Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

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Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the

FY2025 Reconciliation Law

February 25, 2026

Congressional Research Service

https://crsreports.congress.gov

R48862

SUMMARY

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the

FY2025 Reconciliation Law

The FY2025 reconciliation law (P.L. 119-21; commonly known as “the One Big Beautiful Bill

Act”) was signed into law on July 4, 2025. The act was established pursuant to H.Con.Res. 14, a

budget resolution, which set budgetary goals for certain House and Senate committees. The

House Committee on Energy and Commerce and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and

Transportation each developed proposals to meet budgetary targets, which included provisions to

auction radio spectrum, and to use the proceeds to meet budgetary goals. The spectrum auctions

are expected to generate over $85 billion from FY2025 to FY2034, according to the

Congressional Budget Office.

R48862

February 25, 2026

Jill C. Gallagher

Specialist in

Telecommunications

Policy

P.L. 119-21 directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), an agency in the Department

of Commerce (DOC) responsible for managing federal spectrum use, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC),

which is responsible for managing nonfederal spectrum use (i.e., commercial, state, and local spectrum use), to make 800

megahertz of spectrum available for commercial mobile services while also excluding certain bands from auction. Title IV,

Section 40002, of the act contains the following provisions:

•

The FCC’s general auction authority (which had expired on March 9, 2023) is reinstated through

September 30, 2034, excluding the 3.1-3.45 gigahertz (GHz) and 7.4-8.4 GHz bands from auction.

•

The FCC is required to grant licenses through competitive bidding (i.e., auctions) for 300 megahertz of

spectrum, including not less than 100 megahertz in the 3.98-4.2 GHz band within two years of enactment.

•

The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information (i.e., head of NTIA), with the

FCC, is directed to identify 500 megahertz of spectrum in the 1.3-10.5 GHz range (excluding the 3.1-3.45

GHz and 7.4-8.4 GHz bands) for reallocation from federal use to (1) nonfederal use, (2) shared federal and

nonfederal use, or (3) a combination thereof for full-power commercial licensed use. It directs the FCC to

complete, within four years of enactment, one or more auctions for no less than 200 megahertz of this

spectrum and, no later than eight years after enactment, one or more auctions for the remaining spectrum.

•

DOC is provided $50 million to assist the head of NTIA with analysis of three bands (2.7-2.9 GHz, 4.4-4.9

GHz, and 7.25-7.4 GHz) and to publish a biennial report on the value of federally held spectrum.

In the past, Congress has taken a similar approach when renewing the FCC’s spectrum auction authority. With past renewals,

Congress often required the FCC and NTIA to make additional spectrum available for commercial use through auctions. In

some cases, Congress has named specific bands for auction; in other cases, Congress directed the FCC and NTIA to identify

and reallocate bands for auction. In P.L. 119-21, Congress does both and also excludes certain bands from auction.

With the growth in wireless communications, demand for spectrum is increasing. Making spectrum available for commercial

use can spur innovation, improve services, yield economic gains, and bolster U.S. leadership in the global

telecommunications market. However, much of the spectrum in the mid-band range (1-6 GHz)—where P.L. 119-21 is

targeting spectrum for reallocation—is already in use. Identifying spectrum for reallocation is complex and often requires

technical studies and time to determine the feasibility and costs and benefits of sharing or reallocating spectrum, including

costs to reconfigure or relocate communication systems. The FCC and NTIA may face challenges in identifying and

reallocating 800 megahertz of spectrum for full-power commercial licensed use in the spectrum range and timelines specified

in the act, some of which were expedited in a December 19, 2025, presidential memorandum. A challenge for the FCC and

NTIA is balancing spectrum needs of incumbent users, including federal agencies performing critical functions, and

commercial users, which can spur economic growth.

Configuration of spectrum and terms of use can affect auction proceeds. As Congress is relying on proceeds from spectrum

auctions to fund provisions in P.L. 119-21, it may seek to monitor (1) agencies’ progress in identifying spectrum for

reallocation; (2) bands selected for reallocation; (3) the impact of reallocation on incumbent users, including federal agency

users; (4) auction proceeds and timelines to ensure budgetary targets are met; and (5) costs of reallocations that can diminish

auction proceeds. An area of debate may be balancing spectrum use between users (e.g., federal and nonfederal) and among

technologies (e.g., mobile, satellite, Wi-Fi). Other areas of interest for Congress may be enhancing interagency coordination

on domestic and international spectrum decisions, and supporting research and development of new spectrum-sharing

approaches.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Contents

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21 ................................................................................................ 1

Issues for Congress .......................................................................................................................... 2

Reinstatement of FCC Auction Authority ................................................................................. 2

Amendments to FCC Auction Authority ............................................................................. 3

Differences in Directives to NTIA and the FCC ....................................................................... 3

Directive to NTIA to Identify Spectrum for Reallocation .................................................. 3

Directive to the FCC to Identify and Auction Spectrum for Reallocation .......................... 4

Bands Excluded from Auction .................................................................................................. 5

3.1-3.45 GHz (Lower 3 GHz Band) .................................................................................... 6

7.4-8.4 GHz Band ............................................................................................................... 9

Bands Identified for Auction ................................................................................................... 10

Upper C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz) .......................................................................................... 10

Bands Identified for Future Study ........................................................................................... 15

2.7-2.9 GHz....................................................................................................................... 15

4.4-4.9 GHz....................................................................................................................... 16

7.125-7.4 GHz................................................................................................................... 18

Other Bands Under Consideration for Reallocation and Auction ........................................... 19

1.3-1.35 GHz..................................................................................................................... 19

1.78-1.85 GHz................................................................................................................... 21

3.55-3.7 GHz..................................................................................................................... 23

5.925-7.125 GHz............................................................................................................... 24

Auction Proceeds .................................................................................................................... 25

CBO Estimates of Auction Proceeds ................................................................................ 26

Treatment of Proceeds ...................................................................................................... 26

Timelines ................................................................................................................................. 27

Valuation Report...................................................................................................................... 28

Presidential Powers on Spectrum ............................................................................................ 29

Concluding Observations .............................................................................................................. 30

Figures

Figure A-1. Radio Spectrum .......................................................................................................... 33

Tables

Table 1. Spectrum Directives in P.L. 119-21 ................................................................................... 5

Table B-1. Allocated Spectrum Suitable and Available for Mobile Service .................................. 35

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Appendixes

Appendix A. Background on Spectrum ......................................................................................... 32

Appendix B. Spectrum Previously Allocated to Commercial Licensed Use ................................. 35

Contacts

Author Information........................................................................................................................ 37

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Introduction

The FY2025 reconciliation law (P.L. 119-21; commonly known as “the One Big Beautiful Bill

Act”) was signed into law on July 4, 2025. The act included several spectrum provisions.

Specifically, Title IV, Section 40002, reinstates the Federal Communications Commission’s

(FCC’s) spectrum auction authority1 and directs the reallocation and auction of 800 megahertz of

spectrum for commercial wireless use to meet budgetary goals agreed to in the Concurrent

Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025 (H.Con.Res. 14).2 The auctions specified in P.L.

119-21 are expected to generate over $85 billion in offsetting receipts from FY2025 to FY2034,

according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).3

This report discusses the spectrum provisions in the act, including bands targeted for reallocation

and auction, bands excluded from reallocation and auction, and other bands and services,

including federal spectrum use, that may be affected by such reallocations.

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21

Section 40002 in Title IV of P.L. 119-21 contains the following provisions:

•

The FCC’s general auction authority, which expired on March 9, 2023, is

reinstated and extended through September 30, 2034, excluding the 3.1-3.45 GHz

and the 7.4-8.4 GHz bands from auction.

The FCC is required to grant licenses through competitive bidding (i.e., auctions)

for 300 megahertz of spectrum including at least 100 megahertz in the 3.98-4.2

GHz band within two years of enactment.

The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information—the

head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration

(NTIA)—is directed to identify and reallocate 500 megahertz of federal spectrum

for commercial licensed use; specifically, the act directs the following:

• The head of NTIA, in consultation with the FCC, is directed to identify 500

megahertz of spectrum in the 1.3-10.5 GHz range (excluding the 3.1-3.45

GHz band and 7.4-8.4 GHz band) for reallocation from federal use to (1)

nonfederal use, (2) shared federal and nonfederal use, or (3) a combination

thereof for full-power commercial licensed use.4 To identify bands for

1 Since 1993, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has had authority to auction licenses, granting entities

rights to use specific radio frequencies for a set time so they may provide wireless services. See FCC, “About

Auctions,” https://www.fcc.gov/about-auctions.

2 In this context, “commercial wireless” refers mainly to commercial cellular service (e.g., 5G, 6G). The term

“megahertz” refers to bandwidth or size of the band. The abbreviation “MHz” (megahertz) or “GHz” (gigahertz) is

used to indicate a specific frequency or range of frequencies in the band. For example, the spectrum band containing

frequencies in the 3450-3550 MHz range has a bandwidth of 100 megahertz. For an overview of spectrum, see

Appendix A. For more information on H.Con.Res. 14, see CRS Report R48532, H.Con.Res. 14: The Budget

Resolution for FY2025, by Drew C. Aherne and Megan S. Lynch.

3 Congressional Budget Office (CBO), “Table 4. Estimated Budgetary Effects of Public Law 119-21, to Provide for

Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14, Relative to the Budget Enforcement Baseline for Consideration

in the Senate, Title IV, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, As Enacted on July 4, 2025,” July 21,

2025, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61570. (See “Title IV” tab in attached spreadsheet.)

4 P.L. 119-21, Title IV, §40002(a)(4) defines “full-power commercial licensed use cases” as “flexible use wireless

broadband services with base station power levels sufficient for high-power, high-density, and wide-area commercial

(continued...)

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

•

reallocation, NTIA is to conduct analysis—assess revenue potential,

relocation or sharing costs, and feasibility of reallocation.

• The FCC, within two years of enactment, is required to complete one or more

auctions for no less than 100 megahertz of spectrum in the 3.98-4.2 GHz

range and, no later than eight years after enactment, one or more auctions for

the remaining spectrum.

The Department of Commerce (DOC) is provided $50 million to assist NTIA

with spectrum analysis of (1) 2.7-2.9 GHz, (2) 4.4-4.9 GHz, and (3) 7.25-7.4

GHz bands and to publish a biennial report on the value of federal spectrum.

The growth in wireless communications devices and use has led to increased demand for

spectrum.5 Much of the spectrum in the 1.3-10.5 GHz range is already allocated for certain uses

(e.g., satellite, mobile, maritime, space research), including to federal agencies performing critical

functions. Given incumbent use, and given that Congress has exempted two large bands from

auction and several other bands for study, NTIA and the FCC may face challenges in identifying

and reallocating 800 megahertz of spectrum for full-power commercial licensed use within the

range and timelines mandated in P.L. 119-21.

Issues for Congress

This section provides background on the spectrum provisions in P.L. 119-21 and selected issues

that may arise during implementation that may be of interest to Congress.6

Reinstatement of FCC Auction Authority

The FCC’s general auction authority (i.e., authority to auction any band) lapsed on March 9,

2023, for the first time in its 30-year history.7 For nearly two years, the FCC could not auction

spectrum. Entities could acquire spectrum on the secondary market (e.g., acquisitions, mergers),

but the FCC could not make spectrum available through auction.8 P.L. 119-21 reinstated the

FCC’s general auction authority for nine years, through September 30, 2034.9

mobile services, consistent with the service rules under [47 C.F.R. Part 27], or any successor regulations, for wireless

broadband deployments throughout the covered band.” Full-power use enables sufficient radio propagation (e.g.,

coverage) and enhanced signal strength to deliver voice and data across a wider area. See Keith Mallinson, “FullPower, Mid-Band Spectrum Licensing Is Vital to Accommodate Cellular Data Traffic Growth,” RCR Wireless,

December 2, 2024, https://www.rcrwireless.com/20241202/analyst-angle/full-power-mid-band-spectrum-licensing-isvital-to-accommodate-cellular-data-traffic-growth-analyst-angle.

5 Aspen Group, Implementing the National Spectrum Strategy, 2024, pp. 6-10, 16-17, https://www.aspendigital.org/wpcontent/uploads/2024/10/Aspen-Digital_Implementing-the-National-Spectrum-Strategy_October-2024.pdf.

6 Congress uses the term “commercial wireless services” and “mobile broadband use” interchangeably. There are many

commercial wireless services such as mobile broadband (e.g., cellular networks and devices), Wi-Fi, satellite, air traffic

control systems, broadcast television and radio. Mobile broadband is one type of commercial wireless use.

7 CRS Report R47578, The Federal Communications Commission’s Spectrum Auction Authority: History and Options

for Reinstatement, by Patricia Moloney Figliola and Jill C. Gallagher.

8 For example, see U.S. Cellular Corporation, “UScellular Announces Sale of Spectrum Assets for $1.0 Billion,” press

release, October 18, 2024, https://investors.uscellular.com/news/news-details/2024/UScellular-announces-sale-ofselect-spectrum-assets-for-1.0-billion/default.aspx.

9 P.L. 119-21, Title IV, §40002(b)(1).

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Amendments to FCC Auction Authority

When the FCC’s auction authority expired on March 9, 2023, the FCC asserted that the auction

authorities defined in Title 47, Section 309(j)(11), of the U.S. Code applied that statutory

expiration date to both its auction authority and its authority to grant licenses after an auction.10

At the time, the FCC had completed an auction of the 2.5 GHz band but had not awarded all

licenses before its auction authority expired. Congress passed the 5G Spectrum Authority

Licensing Enforcement Act (5G SALE Act; P.L. 118-27), authorizing the FCC to grant licenses

won in the 2.5 GHz auction. The act did not apply to licensees facing the same scenario in the

future. P.L. 119-21 amended Section 309(j)(11), striking language that applied the expiration date

to both the FCC’s auction authority and its authority to grant licenses after an auction, which

would enable the FCC to award licenses after an auction even if its auction authority has expired.

Differences in Directives to NTIA and the FCC

P.L. 119-21 requires NTIA and the FCC to make 800 megahertz of spectrum available for

commercial wireless use over nine years. The directives to NTIA and the FCC in P.L. 119-21 to

identify and reallocate spectrum are slightly different, as discussed below and shown in Table 1.

Directive to NTIA to Identify Spectrum for Reallocation

Section 40002(c) of P.L. 119-21 requires NTIA, in consultation with the FCC, to identify 500

megahertz of federal spectrum in the range of 1.3-10.5 GHz for reallocation from federal to (1)

nonfederal use, (2) shared federal and nonfederal use, or (3) a combination thereof for full-power

commercial licensed use. Congress did not name specific bands for reallocation but directed

NTIA to select federal bands for reallocation and auction.

The range specified in the act (1.3-10.5 GHz) includes mid-band spectrum (1-6 GHz) and

segments above the mid-band (sometimes called the Upper mid-band).11 The mid-band (1-6 GHz)

is considered the “sweet spot” for commercial mobile services (e.g., cellular communications), as

frequencies in the mid-band range can travel long distances, carry voice and data, and offer wide

coverage, capacity, and speed. Because of its favorable propagation characteristics, mid-band

spectrum is preferred and heavily used by federal and nonfederal users for a variety of services;

thus, finding unused spectrum in the mid-band segment can be challenging.12

The Upper mid-band frequencies (7.125-24 GHz) are under study in the United States and

internationally for next generation wireless communications (e.g., 6G). Globally, the band of

frequencies in the 7.125-8.4 GHz range (sometimes called the “7/8 GHz band”) is emerging as a

10 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Communications and Technology,

Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission, 118th Cong., 1st sess., May 21, 2023,

https://energycommerce.house.gov/events/communications-and-technology-subcommittee-hearing-oversight-of-thefederal-communications-commission. (See statements of FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on video at 1:56:34.)

