FCC

FCC Auction Authority Renewal Sparks Debate on Spectrum Design, Federal Reallocation

Congress extends FCC auction authority through 2034 with 800 MHz mid-band requirement.

Akul Saxena

Sep 22, 2025 — 1 min read

Photo of Giulia McHenry, senior vice president of public policy at AT&T, from the SpectrumX site.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2025 – Telecom policy experts said Saturday that Congress’s renewal of the Federal Communications Commission’s auction authority through 2034, combined with a requirement to identify at least 800 megahertz of mid-band spectrum, is set to reshape how spectrum is allocated for next–generation networks.

Matt Pearl, of counsel at Jenner & Block, said the new mandate represents a fundamental test for policymakers, stressing that what comes to auction must be in wide, contiguous blocks that can support fixed wireless today and eventually 6G.

Giulia McHenry, senior vice president of public policy at AT&T, pointed to AT&T’s recent purchases of 3.45 GigaHertz (GHz) and 600 MHz licenses at about $1.3 per megahertz-pop as evidence of strong market demand.

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Member discussion

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