WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission has taken another step forward in making additional mid-band spectrum available for flexible use, particularly 5G services, by granting licenses in the 3.7 GHz service.
After completing the auction of the spectrum earlier this year, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau has now announced the grant of 5,676 licenses in the 3.7 GHz service (3.7 to 3.98 GHz, also referred to as the C-band).
The “action keeps the transition of this band to flexible use on track, paving the way for carriers to use this spectrum to provide 5G and other advanced wireless services,” the FCC reported.
“These mid-band licenses are the sweet spot for 5G deployment,” said FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement. “That’s because they have the right mix of capacity and propagation that will help us reach more people in more places faster. With these licenses in hand, more carriers can deploy mid-band 5G, which means faster speeds over much wider coverage areas and more robust competition.”
The auction generated more than $81 billion in revenue for the 280 MHz of spectrum being sold from the 3.7-3.98 GHz band, making it the FCC’s most lucrative spectrum auction. The goal of the C-band auction is to boost 5G development.
