• August 20, 2020

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The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced it will make 100 MHz of mid-band spectrum, currently used by the military, available for commercial 5G deployments. Once the service rules have been adopted, the FCC is planning to auction the spectrum in December 2021 and is anticipating it to be in use as soon as 2022.

The America’s Mid-Band Initiative Team (AMBIT) was assembled to identify 100 MHz of contiguous mid-band spectrum in the 3450-3550 MHz band available for private 5G usage, which was accomplished just after a 15-week assessment. Currently in the U.S., the 3450MHz-3550MHz band is heavily utilized by the military, mainly for defense radar systems that are critical for the DoD and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). AMBIT proposed a new spectrum-sharing framework that ensures the spectrum band continues to be available to the military while also allowing for commercial use.

A mixture of low-, mid-, and high-band spectrum are required and used together to deliver 5G service. The mid-band serves as the ideal balance between the low- and high-band, providing high capacity and reliability over greater distances. The addition of the mid-band spectrum plays a huge role in the advancement and development of 5G technology in the U.S.

For more information about the DoD’s announcement to make 100 MHz of mid-band spectrum available for the private sector, visit https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2306902/ambit-gambit-pays-off-advances-us-5g-efforts/.

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Sources:

defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2306902/ambit-gambit-pays-off-advances-us-5g-efforts/

techblog.comsoc.org/2020/08/11/u-s-defense-dept-dod-to-share-100-mhz-of-mid-band-spectrum-for-5g-services-in-u-s/

fiercewireless.com/5g/u-s-to-free-up-100-mhz-mid-band-spectrum-for-5g

lightreading.com/5g/us-opens-up-100mhz-of-mid-band-spectrum-for-5g/d/d-id/763095?