11 Names and ranges of spectrum bands can vary. Generally, low-band are frequencies below 1 GHz, mid-band are

frequencies between 1 and 6 GHz, and high-band are frequencies above 6 GHz. High-band use has been focused on

millimeter wave frequencies, frequencies from 24 to 300 GHz. Some researchers are calling the bands above the midband segment “Upper mid-band.” See Gary Xu et al., “Upper Mid-Band Spectrum for 6G: Opportunities and Key

Enablers,” Samsung Research, August 12, 2024, https://research.samsung.com/blog/Upper-Mid-Band-Spectrum-for6G-Opportunities-and-Key-Enablers. See also Appendix A.

12 FCC Technical Advisory Council (TAC), Advanced Spectrum Sharing Working Group, A Preliminary View of

Spectrum Bands in the 7.125-24 GHz Range; and a Summary of Spectrum Sharing Frameworks, August 17, 2023, p. 3,

https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/SpectrumSharingReportforTAC%20%28updated%29.pdf. (The council states,

“Given the current federal and non-federal allocations in the United States, it is impossible to find a large amount of

spectrum below 7.125 GHz that is not already utilized.”)

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

potential global band for 6G mobile services.13 In the United States, NTIA’s 2023 National

Spectrum Strategy (NSS)—a plan that identified over 2,700 megahertz of spectrum for study and

potential reallocation—targeted the 7/8 GHz band for study for commercial use.14

While P.L. 119-21 creates a wide range of spectrum from which NTIA could identify 500

megahertz of spectrum for commercial use (1.3-10.5 GHz), this segment is heavily used by

federal and nonfederal entities, and several segments in this range have already been reallocated

from federal to commercial mobile use.15 In addition, bands identified in the NSS and globally for

future study and potential reallocation to commercial use—the 3.3-3.4 GHz and 7.4-8.4 GHz

bands16—have been excluded from reallocation in P.L. 119-21 because of congressional concerns

about mission-critical U.S. government systems operating in those bands.17

Directive to the FCC to Identify and Auction Spectrum for Reallocation

Section 40002(b)(2) of P.L. 119-21 directs the FCC to identify 300 megahertz of spectrum for

reallocation:

•

P.L. 119-21 requires that at least 100 megahertz of this spectrum be within the

range of 3.98-4.2 GHz (also called the Upper C-band) and that the FCC complete

an auction of the Upper C-band within two years of enactment.

P.L. 119-21 does not prescribe a range for the remaining (up to 200 megahertz)

spectrum; it requires the FCC to identify spectrum for reallocation, hold spectrum

auctions, and grant licenses before its general auction authority expires (2034).

The FCC is planning an auction of the Upper C-band by July 2027 and is considering the quantity

of spectrum to auction in the C-band (from 100 to 180 megahertz).18 For the remainder of the

spectrum, the range is not specified; thus, the FCC could identify low-band (below 1 GHz), midband (1-6 GHz), or high-band (above 6 GHz) spectrum.19 Typically, the FCC seeks to reallocate

spectrum to align with international allocations for new services.20 However, some of the bands

identified for 5G and 6G services (3.3-3.4 GHz and 7.4-8.4 GHz) have been excluded from

reallocation in P.L. 119-21, which limits the FCC’s options.

13 Viet Nguyen, 5G Americas, “Unlocking the Power of the 7-8 GHz Spectrum: A ‘Golden Band’ of 6G Innovation -

5G Americas,” October 7, 2024, https://www.5gamericas.org/unlocking-the-power-of-the-7-8-ghz-spectrum-a-goldenband-of-6g-innovation/.

14 National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), National Spectrum Strategy, November

2023, p. 6, https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/publications/national_spectrum_strategy_final.pdf.

15 See Appendix B for a list of bands allocated for commercial wireless use by the FCC.

16 NTIA, National Spectrum Strategy, November 2023, pp. 15-16.

17 For example, see Sen. Mike Rounds, “Protection of Spectrum by Congress Also Protects Trump’s Iron Dome from

Shortsighted 5G Policy” (op-ed), Defense Scoop, February 26, 2025, https://defensescoop.com/2025/02/26/spectrum5g-policy-congress-trump-dod-iron-dome-senator-mike-rounds/; and U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Commerce,

Science, and Transportation, America Offline? How Spectrum Auction Delays Give China the Edge and Cost Us Jobs,

hearing, 119th Cong., 1st sess., February 19, 2025. (See opening statement from Sen. Maria Cantwell and statements

from Sens. Deb Fischer and Jacky Rosen.)

18 FCC, In the Matter of Upper C-Band (3.98-4.2 GHz), notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), FCC 25-78,

November 20, 2025, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-25-78A1.pdf.

19 See Appendix A for spectrum background, which includes descriptions of band designations and characteristics.

20 FCC, “Best Practices for National Spectrum Management,” https://www.fcc.gov/general/best-practices-nationalspectrum-management.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Table 1. Spectrum Directives in P.L. 119-21

Comparing NTIA and FCC Spectrum Directives

Directives to NTIA

Directives to the FCC

Quantity of spectrum

for reallocation

500 megahertz

300 megahertz

Spectrum range

1.3-10.5 GHz

At least 100 megahertz must be within 3.984.2 GHz (Upper C-band).

Directives to the FCC

n/a

Identify and auction 300 megahertz. Of the 300

megahertz, the FCC is directed to auction at

least 100 megahertz in the Upper C-band

(3.98-4.2 GHz) within two years of the

statute’s enactment (by July 2027).

The FCC is to auction and grant licenses for

remaining spectrum it was tasked with

identifying (for a total of 300 megahertz)

before the FCC’s auction authority expires

(September 2034).

Directives to NTIA and

the FCC

Identify 500 megahertz in the 1.310.5 GHz range. Of the 500

megahertz, NTIA is to identify at

least 200 megahertz in the 1.3-10.5

GHz range within two years of the

statute’s enactment (by July 2027).

The FCC is to complete an auction within four

years of the statute’s enactment (by July 2029)

of the 200 megahertz in the 1.3-10.5 GHz

range that NTIA was directed to identify.

NTIA is to identify remaining

spectrum (for a total of 500

megahertz) in the 1.3-10.5 GHz

range no later than four years from

the statute’s enactment (by July

2029).

The FCC is to complete an auction of the

remaining spectrum (for a total of 500

megahertz) identified by NTIA within eight

years of the statute’s enactment (by July 2033).

Bands excluded from

auction

3.1-3.45 GHz

7.4-8.4 GHz

3.1-3.45 GHz

7.4-8.4 GHz

Bands for future study

2.7-2.9 GHz

4.4-4.9 GHz

7.25-7.4 GHz

n/a

Report

NTIA to receive $50 million for

spectrum studies and for a biennial

report on federal spectrum valuation.

n/a

Source: P.L. 119-21, Title IV, Section 40002.

Notes: NTIA = National Telecommunications and Information Administration; FCC = Federal Communications

Commission; n/a = not applicable. The term “megahertz” refers to bandwidth or size of the band. The

abbreviation “MHz” (megahertz) or “GHz” (gigahertz) is used to indicate a specific frequency or range of

frequencies in a band.

Bands Excluded from Auction

P.L. 119-21 states that the FCC’s auction authority does not apply to two bands: the 3.1-3.45 GHz

and 7.4-8.4 GHz bands. In effect, this clause excludes these two bands from auction. Some

Members expressed concerns that reallocation of these two bands would affect U.S. government

functions, including radar and defense satellite systems operated by the Department of Defense

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

(DOD),21 radar and air traffic control systems operated by the Federal Aviation Administration

(FAA), defense satellite systems operated by various federal agencies, and others.22 Additional

information on the bands is provided below.

3.1-3.45 GHz (Lower 3 GHz Band)

The 3.1-3.45 GHz band (also called the Lower 3 GHz band) is heavily used by DOD for military

radar and other defense systems.23 The exclusion of the Lower 3 GHz band from auction

preserves the band for federal agency use, which many Members support.24 For several years,

commercial mobile service providers have pressed the U.S. government to reallocate all or a

portion of the Lower 3 GHz band from federal to commercial licensed use.25 They argue that the

band is valuable mid-band spectrum, conducive to mobile communications.26 They assert that a

portion of the band (i.e., 3.3-3.4 GHz) has already been identified globally for mobile 5G use;

that in some countries, the band accommodates both military and 5G services; and that the United

States should align with global allocations and reallocate a segment of the band for 5G use.27

DOD officials assert that sharing the band may be possible but vacating the band would disrupt

DOD radar systems and operations essential to national security, would take decades to complete,

and would cost billions of dollars.28 Some Members of Congress have urged protection of DOD

radar systems in the Lower 3 GHz band.29 Using funding from Section 90008 of the Infrastructure

Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58, Division I), DOD undertook a study to determine the

feasibility of making frequencies in the 3.1-3.45 GHz band available for shared federal and

nonfederal use. The Emerging Mid-Band Radar Spectrum Sharing (EMBRSS) Feasibility Study

was completed in September 2023. It found that sharing in the Lower 3 GHz band is not feasible

unless certain regulatory, technological, and resourcing conditions are met.30 Specifically, it

21 The Department of Defense (DOD) is “using a secondary Department of War designation” under Executive Order

14347 of September 5, 2025, “Restoring the United States Department of War,” 90 Federal Register 43893, September

10, 2025, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/09/10/2025-17508/restoring-the-united-states-departmentof-war.

22 FCC TAC, Advanced Spectrum Sharing Working Group, A Preliminary View of Spectrum Bands in the 7.125-24

GHz Range; and a Summary of Spectrum Sharing Frameworks, August 17, 2023, p. 3, https://www.fcc.gov/sites/

default/files/SpectrumSharingReportforTAC%20%28updated%29.pdf.

23 NTIA, “3100-3300 MHz,” in Federal Government Spectrum Use Reports 225 MHz-7.125 GHz, December 2015,

https://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/publications/compendium/3100.00-3300.00_01DEC15.pdf.

24 Kelly Hill, “House Committee Takes Lower 3 GHz, 6 GHz Off the Auction Table in Reconciliation Markup,” RCR

Wireless, May 12, 2025, https://www.rcrwireless.com/20250512/spectrum/house-committee-takes-lower-3-ghz-6-ghzoff-the-auction-table-in-reconciliation-mark-up.

25 Doug Brake, “Action Required on Commercial Spectrum to Avoid Isolating the United States,” CTIA (blog),

February 15, 2024, https://www.ctia.org/news/action-required-on-commercial-spectrum-to-avoid-isolating-the-unitedstates.

26 For more information on spectrum traits and characteristics, see Appendix A.

27 CTIA, Successful Military Radar and 5G Coexistence in the Lower 3 GHz Band: Evidence from Around the World,

2023, https://api.ctia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Lower-3-GHz-Report.pdf.

28 C. Todd Lopez, “Spectrum Sharing Is Way Ahead to Maintain Economic Dominance, Defense Official Says,” U.S.

Department of Defense News, September 21, 2022, https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/

3165774/spectrum-sharing-is-way-ahead-to-maintain-economic-dominance-defense-official-s/.

29 Alexander Bolton, “Trump Hails Deal Between Senators on Government-Owned Spectrum,” The Hill, June 6, 2025,

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5337195-trump-spectrum-auction-deal/. (Discussing deal with Sens. Mike Rounds

and Deb Fischer to protect Lower 3 GHz band from reallocation and auction in P.L. 119-21.)

30 DOD, Emerging Mid-Band Radar Spectrum Sharing (EMBRSS) Feasibility Assessment Report (unclassified),

September 2023, pp. ii-iii, https://dodcio.defense.gov/Portals/0/Documents/Library/DoD-EMBRSSFeasabilityAssessmentRedacted.pdf.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

identified a need for a more advanced spectrum-sharing system—similar to that used in the 3.553.7 GHz band (also called Citizens Broadband Radio Service, or CBRS).31

The EMBRSS report found that the sharing approach used in the CBRS band (see text box)

presents a potential model for sharing in the Lower 3 GHz band. However, it also noted that the

current spectrum-sharing technologies and coordination framework would need to be improved

and evolved into a large-scale, dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) mechanism operated within and

by DOD, to allow for near-real-time spectrum monitoring and interference mitigation; it would

also require extensive testing.

Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) Sharing Model

In the CBRS band, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created a three-tiered prioritization model

with U.S. government users (Navy) as a Tier I operator, with priority access and protections from interference.

Mobile service providers, as Tier II operators, hold licenses to use spectrum in certain geographic areas, agree not

to interfere with Tier I use, and are protected from interference from Tier III users. Tier III users, limited to lowpower uses, have general authorized access, which gives them open access to spectrum with conditions that

prevent interference with Tier I and Tier II users. Access is coordinated by a spectrum access system (SAS)

managed by third-party vendors. The SAS may incorporate information from an Environmental Sensing Capability,

a sensor network that detects transmissions from Department of Defense radar systems and transmits that

information to the SAS to coordinate spectrum access and use. The model is seen as an innovative approach to

spectrum sharing, has spurred new deployments and devices,32 and has generated over $4.5 billion in auction

proceeds from Tier II licensees.33 However, the model is not favored by some commercial mobile service

providers because it may place some limitations on their operations.34

The 2023 NSS called for a national testbed to test and develop an advanced DSS system.35 In

December 2024, DOD’s Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) solicited proposals for

the Advanced Dynamic Spectrum Sharing Demonstration. In April 2025, media reports indicated

that the DOD was evaluating spectrum-sharing proposals and expected to hold demonstrations in

November 2025.36 In October 2025, media sources reported that the DOD OCIO, partnering with

the National Spectrum Consortium, awarded contracts to five industry and academia teams to

conduct large-scale demonstrations of new spectrum-sharing capabilities and that experiments

were scheduled to begin in November 2025.37

The NSS Implementation Plan, released by NTIA on March 12, 2024, provides a timeline for

studies of five bands, including further studies of the Lower 3 GHz band, after the DSS

31 FCC, “3.5 GHz Band Overview,” https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/35-ghz-band/35-

ghz-band-overview.

32 Douglas M. Boulware and Anthony W. Romaniello, An Analysis of Aggregate CBRS SAS Data from April 2021 to

July 2024, NTIA Report 25-575, November 2024, https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/reports/an-analysis-ofaggregate-cbrs-sas-data-from-april-2021-to-july-2024.pdf.

33 FCC, “Auction 105: 3.5 GHz Band,” https://www.fcc.gov/auction/105.

34 CTIA, CBRS: An Unproven Spectrum Sharing Framework, November 2022, https://www.ctia.org/news/cbrs-anunproven-spectrum-sharing-framework.

35 NTIA, National Spectrum Strategy, November 2023, pp. 15-16, https://www.ntia.gov/report/2023/national-spectrumstrategy-pdf. The National Spectrum Strategy provides a strategic plan, goals, and a high-level roadmap for managing

U.S. spectrum access and making spectrum available for new users. It identifies several bands for study, including the

3.1-3.45 GHz and 7.125-8.4 GHz bands for mobile service and three bands for other uses (e.g., satellite, drone).

36 Mikayla Easley, “DOD Preparing for First Large-Scale Demonstration of Spectrum-Sharing Tech in 2025,” Defense

Scoop, April 23, 2025, https://defensescoop.com/2025/04/23/dod-large-scale-demonstration-spectrum-sharing-tech2025-rondeau/.

