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# Carriers Push FCC for Extra Upper C-Band Spectrum
- URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carriers-push-fcc-for-extra-upper-c-band-spectrum/
- Published: 2025-10-01T17:45:56.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-11T05:45:08.000Z
- Description: CTIA wants 220 megahertz of Upper C-Band for 5G; Congress only guaranteed 100 megahertz.
- Author: Jericho Casper
- Tags: Spectrum, #with-siderail, CTIA, FCC, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, OBBB, Donald Trump, Brendan Carr, Intelsat, SES

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2025 – Wireless carriers are eyeing more mid-band spectrum than Congress promised.

A law enacted in July called for 100 megahertz of Upper C-band to be auctioned, but wireless industry association CTIA last week asked the Federal Communications Commission for more than double that.

In a [Sept. 24 meeting](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/109261506711649/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with FCC staff, CTIA representatives urged the FCC to make “as much as 220” megahertz of Upper C-Band available for full-power terrestrial wireless use. They were joined by executives from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

The [One Big Beautiful Bill](https://www.congress.gov/119/plaws/publ21/PLAW-119publ21.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) which President **Donald** **Trump** signed [on July 4](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wireless-industry-celebrates-spectrum-victory-as-congress-sends-big-budget-bill-to-trump/), directs the FCC to put 300 megahertz of spectrum up for competitive bidding within two years, with no less than 100 megahertz coming from the Upper C-band between 3.98 and 4.2 GigaHertz (GHz).

FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** signaled the agency’s interest in expanding the Upper C-Band when, [in February](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-vote-on-aws-auction-inquiry-into-upper-c-band-2/), the Commission adopted a notice of inquiry on whether spectrum between 3.98 and 4.2 GHz should be opened for more intensive use.

CTIA urged the FCC to “mov\[e\] quickly to adopt the proposed rules,” highlighting “the favorable

characteristics of mid-band airwaves,” and saying that “Upper C-band spectrum will deliver more of the capabilities and capacities that C-band frequencies enable today.” 

In 2021, the FCC reallocated 280 MHz of the lower C-band between 3.7–3.98 GHz for 5G terrestrial use, leaving the Upper C-band, 3.98–4.2 GHz, for satellite incumbents, bringing in more than $81 billion from wireless carriers.

Satellite incumbents, such as Intelsat and SES, still operate in the Upper C-Band. Carriers’ request would mean pushing those players to clear out more spectrum than Congress guaranteed.

CTIA argued that “the market-driven approach applied in the initial C-Band transition can be leveraged to put Upper C-Band spectrum to more intensive use,” and the FCC could “advance this proceeding consistent with that successful model.”

Mid-band spectrum is particularly valuable for 5G because it strikes a balance between wide-area coverage and high capacity. 

By contrast, low-band airwaves travel farther but deliver slower speeds, while millimeter-wave frequencies can provide ultra-fast connections only over short distances.