The Federal Communications Commission has regained its authority to hold spectrum auctions and could use that power to take spectrum away from Wi-Fi networks and license it to mobile carriers AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
As we previously wrote, the Senate budget bill pitched by Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called for at least 800 MHz to be auctioned and allowed part of it to be taken from the 6 GHz band that’s being used to boost speeds in the new generation of Wi-Fi networks. The House previously voted to exclude the entire 6 GHz band from spectrum auctions but ultimately adopted the Senate’s language in a 218-214 vote when it approved the final budget bill on July 3. It was signed into law by President Trump on July 4.
The new law also allows spectrum to be taken from the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS), which goes from 3.55 to 3.7 GHz. While other spectrum bands could be targeted too, advocates say it would be hard for the FCC to fulfill the congressional mandate without taking spectrum from Wi-Fi, CBRS, or both.
