FCC to Vote on AWS Auction, Inquiry into Upper C-Band

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2025 – At the agency’s first meeting with Brendan Carr as chairman, the Federal Communications Commission plans to vote on proposing rules for reauctioning AWS-3 spectrum, plus an inquiry into opening up more 5G spectrum. 

AWS-3 includes mid-band spectrum used by the 5G carriers. Its reauction was mandated by Congress in an effort to fully fund the agency’s so-called Rip and Replace program, which reimburses smaller providers for swapping aging gear from blacklisted Chinese providers out of their networks.

It’s the only spectrum auction permitted by law at this point, as the FCC’s authority to sell off spectrum as it sees fit lapsed in March 2023.