Verizon Tells FCC More High- and Midband Spectrum is Needed for 5G

Verizon representatives discussed the need for the FCC to make more high- and midband spectrum available for 5G, said a filing in docket 17-183 on meetings including Commissioners Mike O’Reilly and Brendan Carr. “We outlined the need for the Commission to move quickly to adopt a notice of proposed rulemaking exploring the possibility of making spectrum available for mobile broadband in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band,” Verizon said. “To be effective, any approach would have to free up well more than 100 MHz.” Verizon officials stressed the need to “reorganize” the 39 GHz band before it's ready for auction. “The Commission should encourage incumbent licensees to commercially negotiate license swaps to reorganize and rationalize the 39 GHz band as soon as possible,” the carrier said. “Rationalization of this band can occur much more quickly through such market-based efforts rather than through more complex Commission auctions.”