The US Federal Communications Commission has confirmed the start of bidding in the auction of the 3.7-3.98 GHz band. The C-band frequencies are being freed up by satellite operators to provide key mid-band spectrum for expanding 5G  networks in the US.

This is the most 5G mid-band spectrum offered in the US to date and is expected to cost the mobile operators billions to secure their share of the frequencies. The FCC has secured commitments from fixed satellite companies to move quickly out of the 3.7-3.98 GHz band and into the upper portion of the C-band in order to free up the spectrum by the end of 2021 for 5G services.

The first round of the clock phase of the auction started 08 December. A total of 5,684 flexible-use overlay licences based on so-called Partial Economic Areas across the US are available. The FCC said the auction procedures should ensure auction winners are assigned contiguous spectrum blocks allowing wide channel bandwidths that support 5G deployment. 

Satellite operators using the C-Band have agreed to move their operations out of the band’s lower 300 MHz (3.7-4.0 GHz) into the upper 200 MHz (4.0-4.2 GHz). The first phase of this transition, clearing the 3.7-3.82 GHz range in 46 of the nation’s top 50 PEAs, should be completed by 05 December 2021. Clearing the lower 120 MHz in the remaining PEAs, plus an additional 180 megahertz from 3.82-4.0 GHz nationwide must be completed by 05 December 2023.