37 Mikayla Easley, “Pentagon CIO Greenlights 5 Large-Scale Spectrum Sharing Tech Demonstrations,” Defense Scoop,

October 2, 2025, https://defensescoop.com/2025/10/02/defense-department-electromagnetic-spectrum-sharing-ascdemonstrations/. This report will be updated as more information on the projects becomes available.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

demonstration is complete. The studies are to examine (1) coexistence (sharing) and moving

systems out of the band or to alternate locations (relocating systems); (2) compressing the

frequency usage within the band to free up segments of the band for commercial use; (3) enabling

additional access below 3.1 GHz; and (4) any other mechanisms and possibilities with the

potential to allow for expanded or more efficient uses of the spectrum. The studies and final

report on the Lower 3 GHz band are set to be completed in October 2026, after the DSS

demonstration is complete.38

Some Members have raised concerns about risks associated with reallocating all or a portion of

the Lower 3 GHz band for commercial use, noting that it could jeopardize existing and future

military systems and capabilities and cost billions of dollars.39 Some Members supported

protection for the Lower 3 GHz band until the planned studies of interference and testing of DSS

mechanisms were complete and conclusive.40 Other Members have raised issues with the cost of

relocating federal radar systems from the Lower 3 GHz band,41 which could exceed or diminish

spectrum proceeds. By law, auction proceeds must cover 110% of federal relocation or sharing

costs, and the FCC cannot conclude—and must cancel—the auction if the auction proceeds are

less than 110%.42

P.L. 119-21 excludes the Lower 3 GHz band from reallocation and auction for the duration of the

auction authority (through September 30, 2034). This provides the U.S. government time to

assess optimal use in the band and potential for spectrum sharing; it also preserves DOD use and

protects U.S. government radar systems, which many Members support.43 However, the

protection timeframe in P.L. 119-21 (nine years) may run counter to the timeline and goals in the

NSS Implementation Plan to allow for expanded or more efficient uses of the Lower 3 GHz band.

Further, as the U.S. government assesses sharing potential in the Lower 3 GHz band, a portion of

the band (3.3-3.4 GHz) has been recognized and harmonized globally for 5G use by the

International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an agency of the United Nations, established to

promote global communications.44 Countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas,

and Asia (including China) are using portions of the band for commercial mobile services,

developing new equipment for use in the band that can be marketed and sold globally, and

38 NTIA, National Spectrum Strategy Implementation Plan, March 2024, pp. A-6, A-7, https://www.ntia.gov/sites/

default/files/publications/national-spectrum-strategy-implementation-plan.pdf.

39 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, “Hegseth Dereliction in Defending

DoD Spectrum from Land Grab Threatens National Security, Cantwell Warns,” press release, May 6, 2025,

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/5/hegseth-dereliction-in-defending-dod-spectrum-from-land-grab-threatensnational-security-cantwell-warns; Sen. Mike Rounds, “Protection of Spectrum by Congress Also Protects Trump’s Iron

Dome from Shortsighted 5G Policy” (op-ed), Defense Scoop, February 26, 2025, https://defensescoop.com/2025/02/26/

spectrum-5g-policy-congress-trump-dod-iron-dome-senator-mike-rounds/.

40 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, America Offline? How Spectrum

Auction Delays Give China the Edge and Cost Us Jobs, hearing, 119th Cong., 1st sess., February 19, 2025. (For

example, see opening statement from Sen. Maria Cantwell and statements from Sens. Deb Fischer and Jacky Rosen.)

41 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, America Offline? How Spectrum

Auction Delays Give China the Edge and Cost Us Jobs, hearing, 119th Cong., 1st sess., February 19, 2025. (See

statements from Sen. Deb Fischer on risks and costs of relocating federal agency users.)

42 47 U.S.C. §309(j)(16).

43 Kelly Hill, “House Committee Takes Lower 3 GHz, 6 GHz Off the Auction Table in Reconciliation Markup,” RCR

Wireless, May 12, 2025, https://www.rcrwireless.com/20250512/spectrum/house-committee-takes-Lower-3-ghz-6-ghzoff-the-auction-table-in-reconciliation-mark-up.

44 International Telecommunications Union (ITU), “World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23): Final

Acts,” August 19, 2024, p. 447, https://www.itu.int/en/publications/ITU-R/pages/publications.aspx?parent=R-ACTWRC.16-2024&media=electronic.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

potentially realizing economic gains by opening the band to new uses.45 Wireless industry groups

have urged Congress to consider designating a portion of the band (e.g., 3.3-3.45 GHz) for

commercial use, in alignment with global allocations made at the World Radiocommunication

Conference (WRC) in 2023 (i.e., WRC-23).46 Some DOD officials have warned that such

decisions could threaten U.S. national defense. For instance, a May 2025 Department of the Navy

blog asserts that “in international forums, adversaries are advocating for the repurposing of this

spectrum to impact critical DOD capabilities, claiming it can be shared, while they continue to

use it for defense purposes.”47 In the months before P.L. 119-21 was enacted, DOD proposed

alternative bands for reallocation in lieu of the Lower 3 GHz band.48

As studies on the Lower 3 GHz band are under way and new findings emerge, industry and

agencies working together may discover new approaches for sharing the band. In such cases,

Congress could revisit the Lower 3 GHz band in future legislation.

7.4-8.4 GHz Band

The band of frequencies in the 7.4-8.4 GHz range is heavily used by federal agencies, including

•

the FAA, for microwave communications links used to connect remote longrange aeronautical radionavigation radars to air traffic control centers;

the U.S. Space Force, for the Defense Satellite Communications System that

supports U.S. military communications globally;

the U.S. Space Force, for its Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite, which is the

backbone of the U.S. military’s satellite communications, providing worldwide,

flexible, high-capacity communications for U.S. agencies, including DOD, and

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) partners;49

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for passive sensing of the

Earth from space on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite

system; and

NASA, for its Deep Space Network.

Both the FCC and NTIA were examining segments of the 7/8 GHz band for future use prior to

enactment of P.L. 119-21. In 2023, the FCC Technological Advisory Council prepared an initial

45 Alan Weissberger, “WRC-23 Concludes with Decisions on Low-Band/Mid-Band Spectrum and 6G (?),” IEEE

ComSoc, December 16, 2023, https://techblog.comsoc.org/2023/12/16/wrc-23-concludes-with-decisions-on-low-bandmid-band-spectrum-and-6g/. See Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), “Lower 3.4 GHz in

the U.S.: Expanding Spectrum for Industry, Jobs, and Growth,” July 2023, p. 2, https://www.gsma.com/connectivityfor-good/spectrum/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Lower-3.5-GHz-in-US.pdf; and GSMA, “China Issues 5G Spectrum

Licenses for Indoor Coverage,” February 18, 2020, https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/technologies/

networks/5g/china-issues-5g-spectrum-licences-for-indoor-coverage/.

46 Kelly Hill, “CTIA Report Suggests Segmenting Spectrum Below 3.3 GHz,” RCR Wireless, August 16, 2023,

https://www.rcrwireless.com/20230816/featured/ctia-report-suggests-segmenting-spectrum-below-3-3-ghz.

47 Arthur DeLeon, “Spectrum: Myth vs. Reality,” Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer (blog), May 29,

2025, https://www.doncio.navy.mil/ContentView.aspx?id=19288.

48 See “DOD Spectrum Proposal,” March 25, 2025, which can be accessed via Jimm Phillips and Howard Buskirk,

“DOD Floats Vacating 420 MHz of Spectrum for Auction but Retaining Lower 3 GHz Band,” Communications Daily,

April 7, 2025, https://communicationsdaily.com/search/view?search_id=42437 (link requires paid subscription).

49 U.S. Space Force, “Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite,” February 2023, https://www.spaceforce.mil/about-us/

fact-sheets/article/2197740/wideband-global-satcom-satellite/.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

assessment of use and recommendations for sharing in the 7.125-24 GHz range.50 In the NSS,

NTIA identified five bands for study, including frequencies in the range of 7.125-8.4 GHz.51 In its

NSS Implementation Plan, NTIA reported that it would set technical parameters for study of the

7.125-8.4 GHz band. Agencies with equities in the band would co-lead the study using funds

provided through the Spectrum Relocation Fund (SRF).52 The study is to examine the potential

for (1) shared use; (2) reconfigured use of the band (e.g., compressing federal operations into a

smaller segment of the band, freeing spectrum for commercial use); and (3) any other

mechanisms to enable expanded use in the band.53 The final report is expected in October 2026.

As with the Lower 3 GHz band, P.L. 119-21 excludes the 7.4-8.4 GHz band from auction for the

duration of the auction authority (through September 30, 2034). This provides the U.S.

government time to assess optimal use in the band and potential for spectrum sharing, and it

preserves federal use in the band. However, the timeframe in P.L. 119-21 (nine years) may run

counter to the timeline and goals in the NSS Implementation Plan, which aim to allow for

expanded or more efficient uses in the band.

Bands Identified for Auction

P.L. 119-21 names one specific band for auction: the Upper C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz). It directs the

FCC to reallocate and auction at least 100 megahertz in the Upper C-band within two years of

enactment (by July 2027). Auction of the Lower C-band (3.7-3.98 GHz) in 2021 generated over

$81 billion, spurring interest in future auctions in the band. However, reallocation and auction of

the Lower C-band for commercial mobile services raised concerns among aviation stakeholders

related to potential interference from high-power mobile (5G) services to aircraft altimeters

operating in the 4.2-4.4 GHz band, which led to FAA directives restricting some aircraft landings

at certain airports, requirements to replace or retrofit filters on aircraft altimeters, and delays in

5G deployment.54 Proposals to auction the Upper C-band have raised similar concerns among

aviation stakeholders and in Congress.

Upper C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz)55

In February 2025, the FCC issued a notice of inquiry (NOI) seeking comment on opening the

Upper C-band segment (3.98-4.2 GHz) for new wireless services (e.g., terrestrial or satellite

50 FCC TAC, Advanced Spectrum Sharing Working Group, A Preliminary View of Spectrum Bands in the 7.125-24

GHz Range; and a Summary of Spectrum Sharing Frameworks, August 17, 2023, pp. 5-7, https://www.fcc.gov/sites/

default/files/SpectrumSharingReportforTAC%20%28updated%29.pdf.

51 NTIA, National Spectrum Strategy, November 2023, p. 6.

52 The Spectrum Relocation Fund (SRF) was established in 2004 to reimburse federal agencies for costs of relocating

systems from one band to another when a band was repurposed for commercial use; the SRF was expanded in 2015 to

allow agencies to use funds for research and development and analyses to help identify repurposing opportunities. For

more information, see 47 U.S.C. §928 and NTIA, Annex O: Procedures and Guidance Related to the Spectrum

Relocation Fund and Transition Activities in Support of Relocation or Sharing by Federal Government Stations,

January 2021, https://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/publications/o_21_1.pdf.

53 NTIA, National Spectrum Strategy Implementation Plan, March 2024, pp. A-9, A-10, https://www.ntia.gov/sites/

default/files/publications/national-spectrum-strategy-implementation-plan.pdf.

54 See CRS In Focus IF12028, Aviation Concerns Regarding the Rollout of 5G Wireless Telecommunications Networks,

by Bart Elias. See also Peter Elkind, “Inside the Government Fiasco That Nearly Closed the U.S. Air System,”

ProPublica, March 26, 2022, https://www.propublica.org/article/fcc-faa-5g-planes-trump-biden; and Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666,

91 Federal Register 463, January 7, 2026.

55 In the United States, the FCC calls the frequencies in the 3.7-4.2 GHz range the “C-band.” Prior to 2020, the C-band

(continued...)

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

services).56 The FCC sought comment on several issues, including (1) the amount of spectrum

that may be suitable for reallocation, (2) allowable uses for the Upper C-band segment, (3)

treatment of incumbent services, and (4) avoiding interference with altimeters operating in the

4.2-4.4 GHz band.57

P.L. 119-21 requires the FCC to auction at least 100 megahertz of spectrum in the Upper C-band

(3.98-4.2 GHz) within two years of enactment (by July 2027).58

In November 2025, the FCC released a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) seeking input on

the Upper C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz band).59 Pursuant to P.L. 119-21, the FCC is seeking to make at

least 100 megahertz (3.98-4.08 GHz), and potentially up to 180 megahertz (3.98-4.16 GHz),

available for commercial terrestrial high-powered 5G use.60 The FCC proposed a 20-megahertz

guard band between the 5G and satellite services operating in the Upper C-band to protect

incumbent satellite operations from potential harmful interference from 5G operations.61

Concerns about interference from 5G deployments operating in the Lower C-band to aircraft

radio altimeters operating in the 4.2-4.4 GHz segment delayed and affected the activation of 5G

services after the FCC auctioned the Lower C-band in 2021.62 The FAA and aviation stakeholders

asserted that high-power 5G deployments in the Lower C-band could cause harmful interference

to aircraft radio altimeters, which could degrade altimeter performance and result in misleading

data.63 The FAA recommended short-term mitigation measures, such as assessing and approving

altimeters that do not experience interference from 5G deployments, retrofitting existing radio

altimeters with filters, and restricting certain operations (e.g., low-visibility landings) at select

airports.64 In addition, the FAA recommended longer-term solutions, such as developing standards

was used primarily by satellite service providers for downlink (space-to-earth) delivery of television and radio

programming and other services, including public safety communications. In March 2018, Congress, in the Making

Opportunities for Broadband Investment and Limiting Excessive and Needless Obstacles to Wireless Act (MOBILE

NOW Act; P.L. 115-141, Title VI, §605(b)), directed the FCC to evaluate the feasibility of allowing commercial

wireless use (e.g., 5G) in the C-band. In March 2020, the FCC adopted final rules for the C-band. The FCC relocated

the incumbent satellite operators to the Upper 200-megahertz segment of this 500-megahertz band (4.0-4.2 GHz),

freeing up the Lower C-band (3.7-3.98 GHz) to auction for 5G use. The FCC preserved a segment between the Lower

and Upper C-band (3.98-4.0 GHz) to serve as a guard band, to prevent mobile services in the Lower C-band from

interfering with satellite services in the Upper C-band. For additional information on the C-band, see FCC, “In the

Matter of the Upper C-Band (3.98-4.2 GHz),” 90 Federal Register 56076, December 5, 2025. (See “Background”

section.)

56 FCC, In the Matter of Upper C-Band (3.98-4.2 GHz), notice of inquiry, February 27, 2025, https://docs.fcc.gov/

public/attachments/FCC-25-13A1.pdf.

57 Altimeters are devices on aircraft that measure the aircraft’s height above terrain and other obstacles using lowpower signals to detect reflections from the ground. Pilots use these data for navigating low-visibility approaches and

for terrain awareness and warning, wind shear alerts, and traffic collision avoidance.

58 P.L. 119-21 specifies that the FCC must complete an auction of at least 100 megahertz but does not specify a

particular use.

59 FCC, In the Matter of Upper C-Band (3.98-4.2 GHz), NPRM, FCC 25-78, November 20, 2025, https://docs.fcc.gov/

public/attachments/FCC-25-78A1.pdf. See also FCC, “In the Matter of the Upper C-Band,” 90 Federal Register 56076,

December 5, 2025.

60 FCC, “In the Matter of the Upper C-Band,” 90 Federal Register 56076, December 5, 2025.

61 FCC, “In the Matter of the Upper C-Band,” 90 Federal Register 56078, December 5, 2025.

62 FAA, “5G and Aviation,” https://www.faa.gov/5g (see “5G Timeline”); and FAA, “Requirements for InterferenceTolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal Register 459, January 7, 2026 (see

“Background”).

63 FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

64 FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

for new altimeters that were less susceptible to interference from 5G signals.65 The FAA also

requested some constraints for mobile service providers. Providers voluntarily agreed to delay 5G

deployments and then to limit and coordinate power levels around select airports to allay

concerns about interference from 5G stations to radio altimeters; that agreement ends January 1,

2028.66 The FAA aims to complete new altimeter standards by 2027 and make more resilient

altimeters available for integration into aircraft starting in 2028. This could allow providers to

operate at the power levels and under the technical parameters granted in the Lower C-band

licenses they won at auction and to inform the FCC on parameters of the Upper C-band

operations.67

On January 7, 2026, the FAA issued an NPRM proposing new regulations that would require all

radio altimeters to meet specific performance requirements so they can withstand interference

from wireless signals in neighboring spectrum bands and still provide accurate altitude readings.

