FCC Concludes 5G Mid-Band Spectrum Auction and Raises $4.58 Billion
FCC Concludes 5G Mid-Band Spectrum Auction and Raises $4.58 Billion
August 28, 2020
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The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has concluded the CBRS spectrum auction, also known as Auction 105, after 76 rounds and raising approximately $4.58 billion. The auction, which started on July 23 and ended August 25, was the largest auction conducted by the FCC, offering 22,631 licenses to qualified bidders.
The FCC auctioned 70 MHz per county, offering seven Priority Access Licenses (PALs) in each county consisting of 10 MHz of unpaired channel in the 3.55-3.65 GHz band. There were a total of 271 qualified bidders that participated in the action of 22,631 licenses. Of the number of licenses auctioned, bidders won a total of 20,625 in 2,543 counties.
“This auction has been a key part of our 5G FAST Plan and our ongoing push to make more mid-band spectrum available for 5G,” said Ajit Pai, FCC Chairman. “I look forward to this important spectrum being put to use quickly to provide service to the American people. And I look forward to the Commission making available 280 more megahertz of mid-band spectrum for 5G in the C-band auction beginning on December 8.”
Auction 105 was a major success towards advancing 5G networks. The FCC will release more information regarding the auction results, including winning bidders and additional details within a few days of the auction conclusion. This information, when available, and more can be found on the FCC’s website, https://www.fcc.gov/auction/105.