Wireless, Cable Industries at Odds over Spectrum Needs for AI

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2026 – The wireless carriers and cable industry are once again at odds over the right direction for U.S. spectrum policy.

CTIA, the wireless industry group, released a report ahead of its event Wednesday calling for more licensed spectrum to meet projected demand from artificial intelligence users. The report said Accenture found networks in high-traffic areas could hit “peak capacity for AI traffic” before the end of the decade.

The resulting unmet demand for wireless traffic could result in an eye-popping $1.4 trillion drag on U.S. GDP over the following 10 years, the report said.