The regulations would require certain aircraft to comply with the requirements by the date that

the FCC authorizes wireless service providers to begin service in the Upper C-band;68 all others

would be required to comply within two years.69 The standard is scheduled for publication in

early 2027, but the FAA has requested that it be published by June 2026, if possible.70 The FAA

proposed to have the retrofit deadline coincide with the FCC date initiating new 5G service in the

Upper C-band, which it expects to be sometime between 2029 and 2032.71

There are several issues that may be of interest to Congress, including the amount of spectrum

auctioned, potential interference with altimeters, timing of 5G deployments, and relocation costs.

Amount of Spectrum Auctioned

Congress may be interested in the terms set for the Upper C-band auction—including the amount

of spectrum the FCC chooses to auction—as the terms may affect spectrum auction proceeds.

Auctions of mid-band spectrum (which includes the C-band) have generated the highest levels of

proceeds.72 Within this range, the Lower C-band auction yielded the highest proceeds to date ($81

65 FAA, “Radar Altimeter and Compatibility with 5G,” July 2021, p. 20, https://verticalavi.org/wp-content/uploads/

2021/08/FAA-Presentation-RA-5G-Industry-Forum-July-2021.pdf.

66 Letter from Henry G. Hultquist, Vice President-Federal Regulatory, AT&T Services, Inc., et al. to Marlene H.

Dortch, FCC Secretary, March 31, 2023, https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1033142661477/1.

67 FCC, “In the Matter of the Upper C-Band (3.98-4.2 GHz),” 90 Federal Register 56094, December 5, 2025.

68 In its NPRM, the FAA notes that “these regulations would require all aircraft equipped with radio altimeters

operating under Part 121 [generally large, U.S.-based airlines, regional air carriers, and all cargo operators] and those

aircraft with radio altimeters operating under part 129 [foreign air carriers] with 30 or more passenger seats or a

payload capacity of more than 7,500 pounds to comply with the minimum performance requirements by the date the

Federal Communications Commission authorizes wireless services in the Upper C-band. All other aircraft equipped

with radio altimeters would be required to comply with the same minimum performance requirements two years later.”

FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

69 FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

70 FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

71 FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

72 In 2015, the AWS-3 auction generated nearly $42 billion; FCC, “Auction 97,” https://www.fcc.gov/auction/97. In

2021, the C-band auction (3.7-3.98 GHz) generated $81 billion; FCC, “Auction 107,” https://www.fcc.gov/auction/107.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

billion). Experts have found that creating large, contiguous bands and allowing full-power use

were among the factors that drove spectrum price and proceeds in the Lower C-band.73

Per P.L. 119-21, the FCC identified 100 megahertz within the band (3.98-4.08 GHz) and is

considering auctioning up to 180 megahertz (3.98-4.16 GHz). Auctioning 180 megahertz in the

Upper C-band would provide more spectrum for commercial mobile use, could increase auction

proceeds and spur economic gains, and would bring the FCC closer to its mandate in P.L. 119-21

to auction 300 megahertz of spectrum for commercial wireless use. However, auctioning 180

megahertz of the Upper C-band could affect incumbent users, including satellite service providers

that were recently (2023) relocated from the Lower C-band to the Upper C-band.74 5G providers

paid over $9.7 billion in relocation costs and additional payments to accelerate the clearing of the

Lower C-band; some satellite firms say they spent billions on new launches intended to operate in

the Upper C-band, which could now be affected by new high-power 5G services in that band.75

Broadcasters that rely on program distribution by satellite have urged the FCC to consider

spectrum needs of all service providers, potential relocation costs, and impact on broadcast

services, including in Alaska, Hawaii, and other regions.76

Potential Interference with Altimeters

In its January 2026 NPRM, the FAA raises issues with deployment of high-power 5G services in

the Upper C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz), noting that the Upper C-band is even closer to the radio

altimeter band (4.2-4.4 GHz) than the Lower C-band and “poses a risk of increased interference

with [radio altimeters] and critical aviation systems dependent on the [radio altimeter] for

accurate altitude data.”77

The FAA described its efforts to assess and mitigate interference from 5G deployments in the

Lower C-band to radio altimeters operating in the 4.2-4.4 GHz band. The FAA determines

whether a radio altimeter is interference tolerant based on terms established in voluntary

agreements it holds with wireless providers—these terms reduce emissions at certain 5G sites and

are set to expire on January 2028.78 The FAA notes that its current directives and agreements do

not provide a long-term resolution that would ensure safety in the presence of Lower C-band

wireless services operating at full power, nor do they contemplate wireless services in the Upper

C-band.79 Some Members have raised concerns about impacts of 5G services on critical aviation

73 Roger Entner, “Lessons from Spectrum Auctions: Entner,” Fierce Network, February 11, 2021, https://www.fierce-

network.com/regulatory/lessons-from-spectrum-auctions-entner.

74 Randy J. Stine, “The C-Band Is Back in the Crosshairs,” Radio World, September 5, 2025,

https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/the-c-band-is-back-in-the-crosshairs.

75 Randy J. Stine, “The C-Band Is Back in the Crosshairs,” Radio World, September 5, 2025,

https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/the-c-band-is-back-in-the-crosshairs.

76 Letter from Alison Martin, Vice President, Innovation and Strategy, National Association of Broadcasters, to

Marlene H. Dortch, FCC Secretary, November 12, 2025, https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1112349125995/1?ref=

broadbandbreakfast.com.

77 FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

78 FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

when electronic devices, which can intentionally and unintentionally emit electromagnetic energy, disrupt radio signals

from or to another device.

79 FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

systems and have urged careful consideration and coordination on rules and technical parameters

that could affect aviation systems and safety.80

Congress has directed the FAA Administrator, in consultation with NTIA, to conduct research on

the use and management of spectrum in the civil aviation domain. P.L. 118-63, Section 1026,

requires that the agency report on several things, including (1) how reallocation or repurposing of

spectrum adjacent to spectrum allocated for communication, navigation, and surveillance may

affect civil aviation; (2) the effectiveness of measures to protect and mitigate against spectrum

interference in bands used in civil aviation operations for public safety; and (3) identification of

emerging civil aviation systems and their anticipated spectrum requirements. This report is to be

completed and submitted to Congress by May 2026. While this report could offer insight into

current issues and future needs, it may not be released in time to affect decisions and technical

parameters for the Upper C-band, given the mandate to complete the auction by July 2027.

Timing of 5G Deployments

An area of interest for Congress may be the timing set by the FCC for terrestrial 5G deployments

in the Upper C-band. In its November 2025 NPRM, the FCC discussed the urgency of the

proceeding, given the mandate in P.L. 119-21 to complete the auction within two years of the

statute’s enactment (by July 2027). Despite this deadline, no mandatory date has been set for

activation of 5G services. The FAA requires that certain aircraft be equipped with new altimeters

by the date the FCC sets for deployment; however, that date is currently unknown, standards for

such altimeters are still under development, and equipment is not yet available. In its January

2026 NPRM, the FAA reports that the standard to define the maximum tolerable radio frequency

interference levels is scheduled for publication in early 2027 and that it has asked for the standard

to be released in 2026.81 Aviation and wireless industry stakeholders report that while there are

areas of consensus among wireless and aviation stakeholders, other issues remain under

discussion, including appropriate out-of-band emission limits to avoid interference between the

wireless and aviation services.82

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (P.L. 118-63, §318, enacted May 16, 2024) required the

DOT Office of Inspector General (OIG) to audit the FAA’s coordination with NTIA to

communicate the views of aviation stakeholders regarding spectrum reallocations and auctions;

DOT OIG has initiated the audit, which is due two years from the statute’s enactment (by May

2026).83 The audit could lead to findings and recommendations that could enhance interagency

coordination on spectrum decisions but may not be completed in time to affect Upper C-band

decisions, given the July 2027 auction date.

80 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Aviation, Finding the

Right Frequency: 5G Deployment and Aviation Safety, 117th Cong., 2nd sess., February 3, 2022 (e.g., see statements

from House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio). See also letter from Sen. Maria Cantwell, Ranking

Member, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to Sean Duffy, Secretary, Department of

Transportation (DOT), May 12, 2025, https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/17240991-C943-48C7-A51B7B836736A5A1.

81 FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

82 Letter from Dorothy B. Reimold, Vice President, Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) et al. to Marlene H.

Dortch, October 2, 2025, https://api.ctia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/251002-Joint-Association-Upper-C-Band-ExParte-Filing.pdf.

83 Memorandum from Nelda Smith, Assistant Inspector General for Aviation Audits, DOT, to Director, Audit and

Evaluation, August 1, 2025, https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/library-items/Audit%20Announcement%20%20FAA%27s%20Communication%20of%20Spectrum%20Concerns.pdf.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Congress could consider options to encourage or mandate coordination between the FCC and the

FAA and their stakeholders, given congressional concerns over previous coordination efforts.

Congress could also consider options to ensure that activation dates for 5G deployments align

with installment of new altimeters to safeguard air safety and facilitate 5G deployments.

Relocation Costs

Aviation stakeholders have raised issues of costs to retrofit the existing aircraft fleet with new

interference-tolerant radio altimeters, which the FAA has estimated would cost $4.5 billion.84

While the FCC has a framework for facilitating and incentivizing the clearing of spectrum for

emerging technologies (e.g., providing relocation costs or payments to clear bands quickly), its

framework has not previously been used to address adjacent band equities.85 In its November

2025 NPRM, the FCC sought comment on ways radio altimeter retrofits could be incentivized or

accelerated. Options for Congress could include directing the FCC to consider or adopt rules

related to relocation costs and/or acceleration payments for systems affected by spectrum

reallocations in an adjacent band, including altimeters, or restricting the FCC from doing so to

avoid increasing spectrum and relocation costs for service providers seeking to launch new and

emerging technologies.

Bands Identified for Future Study

P.L. 119-21 identified three bands for future study: 2.7-2.9 GHz, 4.4-4.9 GHz, and 7.125-7.4 GHz

bands. The bands align closely to bands identified by the ITU for future study: 4.4-4.8 GHz and

7.125-8.4 GHz bands.86 At the WRC in 2027 (WRC-27), participants will be expected to consider

studies on sharing in these bands and to develop technical conditions for mobile use in each of the

bands, while also taking into account incumbent and adjacent systems and services.

Although P.L. 119-21 did not set specific timelines for study, a December 19, 2025, presidential

memorandum directed agencies to immediately commence studies of the bands named in P.L.

119-21 and set timelines and tasks for agencies to carry out these directives.87 This section

discusses the three bands identified for study in P.L. 119-21 and the directives in the recent

presidential memorandum.

2.7-2.9 GHz

P.L. 119-21 directs NTIA to conduct a spectrum analysis of the 2.7-2.9 GHz band. Both

nationally and internationally, the 2.7-2.9 GHz band—valuable mid-band spectrum—has been

considered for mobile use.88 In the United States, the band is used by the FAA and DOD for

hundreds of high-power radar systems operating across the United States for air traffic control

84 FAA, “Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems,” NPRM, FAA-2025-5666, 91 Federal

85 FCC, In the Matter of Upper C-Band (3.98-4.2 GHz), NPRM, FCC 25-78, November 20, 2025, pp. 46-47,

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-25-78A1.pdf.

86 ITU, “ITU Preparatory Studies for WRC-27,” https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/study-groups/rcpm/Pages/wrc-27studies.aspx (see Agenda Item 1.7).

87 White House, “Winning the 6G Race,” presidential memorandum, December 19, 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/

presidential-actions/2025/12/national-security-presidential-memorandum-nspm-8-0bda/.

88 GSMA, “The Suitability of an IMT Identification in the 2.7-2.9 GHz Band at WRC-15,” January 2015,

https://www.gsma.com/connectivity-for-good/spectrum/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/2.7-2.9-Information-Paper.pdf.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

systems and weather monitoring.89 The National Weather Service (NWS), the FAA, and DOD

operate a network of Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) systems in this band, which,

according to NTIA, are operating nearly 100% of the time, limiting opportunities for time sharing

in the band.90 These federal systems avoid interference with each other through design of radar

receivers, deliberate frequency selection, and NTIA regulations.

Use of the 2.7-2.9 GHz band is under consideration by industry and government stakeholders.

The band sits above the 2.5 GHz band (2.496-2.690 GHz) that was reallocated for mobile 5G use

and auctioned in 2022. Opening the 2.7-2.9 GHz band for mobile use could provide a broader

contiguous band of mid-band spectrum to help providers meet future demands for spectrum and

services that are projected by industry.91 The 2.7-2.9 GHz band sits below the Lower 3 GHz band

(3.1-3.45 GHz)—a band used predominantly by DOD.92 The band could also be used to create a

broader federal segment, to accommodate federal systems relocated from other bands. A 2017

spectrum report commissioned by CTIA, a trade association representing the U.S. wireless

communications industry, states that the 2.7-3.1 GHz band may be a possible band to relocate

federal surveillance systems currently operating in the 1.3-1.35 GHz band, which could free up to

50 megahertz of spectrum for mobile broadband services.93

P.L. 119-21 provided $50 million to DOC to enable the head of NTIA to conduct timely analysis

of several bands, including the 2.7-2.9 GHz band. The December 2025 presidential memorandum

expedited this study.94 The memorandum directed NTIA to immediately commence studies of the

2.69-2.9 GHz band to determine whether portions of those bands can feasibly be reallocated for

full-power commercial licensed use. Congress may seek to monitor NTIA’s progress on this

analysis to understand potential and optimal use in the band and to determine whether NTIA has

the resources it needs to carry out these directives and congressional priorities in P.L. 119-21,

which include identification of spectrum for auctions.

4.4-4.9 GHz

P.L. 119-21 directs NTIA to conduct an analysis on the 4.4-4.9 GHz band. The band is currently

under study globally to determine feasibility of mobile services in the band.95 WRC-27

participants will be invited to consider a global identification of the 4.4-4.8 GHz band for

advanced 5G and 6G services in ITU Region 1 and 3; Region 2 (the Americas) was not included

in this provision.96 A U.S. advisory body to the FCC issued preliminary views on Agenda Item

89 NTIA, “Quantitative Assessments of Spectrum Usage,” November 2016, p. 61, https://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/

publications/ntia_quant_assessment_report-no_appendices.pdf.

90 Time sharing refers to mechanisms that allow different users access to the same frequency band at different times.

Instead of assigning bands to single users, it allows multiple users access to the band, on a coordinated basis.

91 GSMA, “6G Mobile Networks Will Need Up to Three Times Today’s Spectrum to Meet Surging Data Demands,

New GSMA Report Shows,” November 20, 2025, https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/6g-mobilenetworks-will-need-up-to-three-times-todays-spectrum-to-meet-surging-data-demands-new-gsma-report-shows/.

92 For background, see CRS In Focus IF12350, Repurposing 3.1-3.55 GHz Spectrum: Issues for Congress, by Jill C.

Gallagher.

93 Coleman Bazelon, “The Next Wave of Spectrum Reallocation: The Value of Additional Mid-Band Spectrum

Reallocations,” Brattle Group, November 14, 2017, p. 4, https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF16/20171116/106636/

HHRG-115-IF16-20171116-SD005-U5.pdf.

94 White House, “Winning the 6G Race,” presidential memorandum, December 19, 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/

presidential-actions/2025/12/national-security-presidential-memorandum-nspm-8-0bda/.

95 ITU, “U.S. Contributions Sent to CITEL PCC.II (for WRC-27),” https://www.fcc.gov/us-contributions-sent-citelpccii-wrc-27-0 (see Agenda Item 1.7).

96 Region 1 covers Africa, Europe, Russia, and other territories. Region 2 covers the Americas, Greenland, and some

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Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

1.7, supporting sharing and compatibility studies in the band to determine whether the band could

be designated globally for mobile (e.g., 6G) use, with the view that incumbent systems and

services operating in and adjacent to the band are protected.97

According to NTIA, the 4.4-4.9 GHz band is used by many federal agencies, including NASA

and the Departments of Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, and the Interior. It supports

military use and training, specifically fixed line of sight (LOS) systems, drone vehicle control and

telemetry, and mobile communications for law enforcement, drug interdiction, and nuclear

emergency response activities.98 A 2016 NTIA report projected that use in the band would

increase due to expanded unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drone, operations.99 Since then,

drone registrations, as well as market growth and government spending related to drones,100 has

increased in the United States, which could drive demand for spectrum.

