FCC Plans November Vote on Upper C-band Proposal

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2025 – The Federal Communications Commission will vote next month on a proposal that would seek comment on auctioning 180 megahertz of spectrum in the upper C-band, the agency announced Wednesday.

“The draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will seek comment on a range of options, including auctioning up to 180 megahertz of spectrum in the 3.98-4.2 GHz band for next-gen wireless services,” the agency said in a release. “The Commission will consider all options within that range, with the ultimate goal of maximizing the amount of spectrum to be repurposed as generational aviation safety upgrades occur in the adjacent band.”

The major wireless carriers and airlines recently came to the FCC saying they had agreed that 180 megahertz of the band could be auctioned safely. Altimeters, crucial devices that keep track of planes’ altitude, operate in the band just above the upper C-band and there were some concerns about interference if wireless carriers were allowed to use more of the band.

Most current equipment couldn’t handle operation in the upper C-band, but the next generation of altimeters should be able to accommodate wireless users in the 3.98-4.26 GHz range, the industry groups said. More than 10,000 aircraft that routinely fly in the U.S. will likely need their gear upgraded to avoid interference, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law in July, the FCC has to auction at least 100 megahertz from the upper C-band and finish the process by July 2027. The law tasked the agency with selling off 300 megahertz of non-government spectrum, and it now appears more than half that total could come from the upper C-band auction.

The satellite video distribution service that currently occupies the band, which was repacked there to accommodate the FCC’s first C-band auction in 2020, would have to be further compressed or relocated. Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES, the operator that controls much of the band now, met with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on Oct. 23 to discuss the upper C-band plans.

The company’s filing documenting the meeting doesn’t detail SES’s position on what can be cleared. The company and Al-Saleh have said at least 100 megahertz should be able to be cleared quickly, something made easier after SES’s acquisition of Intelsat, which also operated in the band.

“SES noted that any clearing should be done in a manner that minimizes disruption to customers’ services and could include alternate technical solutions,” the company wrote. “SES noted that, as it clears more spectrum, the technical complexity, timeline, cost and customer impact increases.”

The company also advocated for financial incentives for clearing airwaves quickly, something that was in place during the previous auction in the band.

CTIA, which represents the major wireless carriers, was pleased with the news.

“We commend Chairman Carr for his leadership and look forward to continuing to work with the Commission and the satellite and aviation industries to put this spectrum to work on a safe and aggressive timeline,” CTIA CEO Ajit Pai said in a statement. Pai is a former chairman of the FCC and oversaw the first C-band auction.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has also indicated interest in scooping up some of the airwaves.

Other items

Carr said in a blog post that the agency would also vote next month on an order that would reverse a January ruling from previous FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.

In the wake of the Salt Typhoon hacks, the FCC under Rosenworcel issued a ruling saying that federal wiretapping law required telecom providers to institute cybersecurity measures across their networks. 

“Following extensive FCC engagement with carriers, the item announces the substantial steps that providers have taken to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses,” Carr wrote.

The carriers have asked for the rule to be struck down, and Carr opposed it at the time.

The agency will also vote on deleting some Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau regulations and an item that would seek comment on updating its rules around telecommunications relay services, which help people with hearing and speech issues make phone calls.

Carr said Tuesday the government shutdown, which has furloughed much of the agency’s staff, resulted in a lighter agenda for November.