AT&T Hoping for More Spectrum, Fewer State Rate Laws

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2025 – At the top of AT&T’s telecom policy wishlist are: Restoration of the Federal Communications Commission’s spectrum auction authority and opposition to more broadband affordability laws like the one in New York State.

The FCC’s ability to sell off airwaves expired in March 2023 amid concerns over opening up the lower 3 GigaHertz band, occupied by the military but coveted by the 5G industry. But the lapse has also stalled the pipeline of airwaves generally, something wireless carriers are eager to see reversed as customers become more data-hungry.

“The private sector cannot acquire the spectrum it needs in the U.S. until Congress reauthorizes the FCC to conduct auctions and the government allocates more full-power mid-band spectrum for licensed commercial use,” AT&T’s executive vice president of federal regulatory relations Rhonda Johnson wrote in a blog post Wednesday. “Without auctions and a pipeline, the American people get left behind and American leaders get left with no leverage to negotiate internationally.”