Experts testifying before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in a

February 2025 hearing stated that allies and adversaries are building and using advanced drone

capabilities (e.g., sensors on drones, videos on drones) and jamming technologies that rely on

spectrum. Some reports indicate that the United States is falling behind in the manufacturing and

testing of drones.101 Experts assert that the U.S. military requires access to spectrum across

multiple bands for development, training, and operations of new technologies, including drones;

they advocate for shared use of spectrum to open multiple bands for drone use.102

Some Members have raised questions about the impact of proposed reallocations on federal

capabilities. Senator Cantwell, in a May 6, 2025, letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth,103

discussed “the urgency to accelerate American investments in [drone] technologies and the need

to rapidly deploy this technology to compete with China’s military transformation to UAS,” and

expressed concern about auctioning the band for commercial use; she asked Secretary Hegseth

whether DOD could afford to lose access to the 4.4 GHz band.104

Pacific Islands. Region 3 covers parts of Asia (Iran, China, India, and other nations), Australia, and Oceania. See FCC

ITU Regions Map available at https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/information/Pages/emergency-bands.aspx.

97 ITU, “U.S. Contributions Sent to CITEL PCC.II (for WRC-27),” https://www.fcc.gov/us-contributions-sent-citelpccii-wrc-27-0 (see Agenda Item 1.7).

98 NTIA, Federal Spectrum Compendium, “4400-4500 MHz,” December 2015, https://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/

publications/compendium/4400.00-4500.00_01DEC15.pdf.

99 NTIA, “Quantitative Assessments of Spectrum Usage,” November 2016, p. 61, https://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/

publications/ntia_quant_assessment_report-no_appendices.pdf.

100 FAA, Compendium to FAA Aerospace Forecast FY 2025-2045 Emerging Aviation Entrants: Unmanned Aircraft

System and Advanced Air Mobility, 2025, pp. 5-6 (registration data), https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation/

aerospace_forecasts/2025-uas-and-aam-full-document.pdf; and National Law Review, “U.S. Government’s Spending

on Defense Contracts for Drones Leading to a Projected $47 Billion Market by 2032 (Market News Update),” press

release, October 16, 2025, https://natlawreview.com/press-releases/us-governments-spending-defense-contracts-dronesleading-projected-47.

101 William Lawson, “The United States Is Falling Behind in Drone Technology,” National Interest, July 22, 2025,

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/the-united-states-is-falling-behind-in-drone-technology-wl.

102 Testimony of Bryan Clark, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute, in U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Commerce,

Science, and Transportation, America Offline? How Spectrum Auction Delays Give China the Edge and Cost Us Jobs,

hearing, 119th Cong., 1st sess., February 19, 2025, https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/E3003F22-F4CE439E-8B51-B7F11B6D0432.

103 Letter from Sen. Maria Cantwell to Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, May 6, 2025,

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/2B29105E-75BF-4D7B-B6B2-7AEC58053698. The Secretary of

Defense is using “Secretary of War” as a “secondary title” under Executive Order 14347 of September 5, 2025.

104 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation, “Hegseth Dereliction in Defending

DoD Spectrum from Land Grab Threatens National Security, Cantwell Warns,” press release, May 6, 2025,

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Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

The December 2025 presidential memorandum directed the head of NTIA to immediately

commence studies of the 4.4-4.94 GHz band to determine whether portions of that band could

feasibly be reallocated for full-power commercial licensed use. Congress may be interested in

NTIA’s progress on this analysis and whether NTIA has the resources needed to carry out the

directives in P.L. 119-21 and in the December 2025 presidential memorandum in the mandated

timelines.

7.125-7.4 GHz

P.L. 119-21 calls for future study of the 7.125-7.4 GHz band and preservation of the 7.4-8.4 GHz

band. Internationally, the broader 7/8 GHz band (7.125-8.4 GHz) is emerging as a potential global

band for 6G mobile services.105 The ITU has called for studies of several bands, including the

broader 7.125-8.4 GHz band, for consideration at WRC-27. In the United States, NTIA has

identified five bands for in-depth study in its NSS, including frequencies in the range of 7.125-8.4

GHz.106 NTIA is to lead the studies (e.g., set technical parameters and assumptions); agencies

with equities in the band would co-lead the studies, using funds provided from the SRF. In its

NSS Implementation Plan, NTIA provided a timeline for the 7.125-8.4 GHz band study. This

study is to examine the potential for (1) shared use, (2) reconfigured use of the band (e.g.,

compressing federal operations into a smaller segment of the band), and (3) any other

mechanisms to enable expanded use in the band.107 The final report is expected in October 2026.

Some industry stakeholders, including some network equipment manufacturers, advocate for the

7.125-7.4 GHz and 7.4-8.4 GHz bands to be combined to enable a large, contiguous band of

spectrum for future 6G mobile use.108 Others argue that the 7.125-7.4 GHz band could be paired

with the adjacent 6 GHz band—a band that was recently allocated for unlicensed use, which

supports Wi-Fi and millions of connected devices—to expand Wi-Fi and other unlicensed uses.109

There are a variety of mission-critical federal operations in the 7.125-7.4 GHz band, which

presents challenges to repurposing it.110 In addition, there are federal operations in adjacent bands

that rely exclusively on specific frequencies to collect atmospheric and oceanic data, which NTIA

and agencies protect from interference. NTIA urges agencies to consider passive readings when

contemplating future plans for the band.111

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/5/hegseth-dereliction-in-defending-dod-spectrum-from-land-grab-threatensnational-security-cantwell-warns.

105 Viet Nguyen, 5G Americas, “Unlocking the Power of the 7-8 GHz Spectrum: A ‘Golden Band’ of 6G Innovation 5G Americas,” October 7, 2024, https://www.5gamericas.org/unlocking-the-power-of-the-7-8-ghz-spectrum-a-goldenband-of-6g-innovation/.

106 NTIA, National Spectrum Strategy, November 2023, p. 6.

107 NTIA, National Spectrum Strategy Implementation Plan, March 2024, pp. A-9, A-10.

108 Eliane Semaan et al., “6G Spectrum—Enabling the Future Mobile Life Beyond 2030,” Ericsson, May 2024, p. 19,

https://www.ericsson.com/49ac9c/assets/local/reports-papers/white-papers/2024/6g-spectrum.pdf.

109 Generally, unlicensed use pertains to radio frequencies (typically a band of frequencies) that are open to all users

and all technologies provided the devices meet certain technical rules established by the FCC, primarily to enable

access to spectrum and avoid interference between users. Technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth use unlicensed

spectrum; connected devices (e.g., smart home devices) may also rely on unlicensed spectrum to operate.

110 FCC TAC, Advanced Spectrum Sharing Working Group, A Preliminary View of Spectrum Bands in the 7.125-24

GHz Range; and a Summary of Spectrum Sharing Frameworks, August 17, 2023, pp. 5-7. See also NTIA, National

Spectrum Strategy, November 2023, p. 6.

111 NTIA, “5925-7125 MHz,” in Federal Spectrum Compendium, August 9, 2017, p. 2, https://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/

publications/compendium/5925.00-7125.0_mhz_aug_9_2017_final.pdf (noting “in the band 7025-7250 MHz, passive

microwave sensor measurements are carried out. Administrations should bear in mind the needs of the Earth

(continued...)

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

The December 2025 presidential memorandum directs the head of NTIA and White House staff,

including the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and the Assistant to the President for

Science and Technology, to immediately commence studies in consultation with federal

incumbent users with operations in the 7.125-7.4 GHz range to determine how to relocate their

affected systems to other frequencies, including 7.4-8.4 GHz. The memorandum directs the head

of NTIA, no later than December 2026, to submit to the President, through the Assistant to the

President for Economic Policy, the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, and the

Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, results of the studies of the 7.125-7.4

GHz band, including estimated transition costs and timelines. The memorandum requires that the

results demonstrate how such relocation of systems “will not materially impair the national

security missions or electric grid operations that occur in the 7.125-7.4 GHz band, as identified by

the Secretary of War and the Director of National Intelligence.”112

The specific directives and increased involvement of the White House may prioritize and focus

NTIA efforts on the 7.125-7.4 GHz band and position the United States to lead in developing this

band for 6G. On the other hand, technical analysis of spectrum bands is complex and requires

interagency coordination, careful planning, thorough testing across multiple agencies, and time.

The expedited timelines and increased involvement of the White House and DOD may add

complexity and time to this analysis. Congress may be interested in NTIA capabilities to expedite

these spectrum studies, identify and reallocate 500 megahertz of spectrum as directed in P.L. 11921, prepare for WRC-27, implement the NSS, and complete the spectrum valuation report. A

question may be whether NTIA and federal agencies have the resources needed to immediately

undertake and complete these studies by the statutory deadlines in P.L. 119-21.

Other Bands Under Consideration for Reallocation and Auction

To meet requirements in P.L. 119-21, the FCC and NTIA may consider other bands for

reallocation and auction. Some bands have been named in previous legislation. Other bands have

been under study by agencies or industry for potential for reallocation. Some bands have been

identified in the NSS. Others are under consideration globally for future mobile use. Below is a

selection of bands under consideration by other entities, which the FCC and NTIA may consider

as they strive to meet reallocation mandates in P.L. 119-21.

1.3-1.35 GHz

In a March 2025 proposal, DOD suggested that it could vacate its systems from the 1.3-1.35 GHz

band to provide 50 megahertz of spectrum for mobile services.113 Congress had been considering

reallocation and auction of the Lower 3 GHz band; DOD offered alternative proposals, which

included reallocation and auction of several other bands, including the 1.3-1.35 GHz band.

The band has been under study for several years, pursuant to the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015

(P.L. 114-74, Title X), which directed the Secretary of Commerce to identify, by January 1, 2022,

exploration-satellite (passive) and space research (passive) services in their future planning of the bands 6425-7025

MHz and 7025-7250 MHz.”)

112 White House, “Winning the 6G Race,” presidential memorandum, December 19, 2025,

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/national-security-presidential-memorandum-nspm-8-0bda/.

The Secretary of Defense is using a secondary “Secretary of War” designation under Executive Order 14347 of

September 5, 2025.

113 See “DOD Spectrum Proposal,” March 25, 2025, which can be accessed via Jimm Phillips and Howard Buskirk,

“DOD Floats Vacating 420 MHz of Spectrum for Auction but Retaining Lower 3 GHz Band,” Communications Daily,

April 7, 2025, https://communicationsdaily.com/search/view?search_id=42437 (link requires paid subscription).

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

30 megahertz of spectrum below 3 GHz for reallocation from federal to (1) nonfederal use, (2)

shared federal and nonfederal use, or (3) a combination thereof.114 The act directs the President to

clear the band (i.e., withdraw or modify the federal frequency assignments) no later than January

1, 2022, and for the FCC to begin, by July 1, 2024, an auction of the 30 megahertz below 3

GHz.115

Several bands were targeted for study by NTIA and federal agencies, including the 1.3-1.35 GHz

band. The band is used by the FAA, DOD, and the Department of Homeland Security for longrange radar systems for air surveillance to conduct air traffic control, border surveillance, early

warning missile detection, and more.116 In 2017, the agencies jointly proposed studies to

determine the feasibility of developing a joint national aircraft, weather, and homeland security

surveillance system, potentially vacating these long-range air surveillance systems from the 1.31.35 GHz band.117

The agencies received funding from the SRF to study the feasibility of reallocating or sharing

spectrum in 1.3-1.35 GHz band and to recover costs associated with sharing or relocating

systems.118 Separately, DOD received funding from the SRF to assess the potential for sharing

with commercial users, as some of their systems were expected to remain in the band.119 Per

NTIA, the studies were expected to be completed by 2021, in time for a repurposing decision by

January 2022 and an auction by July 2024.120 However, in its 2023 Annual Report on the Status of

Spectrum Repurposing and Other Initiatives, NTIA stated that, after such studies, agencies had

significant concerns about the impact of repurposing the band on radar systems operating in the

1.3-1.35 GHz band.121 NTIA noted that it would continue to work with federal stakeholders to

identify 30 megahertz for commercial use, as mandated in P.L. 114-74.

Globally, the band is used for the same purpose—long-range radar systems to monitor

commercial aircraft. In 2019, the 1.3-1.35 GHz band was proposed for future studies to determine

whether it could accommodate mobile use.122 In 2023, several entities, including the International

Civil Aviation Organization—a specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes safety,

regularity, and efficiency in global air transit—opposed future studies in the band. It stated that

114 P.L. 114-74, Title X. (The act excludes the 1,675-1,695 MHz band from auction.)

115 P.L. 114-74, Title X, §1007. The act extended the FCC’s auction authority for this 30-megahertz segment through

September 30, 2025. For more information, see CRS Report R47258, FCC Spectrum Auction Authority: Background

and Proposals for Extension, by Jill C. Gallagher and Patricia Moloney Figliola.

116 NTIA, Annual Report on the Status of Spectrum Repurposing and Other Initiatives, March 2023, p. 14,

https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/publications/annual_spectrum_repurposing_initiatives_report_final.pdf.

117 DOT Office of Inspector General, FAA Has Taken Steps to Advance the SENSR Program, but Opportunities and

Risks Remain, April 23, 2019, p. 4, https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/

FAA%20SENSR%20Program%20Final%20Report%5E04-23-19.pdf; and NTIA, Second Annual Report on the Status

of Spectrum Repurposing, December 2020, p. 14, https://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/publications/

second_annual_ntia_spectrum_repurposing_report.pdf.

118 NTIA, Annual Report on the Status of Spectrum Repurposing, August 2019, p. 13, https://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/

publications/second_annual_ntia_spectrum_repurposing_report.pdf. The SRF is codified at 47 U.S.C. §928.

119 NTIA, Annual Report on the Status of Spectrum Repurposing and Other Initiatives, March 2023, p. 21.

120 NTIA, Annual Report on the Status of Spectrum Repurposing, August 2019, pp. 13-14.

121 NTIA, Annual Report on the Status of Spectrum Repurposing and Other Initiatives, March 2023, p. 21.

122 Resolution 250 of WRC-19 called for global studies of 1.3-1.35 GHz. See ITU, “ITU-R Preliminary Studies for

WRC-27 (Agenda Item 2.9),” https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/study-groups/rcpm/Pages/wrc-27-preliminary-studies.aspx.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

past studies have not shown the potential for compatibility of mobile services in the band, nor are

alternative radio frequencies available to support these radar systems.123

In March 2025, as Congress contemplated the reallocation and auction of the Lower 3 GHz band,

DOD proposed vacating its radar systems from the 1.3-1.35 GHz band.124 Vacating the band

could make up to 50 megahertz of spectrum available for commercial use; however, some have

raised concerns about the impact mobile services may have on other systems and agencies

operating in the band. In a May 12, 2025, letter to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy,

Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and

Transportation, noted that DOD had proposed spectrum for mobile use where FAA radars operate.

She also asked about the impact of such reallocation on FAA systems and safety, and whether

DOD had coordinated with the FAA on this proposal.125

If the 1.3-1.35 GHz band is identified for reallocation and auction, Congress may seek

information on potential impacts to federal systems operating in the band and adjacent bands.126

1.78-1.85 GHz

In May 2025, DOD suggested that it could vacate its systems from the 1.78-1.85 GHz band. This

could make 50 megahertz of spectrum available for mobile services; however, there are other

agencies operating in the band—some of which were relocated from the 1.755-1.780 GHz band

prior to its auction in 2015.

