NTIA

Judges Press FCC, Challengers in FirstNet Spectrum Case

The agency is looking to make more spectrum available to AT&T-operated FirstNet.

Jake Neenan

Nov 24, 2025 — 4 min read

Photo of Circuit Judge Neomi Rao at her confirmation hearing in 2019 from J. Scott Applewhite/AP

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2025 – Judges poked holes Monday in arguments from both sides of a legal dispute over whether the Federal Communications Commission can open up more public safety spectrum for FirstNet, the government’s nationwide first responder network operated by AT&T.

The agency moved last year to start the process of allowing FirstNet to use unassigned parts of the 4.9 GigaHertz (GHz) band, currently set aside for local public safety users.

The agency said in a unanimous order it would in the future select a band manager for the spectrum, which could then enter into a sharing agreement with FirstNet. It also asked incumbent users for usage data and started a recertification process that would likely reduce their license areas.

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NTIA Spectrum FCC CERCI PSSA FirstNet D.C. Circuit AT&T Verizon T-Mobile Gregory Katsas Neomi Rao Robert Wilkins

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