CTIA, Other Groups Urge Congress to Bring Back FCC Spectrum Auction Authority

CTIA, NTCA and eight other groups urged the leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services and Commerce committees Thursday “to restore FCC auction authority to safeguard our national security and promote our economic security with clear planning for future commercial spectrum opportunities.” The FCC’s mandate expired in March amid a Senate impasse on two competing bills to extend the remit that turned on related negotiations on a larger spectrum legislative package that Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., feared would result in a deal that would repurpose parts of the 3.1-3.45 GHz band for commercial use before DOD finishes a study of its systems on the frequency (see 2303090074). FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and other commissioners similarly encouraged Congress Wednesday to bring back the commission’s mandate (see 2304190069). “Congress has acted decisively to promote our national security and unlock domestic innovation with the CHIPS Act and similar efforts to promote U.S. and trusted allies in the wireless equipment market,” the groups said in a letter to Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.; Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I.; House Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.; House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala.; and the panels’ ranking members. “A similar bipartisan effort is needed now to address spectrum policy, because we are at risk that key 5G innovations will be pushed overseas, particularly to China, if we do not recommit to a spectrum policy that ensures that both government and commercial interests have sufficient access to key spectrum bands.” China “is poised to have over 400 percent more 5G spectrum than the United States available for commercial use by 2027, and is working now to drive other nations to make available the same bands that are already available in China,” the groups said: Reauthorization will “safeguard our national security and promote our economic security with clear planning for future commercial spectrum opportunities.”