Prior to 2015, the broader band—1.755-1.850 GHz—was used by more than 20 federal agencies,

including DOD, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, Bonneville Power

Administration, and NASA, for a variety of uses.127 Starting in 2010, the band was identified for

123 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), “Updated ICAO Position for the ITU WRC-23,” July 19, 2023,

https://www.icao.int/sites/default/files/FSMP/SL.2023.60.english.pdf. (ICAO urged its members to participate in their

nations spectrum discussions and delegations to international meetings to ensure their positions reflect aviation needs,

including on the 1.3-1.35 band, where proposals to use the band for mobile services could cause harmful interference to

incumbent radar systems.) European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administration (CEPT), “CEPT

Electronic Communications Committee, Status of CEPT Preparation for WRC-23,” September 22, 2023, p. 74,

https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/conferences/wrc/2023/Documents/2023-0922%20Status%20of%20CEPT%20preparation%20for%20WRC23%20%2822%20September%202023%29rev%201.pdf. (CEPT coordinates spectrum use in Europe and did not

support study of the 1.3-1.35 GHz band in 2023.)

124 See “DOD Spectrum Proposal,” March 25, 2025, which can be accessed via Jimm Phillips and Howard Buskirk,

“DOD Floats Vacating 420 MHz of Spectrum for Auction but Retaining Lower 3 GHz Band,” Communications Daily,

April 7, 2025, https://communicationsdaily.com/search/view?search_id=42437 (link requires paid subscription).

125 Letter from Sen. Maria Cantwell to Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation, May 12, 2025,

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/17240991-C943-48C7-A51B-7B836736A5A1.

126 NTIA, Annual Report on the Status of Spectrum Repurposing and Other Initiatives, March 2023,

https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/publications/annual_spectrum_repurposing_initiatives_report_final.pdf. In this

report, NTIA notes concerns about reallocation of the band from the National Science Foundation and the impact of

mobile services on radio astronomy services operating in the band and on passive remote sensing (reading of natural

radio signals for earth observations) in the nearby 1,400-1,427 MHz band.

127 NTIA, Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act: Annual Progress Report for 2023, September 2024, p. 13,

https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2024-10/2023-csea-report.pdf; and 5G Americas, Mid-Band Spectrum Update,

March 2023, p. 6, https://www.5gamericas.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Mid-Band-Spectrum-Update-2023-Id.pdf.

(Uses include fixed point-to-point microwave, military tactical radio, air combat training systems, precision-guided

munitions, law enforcement mobile video surveillance, telemetry training for federal space systems, air-to-ground

telemetry, unmanned aerial systems, and more.)

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

potential reallocation to mobile use by the FCC and NTIA.128 In 2015, the Lower segment (1.7551.780 GHz) was reallocated for advanced wireless services (e.g., mobile services) and

auctioned.129 Certain federal systems were to remain in the band with the spectrum shared

between federal and nonfederal users; other systems were relocated to other bands or

reconfigured to operate only in the upper segment of the band (1.780-1.850 GHz).130 The total

sharing and relocation costs, which were covered by the auction, were over $4.5 billion,131 and

the transition took about 10 years to complete.132

In 2017, a report prepared for CTIA—the wireless industry association—discussed potential

reallocation of the 1.78-1.85 GHz band for shared commercial and federal use, with coordination

zones to protect federal operations from any interference from 5G operations.133 Most recently,

DOD proposed vacating its systems from several spectrum bands, including 1.78-1.85 GHz, to

make 50 megahertz available for commercial wireless use.134

Reallocating and auctioning the band could fulfill spectrum mandates in P.L. 119-21, and

proceeds could help to meet budgetary goals. However, some Members of Congress have raised

concerns about reallocating the 1.78-1.85 GHz band for commercial use. In particular, Senator

Cantwell, in a May 6, 2025, letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, expressed concern

regarding DOD’s proposal to reallocate and auction certain bands where other agencies also have

systems operating in the band. Senator Cantwell stated the need to “understand the full

consequences” to all agencies before spectrum is reallocated and auctioned.135 In addition, in a

May 12, 2025, letter to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Senator Cantwell asked whether

DOT had evaluated the potential interference to aviation telemetry and whether DOT was

consulted before DOD identified the 1.78-1.85 GHz band for reallocation.136 If the band is

selected for reallocation, Congress may seek to assess the costs, benefits, and timelines for

reallocation and any impacts reallocation may have on federal systems operating in the band.

128 FCC, Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan, March 17, 2010, pp. 86-87, 96-97,

https://transition.fcc.gov/national-broadband-plan/national-broadband-plan.pdf; and NTIA, Plan and Timetable to

Make Available 500 Megahertz of Spectrum for Wireless Broadband, October 2010, p. 7, https://www.ntia.gov/files/

ntia/publications/tenyearplan_11152010.pdf.

129 FCC, “Auction 97: Advanced Wireless Services (AWS-3),” https://www.fcc.gov/auction/97.

130 NTIA, “1755-1850 MHz,” December 1, 2015, https://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/publications/compendium/1755.001850.00_01DEC15.pdf. For affected agencies, see FCC, “The Federal Communications Commission and the National

Telecommunications and Information Administration: Coordination Procedures in the 1695-1710 MHz and 1755-1780

MHz Bands (GN-Docket No. 13-185),” public notice, July 18, 2014, pp. 3-4, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/

DA-14-1023A1.pdf.

131 FCC, “Auction of Advanced Wireless Services (AWS-3) Licenses Scheduled for November 13, 2014,” public

notice, July 23, 2014, p. 16 (paras. 39-41), https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-14-1018A1.pdf. Sharing and

relocation costs were funded through AWS-3 spectrum auction proceeds, which yielded over $42 billion.

132 NTIA, Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act: Annual Progress Report for 2023, September 2024, p. 13.

133 Coleman Bazelon, “The Next Wave of Spectrum Reallocation: The Value of Additional Mid-Band Spectrum

Reallocations,” Brattle Group (prepared for CTIA), November 14, 2017, p. 5, https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF16/

20171116/106636/HHRG-115-IF16-20171116-SD005-U5.pdf.

134 See “DOD Spectrum Proposal,” March 25, 2025, which can be accessed via Jimm Phillips and Howard Buskirk,

“DOD Floats Vacating 420 MHz of Spectrum for Auction but Retaining Lower 3 GHz Band,” Communications Daily,

April 7, 2025, https://communicationsdaily.com/search/view?search_id=42437 (link requires paid subscription).

135 Letter from Sen. Maria Cantwell to Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, May 6, 2025,

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/2B29105E-75BF-4D7B-B6B2-7AEC58053698.

136 Letter from Sen. Maria Cantwell to Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation, May 12, 2025,

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/17240991-C943-48C7-A51B-7B836736A5A1.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

3.55-3.7 GHz

The 3.55-3.7 GHz band (CBRS) is allocated for shared federal and nonfederal use. For this band,

the FCC created a three-tiered access and authorization framework to allow federal users priority

access and protection from interference, while also allowing some licensed and unlicensed

commercial use, coordinated through a third-party-managed spectrum access system (SAS).

Licenses were auctioned in August 2020, yielding about $4.5 billion. Views on usage of this band

vary. CTIA asserted in 2023 that the band is underutilized.137 In November 2024, NTIA reported

on increased usage and deployment in the band, including in rural areas.138

In May 2025, as Congress considered various bands for reallocation as part of the reconciliation

process, DOD was reportedly contemplating a spectrum plan that supported a proposal initiated

by AT&T that would move low-power CBRS (Tier III) users to the Lower 3 GHz band to share

with DOD systems.139 The intent would be to reauction the 3.55-3.7 GHz band for exclusive,

high-power 5G mobile use. Mobile network operators support the proposal;140 CBRS users who

have invested in the band oppose the plan.141

Federated Wireless, a SAS provider, asserted in an August 2025 filing to the FCC that the CBRS

federal/nonfederal sharing model has been a success. With over 400,000 deployed CBRS devices,

more than 1,200 different network operators, more than 1,000 certified device types, over 2

million consumer devices operating in the band, and no reports of interference to incumbent

users, CBRS has exceeded goals for sharing in the band, according to the company.142 WISPA, an

organization that advocates for internet service providers, stated that it relies on CBRS to provide

broadband service to thousands of end users, many in rural regions. It argued that changes in use

(allowing for increased power levels and expanding Tier II areas) or forcing relocation would

require operators either to use existing equipment in a smaller service area (reducing customers)

or to invest in higher-power equipment (costing them money).143 WISPA argued that changing the

rules “would strand investment, chill innovation, and impose costs” and affect rural areas.144

While the CBRS band was not excluded from reallocation and auction in P.L. 119-21, there is

some interest in Congress in preserving the band for its existing use. In September 2025, 10

Republican Senators wrote FCC Chairman Brendan Carr urging the Commission to preserve

137 CTIA, “CTIA Comments on NTIA CBRS Data Report,” May 31, 2023, https://www.ctia.org/positions/documents/

ctia-comments-on-ntia-cbrs-data-report.

138 NTIA, “NTIA Submits Comments on ITS CBRS Usage Report,” November 18, 2024, https://www.ntia.gov/fccfiling/2024/ntia-submits-comments-its-cbrs-usage-report.

139 Low-power systems enable many users to share the same spectrum, offering specialized services in localized areas

at lower power levels to avoid interference among users. Rhonda Johnson, “Ten Years Later: A New Vision for the 3

GHz Band,” AT&T Connects (blog), October 9, 2024, https://www.attconnects.com/ten-years-later-a-new-vision-forthe-3-ghz-band/; and Mike Dano, “DoD Reportedly Enlists in AT&T’s Plan to Blow Up CBRS,” Light Reading, May

1, 2025, https://www.lightreading.com/5g/dod-reportedly-enlists-in-at-t-s-plan-to-blow-up-cbrs-band.

140 Letter from Thomas C. Power, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, CTIA, to Charles Cooper, Acting

Director, Institute for Telecommunication Sciences, NTIA, May 31, 2023, https://its.ntia.gov/media/yz2dhhjd/ctiacomments-on-ntia-tr-23-567.pdf.

141 Monica Alleven, “DoD’s Latest Spectrum Proposal Is Not Good for CBRS,” Fierce Wireless, May 1, 2025,

https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/dods-latest-spectrum-proposal-not-looking-good-cbrs.

142 Letter from Kurt Schaubach, Chief Technology Officer, Federated Wireless, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC,

June 9, 2025, https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10609032926080/1.

143 Letter from David Zumwalt, President & CEO, WISPA, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, July 25, 2025,

https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10725886504287/1.

144 Letter from David Zumwalt, President & CEO, WISPA, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, July 14, 2025,

https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10714036520689/1.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

existing operations in the CBRS band, to protect rural broadband services and Wi-Fi access, and

to support small business investments in the band, competition, and innovation.145

In an alternative proposal, DOD suggested that it could vacate its (Navy) radars from the CBRS

band to make 100 megahertz of spectrum available for commercial wireless use via auction.146

This proposal raised concerns among some policymakers. In a May 6, 2025, letter to Secretary of

Defense Pete Hegseth, Senator Cantwell raised concerns about recent DOD spectrum proposals

and asked the Secretary whether relocating Navy systems from the CBRS band could disrupt

DOD detection and response capabilities.147 While relocating Navy radars from the CBRS band

could free spectrum for commercial wireless use, it could also affect DOD systems and

capabilities and incumbent users operating in the Lower 3 GHz band, and could present

significant costs.

The CBRS band falls within the 1.3-10.5 GHz range targeted for relocation and auction in P.L.

119-21. Options proposed for the band affect users differently. A challenge for the spectrum

management agencies is that there are competing pressures. There are mandated spectrum targets

and timelines in the act, a limited amount of spectrum available in the range specified, and

pressures from Congress to leave the CBRS band intact, due to U.S. security and economic

interests.148 As demand for spectrum increases, Congress may seek to review spectrum holdings,

assess spectrum demand, and examine leading and innovative sharing models that promote more

efficient spectrum use.

5.925-7.125 GHz

The 6 GHz band (5.925-7.125 GHz) has some licensed users (e.g., utilities, commercial and

private entities, public safety agencies) who use the frequencies mainly to transmit data between

wireless networks and wireline networks where fiber installation may be challenging. Some

broadcasting entities use the band to transmit programming from remote locations and special

events, and others use the band to provide satellite services.

In 2020, the FCC adopted rules to also permit unlicensed use in the band. The FCC allows lowpower access points to enable Wi-Fi connections, as well as standard-power access points that

could enable wireless service providers, in coordination with other users, to extend their network

coverage and capacity.149 The band—1,200 megahertz of spectrum—enabled expansive use of

connected devices, meaning that entities could access and use the band without a license (for

free), provided that their equipment complies with Wi-Fi 6E standards and FCC terms and

conditions designed to avoid interference among users. The band is used heavily for Wi-Fi

services and connected devices; an ecosystem of devices that can operate in the band is emerging

(e.g., laptops, smartphones, surveillance cameras).

145 Letter from Sen. Steve Daines et al. to Brendan Carr, FCC Chairman, September 10, 2025,

https://spectrumfuture.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FILE_1767.pdf.

146 See “DOD Spectrum Proposal,” March 25, 2025, which can be accessed via Jimm Phillips and Howard Buskirk,

“DOD Floats Vacating 420 MHz of Spectrum for Auction but Retaining Lower 3 GHz Band,” Communications Daily,

April 7, 2025, https://communicationsdaily.com/search/view?search_id=42437 (link requires paid subscription).

147 Letter from Sen. Maria Cantwell to Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, May 6, 2025,

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/2B29105E-75BF-4D7B-B6B2-7AEC58053698.

148 Monica Alleven, “DoD’s Latest Spectrum Proposal Is Not Good for CBRS,” Fierce Wireless, May 1, 2025,

https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/dods-latest-spectrum-proposal-not-looking-good-cbrs.

149 FCC, “Unlicensed Use of the 6 GHz Band,” 85 Federal Register 31390, May 26, 2020.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Some wireless service providers have petitioned the FCC for changes to allow for higher-power

use in the 6 GHz band or to allow for licensed use of the band to accommodate 5G services.150

They argue that demand for wireless services is increasing; portions of both bands were

designated globally for 5G use; “dozens of nations,” including China, have made licensed

spectrum in these bands available; and the failure to allocate these bands for mobile use hinders

development of equipment by U.S. manufacturers—equipment that could be marketed globally,

benefitting U.S. companies and the economy.151

Wi-Fi stakeholders (e.g., cable companies, manufacturers, and Big Tech, such as Apple,

Facebook, and Google) have opposed these requests to allow for licensed use and have pressed

for more spectrum for Wi-Fi.152 They argue that unlicensed use in the 6 GHz band has spurred

innovation and economic growth, and point to a recent study commissioned by a Wi-Fi industry

organization finding that allocation of the 6 GHz band generated an estimated $870 billion in

economic value by 2024; that value is projected to increase to $1.2 trillion by 2027.153

Some versions of H.R. 1, the bill that became P.L. 119-21, would have excluded the 6 GHz band

from reallocation and auction.154 Options for Congress include reallocating all or a portion of the

6 GHz band for commercial licensed use to align with international allocations; leaving the 6

GHz band as it is, protecting unlicensed use; or expanding unlicensed use by allocating the

adjacent 7.125-7.4 GHz band for unlicensed use.

Auction Proceeds

Estimating proceeds from spectrum auctions is challenging. Potential auction proceeds are driven

by the terms of the auction (e.g., the bands auctioned, the amount of spectrum auctioned,

restrictions on use, licensing terms, and private sector demand). Proceeds are also driven by costs,

including relocation costs, and provisions to allocate proceeds to specific programs or purposes.

Below is a discussion of projected auction proceeds under P.L. 119-21.

150 Verizon, Verizon Petition for Reconsideration Before the Federal Communications Commission in the Matter of

Unlicensed Use of the 6 GHz Band (ET Docket No. 18-295) and Expanding Flexible Use in Mid-Band Spectrum

Between 3.7 and 24 GHz (GN Docket No. 17-183), June 25, 2020, pp. 1-2, https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/

106252747102489/1.

