The US Federal Communications Commission said it will vote on July 22 on an order for a 2027 auction of 160 megahertz of Upper C-Band spectrum to free more mid-band airwaves for 5G.

The band spans 3.98 gigahertz (GHz) to 4.2 GHz and sits next to previously auctioned Lower C-Band frequencies.

That makes it useful for larger contiguous blocks of spectrum that can improve 5G coverage and capacity, likely drawing interest from carriers including Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.

Legislation passed last year requires at least 100 megahertz to be auctioned by July 4, 2027.

The FCC said the larger sale could raise billions of dollars, following the earlier Lower C-Band auction that raised about US$94 billion.

The aviation and satellite safeguards stem from issues in the 2020 Lower C-Band reallocation, after regulators identified potential interference risks for radio altimeters in the 4.2-4.4 GHz band.

Satellite operators still use the Upper C-Band for nationwide television and radio distribution.

The Federal Aviation Administration estimates replacing affected altimeters across nearly 40,900 aircraft could cost US$4.49 billion, with initial compliance expected between 2029 and 2032.

🔗 Source: Reuters