz to 4.14GHz when combined with the Lower C-Band spectrum auctioned in 2020.

Congress mandated the FCC to auction at least 100MHz of Upper C-Band spectrum by July 2027 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which restored the commission's spectrum auction authority. The proposed auction exceeds this minimum by 60MHz and is expected to generate billions of dollars for the US Treasury.

"America's wireless leadership is back,” says Brendan. “After years of falling behind other countries, President Trump and Congress restored the FCC's spectrum auction authority in the One Big Beautiful Bill and established an aggressive spectrum pipeline.

“In doing so, the statute assigned the FCC an unprecedented task – auction a massive swath of mid-band spectrum in record time. Thanks to the early and close collaboration with the FCC's federal partners across the Trump Administration – including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) – we are delivering on time, on budget and with no surprises. This is a really good win for the country."

Coordinating with aviation authorities

The plan involves close coordination with the FAA to ensure the new wireless services can coexist with aviation safety systems in the adjacent 4.2GHz to 4.4GHz band. Radio altimeters, which aircraft use to measure height above ground, operate in this neighbouring frequency range.

The FCC's order includes safeguards such as limiting the power of 5G signals, establishing a buffer band between the auctioned frequencies and the altimeter band, and restricting the height of transmission towers. The framework also provides for rebates to support aircraft operators in upgrading their radio altimeters.

"The FAA is confident that the use of radio signals from the FCC's 5G auction can safely coexist with aviation after years of FAA-led testing and technical analysis,” the aviation authority says in a statement.

“The FCC worked closely with the FAA while developing its auction rule, which contains key safeguards that protect the band of frequencies that aircraft radio altimeters use." 

The FAA will issue its own rule later this summer requiring aircraft altimeter upgrades. Winning bidders will be responsible for transition costs, incentive payments for existing licensees and rebates for the altimeter upgrades, with the FCC expecting this total budget to be well below the expected auction proceeds.

Service deployment from 2030

The draft framework allows winning bidders to begin wireless services in the Upper C-Band from December 2030 in the top 75 markets, with remaining markets following from July 2031. This accommodates the transition of incumbent satellite services out of the band while coordinating aviation safety measures.

"While more complex than your average spectrum auction, the FCC moved from NPRM to Order in record time,” Brendan says. “We have also coordinated with aviation and satellite stakeholders so that wireless providers can light up the Upper C-Band and provide service to most Americans by the end of 2030 – ahead of many expectations.”

The auction will offer 3,248 new flexible-use spectrum licenses throughout the contiguous United States. Incentive payments to satellite operators will be lower in aggregate than those paid after the 2020 Lower C-Band auction but proportionate to the smaller amount of spectrum being cleared.

Economic projections and vote details

The FCC projects the spectrum release could contribute at least US$264bn in GDP growth, create 1.5 million jobs and generate US$388bn in consumer surplus. 

The commission will release specific financial figures for transition costs, incentive payments and altimeter rebates publicly on 22 July after the vote.