151 Verizon, Comments of Verizon Before the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and

Information Administration in the Matter of Development of National Spectrum Strategy (Docket No. NTIA-20230003), April 17, 2023, pp. 17-18, https://www.ntia.doc.gov/sites/default/files/publications/verizon.pdf; and AT&T,

Comments of AT&T Services, Inc. on a National Spectrum Strategy, n.d., pp. 14-15, https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/

files/publications/at_t_0.pdf.

152 Adrian Potoroaca, “Apple, Google and Others Want the FCC to Approve Unlicensed Use of 6 GHz Wi-Fi Band,”

TechSpot, July 29, 2019, https://www.techspot.com/news/81184-apple-google-others-want-fcc-approve-unlicenseduse.html; and Verizon, Comments of Verizon Before the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications

and Information Administration in the Matter of Development of National Spectrum Strategy (Docket No. NTIA-20230003), April 17, 2023, pp. 17-18, https://www.ntia.doc.gov/sites/default/files/publications/verizon.pdf.

153 Raul Katz et al., Assessing the Economic Value of Wi-Fi in the United States, Telecom Advisory Services, LLC,

September 2024, pp. 7-8, https://wififorward.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Assessing-the-Economic-Value-of-WiFi.pdf. (The report cites value in such things as profits from production of Wi-Fi equipment, Wi-Fi services sold for a

fee, and savings to consumers for using Wi-Fi.)

154 For more information, see CRS Report R48559, Proposed Spectrum Provisions in the House Reconciliation Bill

(H.R. 1), by Jill C. Gallagher.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

CBO Estimates of Auction Proceeds

CBO estimated that the auctions prescribed in P.L. 119-21 would generate $85 billion in

offsetting receipts from FY2025 to FY2034.155 Estimates of auction proceeds are driven by

several factors: the bands auctioned, the terms of use, and funds needed to cover federal

relocation or sharing costs, among other things. CBO explains that it has in some cases

overestimated receipts from spectrum auctions and in other cases underestimated receipts due to

uncertainties surrounding auctions, such as fluctuations in market conditions, changes in

technologies that could drive demand and interest in auctions, and the financial and strategic

interests of individual wireless companies.156 Other factors can affect projections of spectrum

receipts: uncertainties around the quantity of spectrum that will be available for auction, exact

bands to be auctioned, costs to relocate incumbent users, and decisions on auction design157 that

are often made by the FCC after the legislation has passed and CBO has completed its estimate.

In P.L. 119-21, Congress has addressed some of these uncertainties. It restored the FCC’s auction

authority for the long term, identified specific bands for auction (mainly in the mid-band and

Upper mid-band ranges) and specific quantities of spectrum, mandated full-power commercial

licensed use, and set timelines for auctions. The act requires NTIA, in its analysis of spectrum

bands, to identify the best approach to maximize net proceeds. Congress may defer to the FCC

and NTIA to coordinate on spectrum identification. Congress could also exercise its oversight

authorities (1) to monitor progress on spectrum identification and reallocation, auction design,

and implementation and (2) to ensure auction design maximizes proceeds, that auctions are on

schedule, and that actual receipts meet budgetary goals established in P.L. 119-21.

Treatment of Proceeds

By law, proceeds from spectrum auctions are to be used to cover FCC costs of conducting the

auction158 and federal agency relocation and sharing costs associated with the auction(s);159

remaining funds are to be deposited into the General Fund of the U.S. Treasury and are to be used

to reduce the deficit,160 unless otherwise specified by Congress. By law, auction proceeds are to

cover 110% of federal relocation or sharing costs; the FCC cannot conclude, and must cancel, the

auction if the auction proceeds are less than 110% of the federal relocation or sharing costs.161

In previous spectrum legislation, Congress has designated a portion of the proceeds for public

interest programs, such as public safety communication systems to improve interoperability

among agencies and improvements to local 911 centers, and for spectrum research, such as

advanced spectrum-sharing technologies and approaches (e.g., see P.L. 112-96, Title VI). Recent

155 CBO, “Table 4. Estimated Budgetary Effects of Public Law 119-21, to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title

II of H. Con. Res. 14, Relative to the Budget Enforcement Baseline for Consideration in the Senate, Title IV,

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, As Enacted on July 4, 2025,” July 21, 2025,

https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbo.gov%2Fsystem%2Ffiles%2F202507%2F61569-pl119-21-2025Recon-BEB.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK.

156 Doug Elendorf, “The Accuracy of CBO’s Budget Projection,” CBO (blog), March 25, 2013, https://www.cbo.gov/

publication/44017.

157 Roger Entner, “Lessons from Spectrum Auctions: Entner,” Fierce Network, February 11, 2021, https://www.fiercenetwork.com/regulatory/lessons-from-spectrum-auctions-entner. (Experts assert that auction design—granting

exclusive use in larger license areas, offering unencumbered spectrum [already cleared, or without incumbents], and

enabling access to contiguous bands have, in the past, driven spectrum price and proceeds.)

158 47 U.S.C. §309(j)(8)(B).

159

47 U.S.C. §309(j)(3)(F).

160 47 U.S.C. §309(j)(8).

161 47 U.S.C. §309(j)(16).

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

spectrum bills reflected the same approach—allocating proceeds to spectrum-sharing research,

next generation 911 improvements, and broadband deployment programs, for example. 162 P.L.

119-21 does not include funding for public interest programs. While some Members proposed

amendments that would have directed some spectrum auction proceeds to public safety,

cybersecurity, and broadband affordability, the measures were defeated.163

Spectrum auctions have generated over $233 billion in receipts for the U.S. government since

they began in 1994.164 Some Members seek to dedicate the revenues from the sale of this public

resource entirely to deficit reduction, while others argue that auction proceeds provide a means to

upgrade public safety systems, invest in spectrum research, or fund other public interest

programs. In P.L. 119-21, proceeds are dedicated entirely to deficit reduction.

Timelines

Another issue for Congress is whether the FCC can complete the auctions and activities in the

timelines given in the act and expedited in the December 2025 presidential memorandum.

Specifically, within two years of enactment (by July 2027), the FCC is to complete an auction of

at least 100 megahertz in the Upper C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz). The FCC has started the process,

issuing an NOI in February 2025 and an NPRM in November 2025. In comparison, the auction

on the Lower C-band (3.7-3.98 GHz) occurred about three years after it was directed by law.165

However, the development of altimeter standards in the 4.2-4.4 GHz band, which may affect the

terms of spectrum use in the Upper C-band, are ongoing and could affect the auction timeline.

Per P.L. 119-21, NTIA is to identify the remaining spectrum within four years of enactment (by

July 2029), and the FCC is to auction that spectrum within eight years of enactment (by July

2033). The December 2025 presidential memorandum expedited these activities, requiring that

the head of NTIA immediately begin the process of identifying the 7.125-7.4 GHz band for

reallocation for full-power commercial licensed use. The presidential memorandum directs the

head of NTIA, in consultation with the White House—specifically, the Assistant to the President

for Economic Policy and the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology—to

immediately commence studies of the 7.125-7.4 GHz band. Further, NTIA, in consultation with

federal incumbents operating in the 7.125-7.4 GHz band, is to determine how to relocate federal

systems to other frequencies, including 7.4-8.4 GHz. That study is to be submitted to the

President, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Assistant to the

President for Science and Technology, and the Assistant to the President for National Security

Affairs, within 12 months of the presidential memorandum (by December 19, 2026). The study is

to also demonstrate how such relocation of systems “will not materially impair the national

security missions or electric grid operations that occur in the 7.125-7.4 GHz band, as identified by

the Secretary of War and the Director of National Intelligence.”166 While the NSS Implementation

Plan set October 2026 as the deadline for the final report, additional considerations in the

162 For example, see H.R. 7624 in the 117th Congress and H.R. 3565 in the 118th Congress.

163 Jericho Casper, “House Commerce Advances $88 Billion Spectrum Auction Plan, Turning Back Amendments,”

Broadband Breakfast, May 14, 2025, https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-commerce-advances-88-billion-spectrumauction-plan-turning-back-amendments/.

164 FCC, “Chairwoman Rosenworcel Statement on the Expiration of FCC Spectrum Auction Authority,” press release,

March 10, 2023, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-391576A1.pdf.

165 MOBILE NOW Act, P.L. 115-141, Division P, Title VI, §§601 et seq. The MOBILE NOW Act became law on

March 23, 2018.

166 White House, “Winning the 6G Race,” presidential memorandum, December 19, 2025,

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/national-security-presidential-memorandum-nspm-8-0bda/.

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

presidential memorandum (e.g., consulting with the White House; designating the band for fullpower commercial licensed use; assessing impairment to the grid) may affect the study’s timeline.

As a comparison, per the NSS Implementation Plan, the study of the 3.1-3.45 GHz band took

several years. Further, as the 7/8 GHz band is on the agenda for WRC-27, and it is in the interest

of the United States to align its spectrum use with global use, outcomes of WRC-27 may also

affect 7/8 GHz band use.

Congress may choose to conduct oversight on the activities and timelines prescribed in the act to

ensure that spectrum is brought to market and budget goals are met.

Valuation Report

P.L. 119-21, Title IV, Section 40002(f), provides DOC with $50 million for the head of NTIA to

conduct analysis of three new bands and to publish a biennial report on the value of federal

spectrum. Experts have identified challenges in valuing federal spectrum. For example,

measuring allocation and actual use is difficult, especially as some use is in a classified setting.

There is a lack of market pricing (i.e., no comparatives). National security and public safety

considerations complicate economic models; there is no economic value or comparable market

value for national security functions. Gauging opportunity costs is difficult, given for example,

that all bands do not provide the same characteristics or behave in the same way; some, such as

those used in passive sensors for weather data, are unique—there may be a lack of

substitutability.167 Thus, moving users from one band to another is not always possible, nor are

the bands always comparable.

Some Members of the 119th Congress have proposed legislation with additional instruction for

NTIA. For example, S. 792 would direct NTIA, working with the FCC and the Office of

Management and Budget, to estimate the value federal spectrum bands would have if the bands

were reallocated for licensed or unlicensed commercial wireless use with the highest potential

value. It also directs NTIA to use “dynamic scoring,” which accounts for macroeconomic impacts

(e.g., secondary impacts) of the reallocation. S. 794 would require the head of NTIA to audit

federal spectrum allocation and use and to identify spectrum not being used. Some economists

assert that a better system of audits—for both federal and commercial use—would help to

identify opportunities for reallocating or sharing spectrum.168 The challenge of valuation is that

spectrum use is continually changing, and new technologies are constantly emerging, creating

new demands on spectrum even as incumbent users may be upgrading or relocating systems. For

this reason, some Members have advocated for long-term strategic planning and have proposed

legislation for inventorying by the FCC and NTIA to facilitate effective spectrum management

decisions.169

167 Sarah Oh Lam and Scott Wallsten, “Federal Spectrum Management Valuation, Management, and Reform: Key

Takeaways,” Technology Policy Institute, March 6, 2025, https://techpolicyinstitute.org/publications/broadband/

spectrum-and-wireless/federal-spectrum-valuation-management-and-reform-panel-discussion/; and ITU, Exploring the

Value and Economic Valuation of Spectrum, April 2012, https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-d/opb/pref/D-PREFBB.RPT3-2012-PDF-E.pdf.

168 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, America Offline? How Spectrum

Auction Delays Give China the Edge and Cost Us Jobs, hearing, 119th Cong., 1st sess., February 19, 2025 (see

statements from Dr. Hazlett regarding the need for audit of spectrum use).

169 For example, see S. 2869.

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Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Presidential Powers on Spectrum

P.L. 119-21 stipulates that the President shall modify and withdraw any frequency proposed for

reallocation under the act no later than 60 days before the commencement of an auction if the

President determines that such modification or withdrawal is necessary to protect U.S. national

security. While the President has authority to amend, modify, or revoke frequency assignments,

these authorities have generally been delegated to the Secretary of Commerce, not including the

authority to make final disposition of appeals from frequency assignments.170

Given recent spectrum disputes,171 NTIA, as the spectrum management agency representing

federal agency and national spectrum interests in discussions with the FCC, has clarified

coordination processes with the FCC in a memorandum of understanding. The agencies are to

meet regularly on spectrum, communicate on spectrum actions, and identify as early as possible

in the decisionmaking process technical issues that have a likelihood of generating disputes and

are to act to assess such issues. If such disputes cannot be resolved by senior spectrum staff, they

may be referred to the head of NTIA and to the FCC Chair for consideration.172

In some cases, Congress has adopted alternative processes for spectrum dispute resolution in

legislation. For example, in the IIJA (P.L. 117-58), Congress directed the Secretary of Commerce

to identify spectrum, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the Director of the Office

of Science and Technology Policy, and provided that the Secretary of Commerce may identify

frequencies only if the Secretary of Defense determined that sharing those frequencies with

nonfederal users would not impact primary military uses in the band.

In the development of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, a

similar debate ensued.173 A version of the NDAA for FY2026 (S. 2296) passed by the Senate in

October 2025 would have restricted modifications to the Lower 3 GHz and the 7/8 GHz bands

until the DSS model defined in the EMBRSS report is fully operational, unless the Secretary of

Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff together certify to Congress that the

modification would not result in a loss of capability for the armed forces.174 The House version

(H.R. 3838), passed on September 10, 2025, did not include those provisions. Wireless industry

associations and several advocacy organizations opposed the Senate provision, arguing that it

would undermine the directives in P.L. 119-21, give DOD “veto power” in spectrum decisions,

and override presidential authorities.175 The White House also opposed this provision, stating that

170 47 U.S.C. §902(b)(2)(A).

171 See CRS In Focus IF12046, National Spectrum Policy: Interference Issues in the 5G Context, by Ling Zhu.

172 NTIA, “Memorandum of Understanding Between the Federal Communications Commission and the National

Telecommunications and Information Administration,” August 1, 2022, p. 4, https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/

publications/ntia-fcc-spectrum_mou-8.2022.pdf.

173 Jimm Phillips, “Cruz, Pro-DOD Senators Tussle Over NDAA Language to Halt Military Spectrum Reallocation,”

Communications Daily, October 8, 2025, https://communicationsdaily.com/article/2025/10/08/cruz-prodod-senatorstussle-over-ndaa-language-to-halt-military-spectrum-reallocation-2510070037?BC=bc_69987e3d7c809.

174 S. 2296, Division A, Title XV, Subtitle D, §1564.

175 Letter from Ajit Pai, President and CEO of CTIA, to Sen. John Thune, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Rep. Mike Johnson,

and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, November 13, 2025, https://api.ctia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CTIA-Letter-toLeadership-11-13-25-1.pdf; Deborah Collier, “DOD Must Not Be Allowed to Veto Spectrum Availability,” Citizens

Against Government Waste, October 16, 2025, https://www.cagw.org/dod-must-not-be-allowed-to-veto-spectrumavailability/; and Free State Foundation (@FSFthinktank), “I agree w/@dcolliercagw @GovWaste on this. And there is

an additional reason @SenatorFischer’s amendment should be stricken. It would preclude the president from exercising

ultimate control of the Executive Branch. This violates #separationofpowers,” X post, October 16, 2025.

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Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

it would hinder the President’s executive authority.176 The final NDAA for FY2026 (P.L. 119-60),

enacted December 18, 2025, did not include the provision.

In the NSS Implementation Plan, the executive branch specified a dispute resolution process. For

the Lower 3 GHz and the 7/8 GHz bands, the plan states, “Outstanding issues arising from the

study implementation, results, or recommendations (if any) will be subject to resolution as set

forth in the President’s February 4, 2021, Memorandum on Renewing the National Security

Council System. Furthermore, the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may, if it so chooses, provide

a written National Security Risk Assessment to the President through the Secretary of Defense

before any decision is made to repurpose this band.”177 The 2021 presidential memorandum

specifies that the National Security Council shall be the “principal forum for consideration of

national security policy issues requiring Presidential determination,” and establishes interagency

committees to consider issues affecting national security and to advise the President.178

On December 19, 2025, directly after signing the NDAA for FY2026, President Trump issued a

presidential memorandum, “Winning the 6G Race,” which accelerates studies of several bands,

focusing particularly on reallocation of federal systems in the 7.125-7.4 GHz band, and provides

for extensive involvement of White House officials in spectrum relocation studies and

decisionmaking. While coordination with the White House could add complexity and time to

spectrum decisionmaking, some experts assert that involvement from the White House on

spectrum issues could focus and enhance interagency coordination on critical spectrum issues and

support U.S. leadership on global spectrum policy.179

Concluding Observations

In P.L. 119-21, Congress established a spectrum pipeline—it identified quantities of spectrum for

reallocation, specific bands for reallocation, and bands for future study. Freeing spectrum for

commercial use can spur innovation, improve services, yield economic gains, and bolster U.S.

leadership in the global telecommunications market. Given increasing wireless technology use,

rising demand for spectrum from multiple emerging technologies (e.g., mobile, satellite, Wi-Fi),

and current spectrum use by federal and nonfederal users, spectrum reallocation is expected to be

challenging and time consuming. Considering mandates in P.L. 119-21 and in the December 2025

presidential memorandum, the FCC and NTIA may face challenges in identifying and

reallocating 800 megahertz of spectrum for full-power commercial licensed use in the spectrum

range and timelines specified in the act.

As Congress is relying on proceeds from spectrum auctions to fund provisions in P.L. 119-21, it

may seek to monitor (1) agencies’ progress in identifying spectrum for reallocation; (2) bands

selected for reallocation; (3) the impact of reallocation on incumbent users, including federal

176 White House, “Statement of Administration Policy: S. 2296 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year

2026,” September 9, 2025, p. 7, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SAP-S2296-Senate-NDAA9.9.25.pdf.

177 NTIA, National Spectrum Strategy Implementation Plan, March 2024, pp. A-6, A-9, https://www.ntia.gov/sites/

default/files/publications/national-spectrum-strategy-implementation-plan.pdf.

178 White House, “Memorandum on Renewing the National Security Council System,” presidential memorandum,

February 4, 2021, https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/memorandum-renewing-the-national-security-councilsystem.

179 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, America Offline? How Spectrum

Auction Delays Give China the Edge and Cost Us Jobs, hearing, 119th Cong., 1st sess., February 19, 2025 (e.g., see

statements supporting involvement of the White House in spectrum decisions from Matt Pearl, Director, Strategic

Technologies Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies).

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Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

agency users performing critical functions; and (4) auction proceeds and timelines to ensure

budgetary targets are met. Options for Congress include pursuing additional auctions of other

bands under study or reallocation of bands identified globally for specific technologies (e.g.,

satellite). Areas of debate may include balancing spectrum needs among federal and nonfederal

users and among various technologies (e.g., mobile, satellite, Wi-Fi, and other emerging

technologies).

Congressional Research Service

Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Appendix A. Background on Spectrum

Spectrum refers to the range of radio waves that enable wireless communications. These waves

can travel through space at the speed of light. They can be generated naturally, from the Sun, for

example, or artificially using technologies such as transmitters found in smartphones, AM/FM

transmitters, and radar systems. Radio waves have different wavelengths, frequency rates (i.e.,

oscillation rates), and energy levels. The frequency is measured in hertz (Hz), or cycles per

second. For a wave with a frequency rate of

•

1 kilohertz (kHz), 1,000 waves pass through a given point in the interval of one

second;

1 megahertz (MHz), 1 million waves pass through a given point in the interval of

one second; and

1 gigahertz (GHz), 1 billion waves pass through a given point in the interval of

one second.

Frequency and wavelength have an inverse relationship. High energy, high frequency waves have

shorter wavelengths; low energy, low frequency waves have longer wavelengths. Each wave

(known by its frequency, such as 99.5 MHz or 7.125 GHz) has different characteristics, which

cause them to behave differently from one another. Lower frequency waves can bend around

obstacles, allowing them to travel longer distances than higher frequency waves; these waves are

useful for carrying communications across wide areas. Higher frequency waves can carry more

data (i.e., more bits per second) than lower frequency waves but are more easily absorbed in the

environment, which limits their range.180

Wireless telecommunication providers deploy transmitters to generate radio waves that can carry

communications from one location to another wirelessly. Providers rely on different bands (or

sets of radio frequencies) to provide service.

•

Low-band spectrum—radio waves with frequencies below 1 GHz. These lowfrequency radio waves have long wavelengths, can travel long distances (50 to

100 miles from a cell site) and around obstacles with less attenuation (i.e., signal

loss), enabling reliable, wide area coverage; however, low-band spectrum

typically has less capacity to carry data and lower transmission speeds.

Mid-band spectrum—radio waves with frequencies in the 1-6 GHz range. These

radio waves can travel moderate distances (e.g., a few miles to 25 miles), offering

broad coverage, ability to penetrate obstacles, and capacity to carry more data

than low-band frequencies, and at higher speeds. These characteristics make midband spectrum optimal for mobile communications and valuable to providers.

High-band spectrum—radio waves with frequencies above 6 GHz. These highfrequency radio waves have shorter wavelengths and limited range (less than a

mile) and limited ability to penetrate obstacles (e.g., walls, trees); however, these

high-frequency waves have the greatest capacity to carry data at high speeds and

with less latency (i.e., lag time).

180 In telecommunications, voice and data communications are converted into digital data—a series of 0s and 1s (called

binary digits). Binary digits (bits) are the most basic unit of data in computing and digital communications. Radio

frequency waves can be altered (or modulated) to represent and transmit the binary data. Each cycle of a wave can be

modulated to represent a single bit of data (0 or 1). With more cycles per second, more bits per second can be

transmitted, effectively increasing the data rate. Thus, higher frequency waves can transmit more data.

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Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Figure A-1 depicts the radio spectrum—the range of radio waves that enables various wireless

communications (e.g., mobile use, including cellular; AM/FM radio; satellite television; Wi-Fi;

military radio communications on the ground, in the air, and at sea; military radar and detection

for national security; air traffic control systems; and research).

Figure A-1. Radio Spectrum

Low-Band, Mid-Band, High-Band Segments and Characteristics

Source: CRS.

Notes: This graphic shows the radio spectrum, that is, those frequencies from 3 kilohertz (kHz) to 300

gigahertz (GHz), and their characteristics. It shows low-band (below 1 GHz), mid-band (1-6 GHz), and high-band

(above 6 GHz), and their characteristics. Kilohertz is a measure of a wave oscillation rate equivalent to 1,000

waves passing through a one-second interval; gigahertz is a radio wave with an oscillation rate equivalent to 1

billion wave crests passing through a one-second interval. Megabits per second (Mbps) refers to the speed of

data transfer over a network. At 20-30 Mbps, users can typically stream videos, download large files, and support

multiple connected devices in the home, for example. A speed of 100 Mbps could support more people

streaming and browsing simultaneously, high-definition streaming, online gaming, video conferencing, and file

downloads. Speeds above 250 Mbps and into gigahertz speeds can support multiple users streaming highdefinition video, simultaneous online gaming, ultrafast downloads, reliable video calls.

Different technologies rely on different radio frequency bands to transmit voice and data.

Transmitters are built to transmit on certain frequencies or across a range of frequencies. The

selection of frequencies is not random. Service providers and manufacturers pair technologies

with certain frequencies to develop new uses. Service providers must obtain permission from

government regulators to transmit on those frequencies. Regulators ensure that the assignment of

frequencies for a new user or use does not interfere with others operating in the same band in the

same area. Equipment is typically built to operate within a range of frequencies; changing an

entity’s frequency assignments may affect its ability to transmit and receive communications or

may change aspects of its transmissions (e.g., coverage and capacity).

As new technologies emerge and require access to spectrum to operate, regulators will need to

examine incumbent use, opportunities for sharing frequencies in the band, potential for

interference, costs and benefits of reallocating spectrum (e.g., changing use of the band) and

relocating incumbent users, and other methods to maximize spectrum use. In some cases,

regulators will need to press for improvements to technologies to improve spectrum efficiency.

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Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

While spectrum is an unlimited resource, preferences for certain bands can lead to congestion or

interference in those bands, which can limit access. With technological advancement, some

technologies have been engineered to be more spectrally efficient, which can free spectrum for

new uses. Since most of the radio spectrum is in use, finding spectrum for new uses is

challenging. Regulators may open bands for sharing, designate a segment of a band for a new use,

or relocate incumbent users to make spectrum available for new uses.

Spectrum Management in the United States

Spectrum—the radio waves that enable wireless communications—is a public resource. In the

United States, spectrum access and use are managed by two agencies: the National

Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), an agency in the Department of

Commerce that manages federal use, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC),

which manages nonfederal (e.g., commercial) spectrum use. Together, the agencies coordinate to

manage spectrum use in the United States.

NTIA can assign specific frequencies to federal agencies. The FCC may assign frequencies to

nonfederal entities (e.g., state and local police, satellite operators) through an administrative

process or, when two or more mutually exclusive applicants seek an initial spectrum license (i.e.,

request to use the same frequencies), must grant the license through competitive bidding (i.e.,

auction).181 Auctions enable entities to bid on licenses, which grant them rights to use specific

frequencies in certain geographic areas.

After auctions, the FCC awards licenses to the highest bidders. The FCC may place conditions on

licenses, such as requirements to operate within specified technical parameters prescribed by the

FCC to avoid interference with other users, and obligations to offer wireless services in a set

timeframe.

181 47 U.S.C. §309(j).

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Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

Appendix B. Spectrum Previously Allocated to

Commercial Licensed Use

Over the last 25 years, the U.S. government has allocated spectrum to support commercial

wireless use—for both licensed and unlicensed use. In its 2023 Annual Report on the Status of

Spectrum Repurposing and Other Initiatives, NTIA said that over 15,214 megahertz of spectrum

have been made available for commercial wireless use, including

•

250 megahertz of low-band spectrum, consisting of 210 megahertz for licensed

use and 40 megahertz for unlicensed use;

3,014 megahertz of mid-band spectrum, consisting of 1,150.5 megahertz for

licensed use and 1,863.5 megahertz for unlicensed use; and

11,950 megahertz of high-band spectrum, consisting of 4,950 megahertz for

licensed use and 7,000 megahertz for unlicensed use.

Per the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), an additional

7,235 megahertz is under study as of March 2023; most of that (6,750 megahertz) is high-band

spectrum, as it is relatively unencumbered and offers some characteristics (e.g., high data

capacity) that are useful to commercial wireless service providers.182

The FCC identifies the following bands allocated for licensed mobile service (Table B-1).183

Table B-1. Allocated Spectrum Suitable and Available for Mobile Service

Banda

Frequenciesb

Suitable and Available Spectruma

Low-Band (Below 1 GHz) Spectrum

600 MHz

614-698 MHz*

70 megahertz

700 MHz

698-806 MHz

70 megahertz

Cellular

824-849 MHz

869-894 MHz

50 megahertz

SMR

800/900 MHz

14 megahertz

Total

204 megahertz

Mid-Band (1-6 GHz) Spectrum

AWS-3

1695-1710 MHz

1755-1780 MHz*

2155-2180 MHz*

65 megahertz

PCS

1850-1990 MHz

120 megahertz

PCS G Block

1910-1915 MHz

1990-1995 MHz

10 megahertz

182 NTIA, Annual Report on the Status of Spectrum Repurposing and Other Initiatives, March 2023, p. 14,

https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/publications/annual_spectrum_repurposing_initiatives_report_final.pdf.

183 Table 1 shows the bands that the FCC has identified as “suitable and available” for mobile service. The FCC

reviews transactions (e.g., mergers, acquisitions of spectrum licenses) to assess whether the transaction would result in

one company holding a concentration of licenses. Transactions that meet or exceed the screen amounts trigger a more

intensive review of transactions. For more information, see FCC, “Policies Regarding Mobile Spectrum Holdings,”

https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/competition-infrastructure-policy-division/policies-regarding-mobile.

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PCS H Block

1915-1920 MHz*

1995-2000 MHz*

10 megahertz

AWS-1

1710-1755 MHz

2110-2155 MHz

90 megahertz

AWS-4

2000-2020 MHz*

2180-2200 MHz*

40 megahertz

WCS

2305-2320 MHz*

2345-2360 MHz*

20 megahertz

BRS

2496-2690 MHz

67.5 megahertz

EBS

2496-2690 MHz

117.5 megahertz

3.45 GHz

3.45-3.55 GHz*

100 megahertz

CBRS

3.55-3.65 GHz*

0 megahertzd

C-Band

3.7-3.98 GHz*

280 megahertz

Total

920 megahertz

High-Band or Millimeter Wave (24 GHz+) Spectrum

24 GHz

24.25-24.45 GHz

24.75-25.25 GHz

700 megahertz

28 GHz

27.500-27.925 GHz

27.925-28.350 GHz

850 megahertz

37 GHz

37.6-38.6 GHz

1,000 megahertz

39 GHz

38.6-40.0 GHz

1,400 megahertz

47 GHz

47.2-48.2 GHz

1,000 megahertz

Total

4,950 megahertz

Source: CRS, based on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) notices: FCC, In the Matter of Policies

Regarding Mobile Spectrum Holdings, May 15, 2014, pp. 36-58, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-1463A1.pdf; FCC, In the Matter of T-Mobile License, LLC, February 27, 2024, pp. 14, 16 (fn. 128), https://docs.fcc.gov/

public/attachments/DA-24-171A1.pdf.

Notes: SMR = Specialized Mobile Radio; AWS = Advanced Wireless Services; PCS = Personal Communication

Services; WCS = Wireless Communication Service; BRS = Broadband Radio Service; EBS = Educational

Broadband Service; CBRS = Citizens Broadband Radio Service. Amounts marked with an asterisk indicate bands

identified in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA’s) Plan and Timetable to

Make Available 500 Megahertz of Spectrum for Wireless Broadband, October 2010, https://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/

ntia/publications/tenyearplan_11152010.pdf.

a. Bands have been named by different entities over time, including the International Telecommunications

Union (ITU), an agency of the United Nations that facilitates global communications; the FCC; the Institute

of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a professional organization and standards-making body; U.S.

and foreign military agencies; and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Industry analysts report

that bands were often named by the engineers or scientists who pioneered their use. Some bands were

named for a reason (e.g., C-band was a “compromise” band, providing medium-range coverage where only

long- and short-range satellite coverage existed); the origin of other band names is unknown. Band names

used in this table are those used by the FCC. For more information, see “Why Are Frequency Band

Designations So Confusing?,” Military + Aerospace Electronics, February 19, 2019,

https://www.militaryaerospace.com/directory/blog/14059687/why-are-frequency-band-designations-soconfusing.

b. These are frequencies deemed suitable and available for mobile service. The abbreviation “MHz”

(megahertz) or “GHz” (gigahertz) is used to indicate a specific frequency or range of frequencies in the

band.

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Spectrum Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law

This shows the bandwidth or size of the band. The term “megahertz” is spelled out when it refers to

bandwidth. In some cases, the FCC provides an exact number for the total suitable and available spectrum;

sometimes it rounds the number upward. Thus, total amounts listed in this table are approximate.

The CBRS band has three tiers of users. Tier I is federal users, who have primary access; Tier II is

commercial mobile service providers with Priority Access Licenses, who can use the band but must yield to

Tier I users; and Tier III is general authorized access users, who can use the band as long as they do not

interfere with Tier I and Tier II users. The FCC counts the band as mobile spectrum, but due to its shared

nature, the FCC does not attribute a specific bandwidth.

A substantial amount of spectrum has been allocated for commercial licensed use, which

commercial mobile service providers monetize by providing services to customers (e.g.,

individuals, businesses, government) or by leasing it to other users, such as mobile virtual

network operators (e.g., Red Pocket Mobile), other wireless service providers, or, potentially,

satellite service providers.

Author Information

Jill C. Gallagher

Specialist in Telecommunications Policy

Disclaimer

This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan

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under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other

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R48862 · VERSION 1 · NEW

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